Birth Injury Attorney Detroit

It's normal for a baby to experience a certain amount of bruising and swelling of the head during delivery. Sometimes, however, complications can cause much more trauma including hemorrhages (brain bleeds) and brain damage

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), commonly known as birth asphyxia, happens when there is an injury or complication before, during or immediately after a baby’s birth resulting in an inadequate supply of oxygen to the baby’s brain. A new therapy called brain cooling has shown very promising results in the treatment of birth-associated HIE, minimizing overall neurological injury.

 Like any other consumer of goods or services, a mother delivering a baby needs to know her options and needs to be kept abreast of significant events during labor and delivery so that she may make informed choices in her care. When options or information are not made available by doctors and hospital staff, a woman’s right to participate in her own care – and that of her baby’s – is diminished. And what happens if the care she receives by her treating physicians and hospital results in an unfortunate outcome for her baby?

 During labor, the body secretes a natural hormone called oxytocin. It causes uterine contractions necessary for delivery. Sometimes, however, labor does not begin naturally or does not progress adequately and a synthetic form of oxytocin (also called Pitocin) may be administered. Despite it's frequent use, there are some safety concerns.

 Most people associate the use of forceps during delivery as a “last resort,” when all other efforts have failed, to quickly deliver a baby. For many years it has been an accepted practice. Contemporary thinking, however, may be shifting as obstetricians weigh the risks of injury to babies if the procedure is not done correctly.

Reiter & Walsh, P.C. wins a birth injury claim for $3.9 million.  Attorneys at Reiter & Walsh sought compensatory damages for a child who suffers from birth trauma-related injuries.  It was contended that the medical staff at the delivery hospital did not accurately distinguish between the fetal and maternal heart rates.  Delivery could have occurred sooner if the staff had recognized that the baby's heart rate was dangerously low.  Instead, the baby suffered from a lack of oxygen during delivery (hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy) and as a result now has mild cerebral palsy, along with cognitive, speech, and motor delays.