Dallas Baby Brain Damage Lawyer

Brain damage at birth can be caused by complications during delivery, medical mistakes or even medical malpractice.

If your child has suffered from neurological issues or brain damage at birth, call Rasansky Law Firm for a free consultation at (214) 617-1886. We're happy to discuss the facts of your case and advise you of your legal options.

In the United States, more than 28,000 babies suffer birth injuries each year. Many newborns are left with debilitating conditions as a result of brain injuries and damages. Brain damage is a serious and debilitating consequence of a rough and negligent delivery. In many cases, babies sustain traumatic brain damage as a result of medical malpractice. Although brain damage is often preventable, between one and three babies out of every 1,000 births experience some form of head trauma or damage. These conditions are marked by breathing problems, depressed reflexes, impaired levels of consciousness, and seizure disorders in newborns.

When newborn babies experience brain damage as a result of a negligent medical professional, they often require immediate and long-term medical treatment. When children suffer severe brain damage, such as brain bleeds, they often require immediate surgery.

Many times, baby brain damage can be directly attributed to medical mistakes made by doctors or other hospital personnel during the delivery process. These are specific problems that are often described by the generic terms "birth injury" or "birth trauma," and they can range from mild to severe.

Regardless of the type of brain injury the child sustains, they often require ongoing, costly medical treatment. When children sustain traumatic head and brain injuries as a result of negligence, it is crucial that their families seek legal guidance from a qualified and knowledgeable brain damage attorney in Dallas as soon as possible. Families may be entitled to compensation to help alleviate the financial burdens they will face.

We at Rasansky Law Firm have decades of experience helping our clients recover after they are subjected to dealing with a traumatic brain injury or damage due to the negligence of a medical professional. Our team provides competent and trusted legal representation to ensure our clients are in the best position possible to recover after being harmed. If your child sustained brain damage, and you believe negligence played a role, contact our brain damage lawyers in Dallas as soon as possible.

Brain Damage to a Baby

One of the most severe conditions occurring in brain damaged babies is cerebral palsy. Severe brain damage often results in life altering complications with extremely high emotional and monetary costs.  Our experienced baby brain damage lawyers can help you discover what caused these problems and whether or not your have legal standing to sue for damages that will help your child live the best life possible.

Examples of these medical mistakes may include:

• Using excessive force during delivery
• Delay in performing a C-section
• Inaccurate assessment of the baby's size
• Negligence in monitoring fetal distress

In general, there is a multitude of causes for brain damage and injuries in newborns. These injuries are often caused by oxygen deprivation. Babies are at a heightened risk of suffering oxygen deprivation to the brain when they are subjected to medical malpractice and negligence. Some of the leading causes of brain damage we see in Texas include, but are not limited to:

