We Are Here to Advocate for Your Family in Cases of Severe Infant Injury
Of all the complications that can affect childbirth, easily one of the most devastating is a diagnosis of birth paralysis. Though rare, babies who are born without the full function of their bodies will face a life of challenges. They will not have access to the same opportunities as their peers and will need daily assistance just to complete tasks most of us take for granted. As parents, you may feel at a loss when learning about your child’s condition.
Cullan & Cullan is a firm with doctor-lawyers who are dedicated to helping your family receive the support you need if your infant was paralyzed at birth. We can help you file for compensation, requesting funds for your baby’s treatment, additional needs, and suffering. There is nothing more devastating than learning your child may never be able to walk or play with other children their age. Ask us how an infant paralysis claim can help provide for your child’s future.
Cullan & Cullan has investigated thousands of birth injury cases and helped hundreds of families like yours. Call (602) 900-9483 to schedule a free consultation with our Phoenix team.
What Is Birth Paralysis?
There are many conditions that might cause your baby to lack function in various body parts. While some of these conditions can be cured, others typically cause lifelong disability. We help with many of these conditions:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) is a brain injury that can cause joint and bone deformities, abnormal muscle tone and mass, and impaired motor development.
- Brachial plexus injury can lead to nerve damage that affects a baby’s arm.
- Erb’s palsy is a condition caused by brachial plexus injury that causes paralysis of the upper arm.
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) happens when the blood flow to an infant’s brain is blocked and oxygen deprivation causes permanent brain damage.
- Bell's palsy is a condition caused by facial nerve damage.
While most doctors are familiar with the above conditions, they are not the only birth paralysis injuries that might affect your baby. We have also seen cases of paralysis caused by:
- Failure to treat infection
- Maternal infection
- Spinal cord damage
- Brain damage
If your baby has been injured, you deserve the truth on how it happened and financial support from the doctors or nurses who are at fault.
Birth Paralysis Caused by Doctor Error
Paralysis is caused by damage to the nervous system, which cannot be repaired. No doctor should take any action that might harm a baby, but especially causing injury to the brain and/or spinal cord is completely unacceptable. Our attorneys are here to support you in bringing a case against a negligent doctor who caused or oversaw such extensive damage.
Spinal Cord Injury
During a difficult labor, a doctor may choose to intervene. However, especially when using tools like forceps or a vacuum, a baby may face injury if extreme care is not used. Excessive force or twisting the infant’s neck/spine beyond what it can bear can cause irreversible damage to the spinal cord. These injuries often lead to partial or total paralysis, depending on their severity and location.
Brain Injury
Whether from lack of oxygen or excessive force, damage to a baby’s
brain cells can cause paralysis. Though paralysis caused by brain damage
may not look exactly like that caused by spinal cord injury, neither are
fully curable. Rehabilitative therapy may help your baby re-gain some motor
control skills, but some level of permanent injury will remain.
Maternal Infection
When a pregnant woman is infected, the viruses or bacteria may be able to cross the placenta and therefore infect the fetus as well. Many of these viruses have noticeable effects on healthy adults; a developing fetus is especially vulnerable to their effects. When a pathogen attacks the central nervous system, the baby may suffer many developmental difficulties including paralysis. It’s therefore important for a doctor to watch for possible symptoms of infection and make sure pregnant patients receive tests for dangerous pathogens. Timely treatment can help protect the fetus from permanent damage.
Identifying Birth Paralysis
We tend to have a mental model of paralysis that involves a patient who cannot move parts of their body and uses a wheelchair or other assistive device to get around. However, in newborns, paralysis doesn’t always present as a complete inability to move. The condition may become apparent over time, with symptoms such as:
- Pain or discomfort
- Weakness
- Atypical reflexes
- Difficulty breathing and/or swallowing
- Drooping of one side of the face
- Inability to register touch
- Loss of mobility or developmental impairment
If your baby is displaying these symptoms, you should seek medical help. Your doctor can run tests to determine the extent of your baby’s injury and help you determine which treatments may be appropriate.
How Our Firm Can Help
If your baby’s injury was caused by doctor negligence, reach out to Cullan & Cullan to learn about your legal rights. Paralysis is a heartbreaking diagnosis. Not only will your child likely faced reduced opportunities, but they may also need extensive care and assistance for the rest of their life. We want to make sure you and your baby are provided for, so they have the best chance at a happy future.
Our lawyers are uniquely prepared to investigate your infant paralysis case because, our lawyers are also doctors. That means we know enough about both medicine and law. We’ve used this knowledge to help the victims of medical malpractice and birth injury recover compensation so they can access the treatment and support they need. Our team has recovered over $350 million for our clients.
When thinking about your child’s future, we know you want the best for them. Our team is known for providing quality representation and fighting hard for every client.
Call Cullan & Cullan at (602) 900-9483 to schedule a free consultation with our Phoenix personal injury team. We want to help your family move forward after a birth injury.