Experienced Attorneys Representing Vallejo and Fairfield-Suisun Families in Birth Injury Cases

Help when your infant suffers an injury

At Favaro, Lavezzo, Gill, Caretti & Heppell, P.C., we know how tragic it is for a child to suffer a debilitating disease or birth injury that may affect him or her for the long term. If your child sustains a birth injury that you believe was caused by negligence from a doctor, nurse or other medical care provider, our lawyers can help you explore your options for litigation.

Common

If a mistake during childbirth causes personal injury to an infant, the medical professional responsible, the hospital or other facility may be found liable for medical malpractice. The conditions listed below along with their potential causes are considered to be the most common types of birth injury:

• Cerebral palsy — A neurological condition that affects the motor skills of a child. It is caused by an injury to the brain of an infant before, during, or shortly after childbirth. These brain injuries may occur unexpectedly, or may be the result of a medical error. Children typically begin to exhibit symptoms of cerebral palsy during infancy or early childhood.
• Erb’s palsy — Also known as Erb-Duchenne palsy or shoulder dystocia, a condition caused by injury to the network of nerves known as the brachial plexus. The nerves in the brachial plexus run from the spine, through the shoulder and arm and all the way down to the fingertips, and control movement of muscles in the shoulders, arms and hands. When these nerves are severed or damaged, it can cause weakness in the arm, or partial or full paralysis. Sometimes Erb’s palsy goes away on its own; sometimes the child requires surgery. In other situations, the brachial plexus injury cannot be repaired.
• Bone fractures — When in infant is born with a fractured bone, it may be due to a doctor’s mistake. Both improper use of forceps and failure to perform a Cesarean section when necessary are errors that are likely to lead to fractures. In other instances, broken bones cannot be predicted nor prevented, such as clavicle fractures during vaginal birth.
• Spinal cord injury — A rare but very serious birth injury that usually leads to lifelong disability, such as partial or full paralysis. Spinal cord injury can occur if a doctor fails to recognize potential complications in a pregnancy or childbirth.
• Facial paralysis — Caused by damage to an infant’s facial nerve during childbirth. A baby may suffer facial paralysis during a difficult delivery, or if a doctor fails to properly use forceps. The effects of facial paralysis may be long term, or the condition may heal itself over time.
• Infection — Birth injury can be caused by infection or illness in the mother. If the mother contracts a viral infection, she can transmit it to the baby through the maternal blood, leading to brain injury in the infant, as well as impairment of the growth and development of the child. Bacterial infections can also cause serious complications during pregnancy and lead to birth injury or post-birth sepsis. In many cases of infection during pregnancy, birth injury can be prevented by a doctor who monitors both the mother and fetus attentively.
• Skin irritations and bruises — Although minor bruises and abrasions are common and can occur during routine childbirths, more serious lacerations and bruises can be caused by doctor negligence, particularly through misuse of forceps or vacuum extractors.

Seek legal support from a reliable Vallejo or Fairfield-Suisun attorney who can handle your birth injury claim

If your child suffers a birth injury that resulted from doctor, nurse or hospital negligence, you deserve to collect compensation for the physical, financial and emotional struggle your whole family suffers as a result. Learn more about the services we provide at Favaro, Lavezzo, Gill, Caretti & Heppell, P.C. by calling 707-552-3630 or contacting us online.

We maintain flexible work hours and are happy to schedule appointments outside the normal day at your convenience. Members of our staff speak Spanish, and we also offer translation services for native Tagalog and Ilocano speakers. Favaro, Lavezzo, Gill, Caretti & Heppell, P.C. maintains offices in Vallejo and Fairfield-Suisun, California, and represents clients throughout Solano County, Contra Costa County and Napa County.