Birth Injury Lawyer Red Deer

Servicing Red Deer and all of Alberta

In a maternity ward delivery room, there is near constant sound. The beeping noise of equipment, the voice of doctors or other medical staff calling out instructions, a pregnant woman in the midst of contractions using all her focus and energy to give a final push.

But there can be terrifying moments when the silence is deafening. A quiet baby at birth is often a sign of danger. When an expected cry isn’t heard, it can mean the baby’s airways are obstructed or her brain is not receiving crucial oxygen due to complications.

Perinatal asphyxia – oxygen deprivation in the period immediately before, during or immediately following birth – can lead to serious and permanent brain damage and other birth injuries. It can be caused by meconium aspiration (first fecal matter mixed with amniotic fluid and is ingested in the baby’s lungs), a prolapsed umbilical cord (delivered before the baby), or other many other complications from a traumatic or abnormal birth.

Medical providers can often detect symptoms of perinatal asphyxia prior to birth (such as fetal tachycardia) and must work very quickly to clear a baby’s airways after birth to avoid long-term damage to oxygen-starved brain and body tissue. Sadly, sometimes a breach of standards of care due to negligence causes or contributes to serious but preventable harm. This is called obstetrical malpractice, and it can change a life in a matter of moments.

Other Common Birth Injuries

Perinatal asphyxia, and other conditions affecting oxygen levels such as anoxia, hypoxia, may cause or contribute to a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy (CP). This condition can also result from placental insufficiency (inadequate oxygen or nutrients delivered to the baby through the placenta), maternal or in utero infection or poor management of maternal health concerns. CP affects muscle control, balance, coordination, reflexes, may cause vision or hearing loss, affect a person’s ability to communicate and is sometimes associated with learning disabilities.

Other common birth injuries include:

Brachial plexus injuries: Often caused by shoulder dystocia (a baby’s head is delivered but her shoulders remain lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone), these injuries affect the network of nerves from the neck to shoulders and can lead to brain injuries, Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy.
Spinal cord injuries – Damage to the spine can occur from blunt force trauma and poorly performed forced extractions, fetal illness, or undiagnosed or misdiagnosed spina bifida (vertebrae do not completely enclose nerves in the spine). An affected baby may suffer from loss of sensation, abnormal reflexes and spasms, pain or ever paralysis.
Broken bones and scarring – During a traumatic birth or forced extraction, soft tissue damage or broken bones can occur. Improper use of medical instruments during these procedures or accidents following the birth may also lead to these issues.
Kernicterus – Neurotoxicity and brain damage is possible if a medical provider is not properly managing and treating a baby who has or develops severe jaundice (from an immature liver).

When You’ve Been Hurt, We’re Here To Help

Whether it’s dreaded silence following a birth, a visible injury as you see your child for the first time, or realizing that something is wrong as you watch your child grow, a birth injury robs loved ones of the joy they should be feeling as they welcome a new life to the world. Learning that the negligent actions or inaction of medical providers harmed your child is devastating. Amid the grief, sadness and anger you may be experiencing, it can be overwhelming to think about what the future will hold for you and your loved ones.

Howie, Sacks and Henry’s trusted birth injury lawyers are ready to help you in Red Deer as you seek the financial resources your loved one needs for rehabilitation and recovery, and the compensation they deserve for their pain and suffering. As one of the country’s top personal injury firms, our skilled and experienced team is recognized by our peers for our expertise in this complex area of law.

At HSH, we’ve developed a strong reputation for client-centred service. We approach every interaction with empathy, compassion and care to ensure you know you are always more than a file to us. An HSH birth injury lawyer will be pleased to meet with you in your own home in the Red Deer area or at a nearby consultation office. Distance or ability to travel should never be an obstacle to high quality legal representation.

As we listen to your story, we will explain your options, provide trusted advice, and answer your questions to make the process as clear and understandable as possible. We will also assist you arranging testing, assessments or therapies to help both with your case and your loved one’s rehabilitation and recovery.

Nothing can change the pain and suffering you or your loved one has experienced following a permanent birth injury due obstetrical malpractice. But with an HSH birth injury lawyer on your side and by your side in Red Deer, together we can seek what you need to ensure there are better days ahead.