Estimates from diverse sources nationally generally converge on a figure of between six and seven percent for the instances of birth injury that occur per every 1,000 babies born in the United States.

Birth injuries in Ohio and everywhere else are obviously stressful and dramatic, and sometimes life-altering in the extreme. Sometimes what happened couldn't have been avoided. On other occasions, though, medical error alone is responsible for the harm that visits an infant during birth.

"There are a number of things that can cause birth injuries, ranging from the improper use of forceps or drugs to a failure to conduct a timely C-section," says a spokesperson for one legal information website.

Thankfully, not all birth injuries are severe or lasting. In fact, they can be minor in nature, such as a bruise or scratch on a baby.

However, they can also be devastating to a child or family. Common birth injuries that can have materially dire outcomes include the following:

  • Erb's palsy -- nerve damage that often occurs when a baby's shoulder makes for difficult passage through the birth canal
  • Respiratory failure
  • C-section error
  • Fetal distress, birth trauma
  • Facial paralysis -- can result from improper use of forceps
  • Cerebral palsy -- brain damage can result from a lack of oxygen during birth

Money can never replace what has been taken from a family when an act of medical malpractice or hospital negligence results in a birth injury to an infant.

A medical malpractice recovery, though, serves several important purposes. It assigns responsibility and hopefully prevents a reoccurrence of medical harm in the future. Additionally, it can give a family valuable peace of mind through their knowing that the financial needs of their loved one -- for care, medical equipment, education and other costs -- will be provided for.

Source: KJRH, "How medical malpractice leads to birth injuries" Jan. 11, 2012