Franklin Gray and White Blog

Erb’s Palsy Treatments and Recovery

If your child was injured during the birthing process and now suffers from Erb’s palsy, know that you may be able to help him or her by filing a lawsuit against those responsible for the medical malpractice. Contact a Louisville birth injury attorney at Franklin, Gray and White at (502) 637-6000 or (800) 637-6033 for advice regarding your case.

Treatment Options for Cerebral Palsy

Does your child suffer from cerebral palsy or some other birth injury caused by negligence or medical malpractice? If so, contact a Louisville birth injury attorney at Franklin, Gray and White at (502) 637-6000 or (800) 637-6033 for advice regarding your case.

Things You Should Know About Infant Brain Injury in Kentucky

Read this blog to find out what you should know if your child has suffered a brain injury at birth. Contact a Louisville birth injury lawyer at the Law Offices of Franklin Gray & White at (502) 637-6000 or (800) 637-6033 for more information.

A Brachial Plexus Injury Can Be Treated

There are treatment options available for babies who have suffered a brachial plexus injury. If your child has experienced some type of birth injury, you may be able to hold the doctor responsible in a Kentucky medical malpractice case.

Raising a Child with Cerebral Palsy

Raising a child with cerebral palsy can be more challenging both emotionally and financially for parents. Read this article to learn tips for parents. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy following a birth injury, you may be entitled to compensation.

Mother's Story Brings Attention To Issue Of Mitochondrial Diseases, Cerebral Palsy In Young Children

From CNN Health:

"Stephanie Shapiro is an Atlanta, Georgia-based mum of two, whose children, Hannah, six, and Jake, four, have a rare genetic condition. She is featured in this month's Vital Signs show. She writes for CNN about the challenges of raising two children with mitochondrial disease and her hopes for the future.

 -- Every 30 minutes, somewhere in the world a child is born who will develop a mitochondrial disease by the age of 10 (according to the United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation).

I know this statement by heart. Prior to my daughter's birth, I had never heard of mitochondrial disease. My only vague recollection of mitochondria came from high school biology. I remembered "The mighty mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell."

When our daughter Hannah was born, she was so perfect, at least that's what the AGPAR scores (a method for assessing the health of newborns) and doctors told us, even when we, her parents, knew something wasn't quite right.

It all began so simply, as the nurse calmly told my husband and me: "Hannah seems a little cold; I'm going to take her down to the NICU Unit to warm her up a bit.

Video: Living with genetic disease

An hour later, a doctor told us: "We think Hannah has a metabolic disease, we don't know if she will make it through the night."

Hannah was less than 24 hours old. Quickly, our world became filled with words like seizure disorder, brain atrophy, global delay, and mitochondrial disease.

Determined to have a large family, and believing this couldn't possibly happen again, 18 months later our son was born.

Jake's entrance into the world was fast and furious...an emergency C-Section, a "blue baby..." The cord had wrapped around his neck. No one could tell how long he had been deprived oxygen.

Just like Hannah, though, quickly came the medical terms ... seizures, atrophy, and delay. First the doctors diagnosed him with cerebral palsy. Children are often under-diagnosed with cerebral palsy because the symptoms of that and mitochondrial diseases can be so similar.

We pushed forward and later he was given the same diagnosis as his sister. I am a carrier. I too may someday show symptoms of the disease. What makes me cry at night, however, is the thought I gave this to my children.

Mitochondria are tiny structures found in all cells in our bodies and produce most of the energy we need to function normally.

Since almost all of our body's organs rely on mitochondria for energy, people suffering from a mitochondrial disease may have a wide variety of symptoms. There are many faces of mitochondrial disease.

They are young, old, and in-between. Some run and play, laugh and dance. Others are confined to a wheelchair and technological devices simply to sustain life. Symptoms can start at any age: from birth till death.

It is difficult to diagnose mitochondrial diseases and the only current test is a muscle biopsy. This procedure in itself can be painful, intrusive, and expensive. Individuals may suffer from high levels of fatigue, muscle or heart weakness, diabetes, strokes, or vision and hearing loss.

Hannah and Jake's condition is severe. Their prognosis is poor and they are not expected to live very long. They suffer from a variety of seizures, ranging in length from seconds to hours. Hannah and Jake are non-verbal and non-ambulatory."