• The use of forceps and vacuum extractors: When medical professionals lack adequate training on how to use birthing tools, they are more likely to cause serious and life-altering injuries to newborns. In most cases, these tools are beneficial in helping guide babies out of the birth canal. Forceps and vacuum extractors can mitigate the need for a C-section while allowing a mother to deliver naturally. When medical professionals use the tools improperly, it can lead to strokes, brain bleeds, traumatic brain injuries, and a host of other types of brain damage.
• Infections: There are many cases where mothers have an infection during their pregnancy and the birthing process. When mothers pass infections to their children during the birthing process, it can result in life-threatening injuries. Medical professionals need to use extreme caution in delivering babies when a mother has an infection or should consider performing C-sections to avoid transmission. 
• Umbilical cord issues: Complications with the umbilical cord are a common cause of brain damage. When the umbilical cord becomes compressed, it can interrupt the blood flow and ultimately oxygen to the baby’s brain. Conversely, a prolapsed umbilical cord can wrap around the child’s neck and cut off oxygen to the brain. When an umbilical cord is knotted, too short, or has an infection in it, it can cause an array of complications in the flow of blood between the mother and the child.
• Placental abruption: This situation requires emergency medical intervention. When the placenta tears away from the uterus, it can cause a complete stop to the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the child. This can lead to severe brain damage or death.
• Uterine rupture: Tearing in the layers of the womb can lead to severe hemorrhaging in the mother’s abdominal area. This condition can cause the baby to spill out of the mother, leading to massive blood loss. This can be life-threatening for both the mother and the unborn child. If the child survives a uterine rupture, it can have long-lasting brain damage due to oxygen deprivation.
• Oligohydramnios: Complications that arise when there are low levels of amniotic fluids surrounding the baby in the wound are called oligohydramnios. This condition occurs when the mother’s water breaks before she goes into active labor. A loss of fluid can cause the umbilical cord to prolapse or compress. This condition not only leads to brain damage, but it can result in underdeveloped lungs and many other complications.
• Prolonged or arrested labor: Contractions can have a restrictive impact on a child’s ability to obtain oxygen during the labor process. The longer a baby is subjected to these conditions, the more likely they are to suffer from oxygen deprivation. Prolonged deprivation can result in permanent brain damage to the child. The use of Cytotec and Pitocin used to strengthen contractions during the labor process can drastically increase the chances of anoxic brain injuries during the birthing process.
• Placenta Previa: When the placenta does not grow at the expected rate, it can result in a blocking of the mother’s cervix. If the placenta remains either fully or partially covering the cervix during late-term pregnancy, it can result in the need for a C-section due to the risk of bleeding.
• Mistakes with anesthesia: When anesthesia is not administered correctly, it can cause the mother to experience a hypotensive crisis. This causes the mother’s blood pressure to drop, which can decrease the amount of oxygen that reaches the baby.
• Fetal strokes: If there are any blocks or restrictions to the blood vessels in the baby’s brain, it can result in a fetal stroke. These can have a detrimental impact on the child and their physical and mental development. The chances of brain damage are greatly increased when medical professionals use forceps or vacuum extractors to assist with the birth.
• Abnormal presentation: Babies should present in a head-first position. When they do not, the baby can experience oxygen deprivation, brain bleeds, or other forms of traumatic injuries to their head. The chance of suffering brain damage is increased when there are problems related to the umbilical cord. Babies who are transverse, breeched, or a face-up presentation, the birthing process can be particularly traumatic for the baby.
• Preeclampsia and eclampsia: Mothers who experience preeclampsia during their pregnancies have consistently high blood pressure readings. The increased blood pressure rate can drastically decrease the blood flow to the baby. Various factors associated with preeclampsia and eclampsia can cause severe damage to the baby and constrict vessels in the placenta, which can result in oxygen deprivation and brain damage to the child.

Brain damaged babies most often suffer their injuries from oxygen deprivation. If your baby experienced brain damage after a delivery, our baby brain damage lawyers have resources to help you through this difficult time. Contact our birth injury lawyers today to discuss your legal options before you run out of time.

Symptoms of Brain Damages in Newborns

Babies who sustain brain damage during the birthing process often exhibit a variety of signs and symptoms. The type of injury as well as its severity have a critical impact on the type of symptoms a baby will have. Some of the most common symptoms of brain damages include:

• Abnormal Temperament: Although some fussiness and crying are to be expected, babies who continue to cry inexplicably or act fussy without having the ability to be consoled or comforted may have brain damage. It is crucial to understand that an abnormal temperament can be a sign of brain damage, but it is not always associated with this type of injury.
• Abnormal Physical Appearance: Babies with brain damage may have some physical abnormalities. In many cases, babies have misshaped facial features and have protruding foreheads. A deformed spine may also be present.
• Sensory Problems: Sensory problems are another common indication of a brain injury in newborns. Babies who have brain damage can have difficulties focusing their eyes and may also be sensitive to lights and sounds. Ringing in the ear may be experienced by children with brain damage.
• Missed Milestones and Developmental Delays: There are some instances where brain damage is not detected soon after birth. As children grow, their injuries may become more noticeable when they start missing milestones and have an inability to talk, walk, or crawl.

Babies who suffer from brain damage not only experience the immediate impacts of these injuries, but they have issues that continue to follow them indefinitely. The mental, emotional, and financial impacts of these injuries are significant. If your child sustained brain damage as a result of a negligent medical professional, it is crucial that you seek legal guidance from a Dallas brain damage attorney as soon as possible. You may be entitled to compensation to help alleviate the costs of care your child needs moving forward.