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The story is a heartbreaking one.  Although the afflictions in this story are likely the result of a genetic disease, too often young children suffer from birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy, or being misdaignosed, as the result of medical neglience.    The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Newborns Can Suffer From Intracranial Hemorrhage

Infants can suffer from intracranial hemorrhage caused by a birth injury. If your child has been injured from malpractice,contact a Louisville, Kentucky birth injury attorney at the Law Offices of Franklin Gray & White at (502) 637-6000 or (800) 637-6033.

What is Hyperbilirubinemia?

Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition that affects newborns.  It occurs when there is too much bilirubin in the blood.  For more information on Hyperbilirubinemia, please see the following from the University of Virginia Health System:

"What is hyperbilirubinemia?

Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition in which there is too much bilirubin in the blood. When red blood cells break down, a substance called bilirubin is formed. Babies are not easily able to get rid of the bilirubin and it can build up in the blood and other tissues and fluids of the baby's body. This is called hyperbilirubinemia. Because bilirubin has a pigment or coloring, it causes a yellowing of the baby's skin and tissues. This is called jaundice.

Depending on the cause of the hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice may appear at birth or at any time afterward.

What causes hyperbilirubinemia?

During pregnancy, the placenta excretes bilirubin. When the baby is born, the baby's liver must take over this function. There are several causes of hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice, including the following:

• physiologic jaundice
  Physiologic jaundice occurs as a "normal" response to the baby's limited ability to excrete bilirubin in the first days of life.
  
  
• breast milk jaundice
  About 2 percent of breastfed babies develop jaundice after the first week. Some develop breast milk jaundice in the first week due to low calorie intake or dehydration.
  
  
• jaundice from hemolysis
  Jaundice may occur with the breakdown of red blood cells due to hemolytic disease of the newborn (Rh disease), having too many red blood cells, or bleeding.
  
  
• jaundice related to inadequate liver function
  Jaundice may be related to inadequate liver function due to infection or other factors.

Who is affected by hyperbilirubinemia?

About 60 percent of term newborns and 80 percent of premature babies develop jaundice. Infants of diabetic mothers and of mothers with Rh disease are more likely to develop hyperbilirubinemia and jaundice.

Why is hyperbilirubinemia a concern?

Although low levels of bilirubin are not usually a concern, large amounts can circulate to tissues in the brain and may cause seizures and brain damage. This is a condition called kernicterus.

What are the symptoms of hyperbilirubinemia?

The following are the most common symptoms of hyperbilirubinemia. However, each baby may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

• -yellow coloring of the baby's skin (usually beginning on the face and moving down the body)
  
  
• -poor feeding or lethargy

The symptoms of hyperbilirubinemia may resemble other conditions or medical problems. Always consult your baby's physician for a diagnosis."

 

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If your child developed hyperbilirubinemia, this may have been the result of medical malpractice.  The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, such as Hyperbilirubinemia, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Research Aims to Improve Lives of Babies Born With Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"New research shows that lowering the body temperature of oxygen-deprived newborns reduces the risk for neurological problems later.

Unfortunately, the strategy did not reduce the risk of death or severe disability.

Still, the findings, appearing in the Oct. 1 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, help fill a crucial gap in the effort to treat babies who have brain damage due to hypoxia, or lack of oxygen.

"This is another bit of incremental evidence that hypothermia helps with hypoxia and ischemia [restriction in blood supply]," said Dr. John Ragheb, a professor of clinical neurological surgery and pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, who is familiar with the study. "This is going to be a very important paper."

But many institutions already practice cooling in this context, added Dr. James Greenberg, director of the division of neonatology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Research Foundation, making it uncertain how much the paper is actually going to change current practice.

And there's more that needs to be known, including which newborns would benefit most from the practice, and how best to apply it, he said.

Cooling body temperature, or hypothermia, has been used since the 1920s or 1930s to help with injuries and even to reduce damage after a heart attack, Ragheb noted.

But scientists are only now collecting data on how hypothermia might benefit babies born with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), when severe blood deprivation to the brain results in the death of brain cells, possibly leading to cerebral palsy or mental retardation.

Previous research has focused on premature babies, Ragheb said. "This is term babies, so it expands the indication for using it."

This study, conducted in five countries, involved 325 babies who were less than six hours old who had been born near-term and who had suffered brain damage as a result of oxygen deprivation."

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Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious condition that may occur as the result of medical malpractice.  The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, such as Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Cerebral Palsy Sufferer Awarded $43 Million from New York Jury

From UPI:

"A jury in New York State awarded $43.5 million in damages Thursday to a young woman for injuries she suffered during her birth in 1984.

Tiffany Busone, now 24, was born in Bellevue Maternity Hospital in Niskayuna, N.Y.

Sources told the Albany Times Union that because of oxygen deprivation for about 15 minutes, she suffers from cerebral palsy and must use a wheelchair.

Busone's mother originally filed the lawsuit against the hospital, soon after her daughter's birth.

Busone suffered permanent brain damage, although she is intelligent and graduated from Arizona State University. The oxygen deprivation caused problems with her motor skills, and her lawyers say she will never be able to support herself or live without assistance."

[Continue Article]

The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Concerns About Kernicterus

From the Center for Disease Control:

"What is kernicterus?
Kernicterus is a type of brain damage that causes athetoid cerebral palsy and hearing loss. It also causes problems with vision and teeth and sometimes can cause mental retardation.

 

Who can develop kernicterus?
Any baby with untreated jaundice is at risk for kernicterus. This does not mean that every baby with yellow skin will have brain damage. Most babies with jaundice get better by themselves. If their skin is very yellow, they might need phototherapy treatment. If phototherapy does not lower the baby's bilirubin levels, the baby may need an exchange transfusion. 

 

What are some warning signs of kernicterus?

 Ask your pediatrician to see your baby the day you call, if your baby

- Is very yellow or orange (skin color changes start from the head and spread to the toes)

- Is hard to wake up or will not sleep at all

- Is not breastfeeding or sucking from a bottle well

- Is very fussy

- Does not have at least 4 wet or dirty diapers in 24 hours"

[Continue Article]

 

Children who develop Kernicterus are often victims of medical maplractice.  The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, such as Kernicterus, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Jaundice and Kernicterus Can Be Result of Medical Malpractice

Jaundice and Kernicterus are birth related injuries that could be the result of medical malpractice.  What follows is content and information from the Center for Disease Control regarding Jaundice and Kernicterus.

"What causes jaundice?
Jaundice can develop when red blood cells break down and bilirubin is left. It is normal for some red blood cells to die every day. In the womb, the mother’s liver removes bilirubin for the baby, but after birth the baby’s liver must remove the bilirubin. In some babies, the liver might not be developed enough to efficiently get rid of bilirubin. When too much bilirubin builds up in a new baby’s body, the skin and whites of the eyes might look yellow. This yellow coloring is called jaundice.

What are some of the signs of jaundice?
Jaundice usually appears first on the face and then moves to the chest, belly, arms, and legs as bilirubin levels get higher. The whites of the eyes can also look yellow. Jaundice can be harder to see in babies with darker skin color. Your baby’s doctor or nurse can test how much bilirubin is in your baby’s blood.

Are some babies more likely to be jaundiced?
About 60% of all babies have jaundice. Some babies are more likely to have severe jaundice and higher bilirubin levels than others. Babies with any of the following risk factors need close monitoring and early jaundice management:

 

What causes jaundice?
Jaundice can develop when red blood cells break down and bilirubin is left. It is normal for some red blood cells to die every day. In the womb, the mother’s liver removes bilirubin for the baby, but after birth the baby’s liver must remove the bilirubin. In some babies, the liver might not be developed enough to efficiently get rid of bilirubin. When too much bilirubin builds up in a new baby’s body, the skin and whites of the eyes might look yellow. This yellow coloring is called jaundice.

What are some of the signs of jaundice?
Jaundice usually appears first on the face and then moves to the chest, belly, arms, and legs as bilirubin levels get higher. The whites of the eyes can also look yellow. Jaundice can be harder to see in babies with darker skin color. Your baby’s doctor or nurse can test how much bilirubin is in your baby’s blood.

Are some babies more likely to be jaundiced?
About 60% of all babies have jaundice. Some babies are more likely to have severe jaundice and higher bilirubin levels than others. Babies with any of the following risk factors need close monitoring and early jaundice management:

Sibling A baby with a brother or sister that had jaundice is more likely to develop jaundice.	Feeding difficulties A baby who is not eating, wetting, or stooling well in the first few days of life is more likely to get jaundice.
Bruising A baby who has bruises at birth is more likely to have jaundice. A bruise forms when blood leaks out of a blood vessel and causes the skin to look black and blue. Then, when the bruise begins to heal, red blood cells die. Bilirubin is made when red blood cells break down. The healing of large bruises may cause high levels of bilirubin, and the baby may become jaundiced.	Early jaundice A baby who is yellow in the first 24 hours of life may get dangerously jaundiced. Heredity  A baby born to an East-Asian or Mediterranean family is at a higher risk of becoming very jaundiced. Also, jaundice is harder to see in babies with darker skin tones. Some families inherit conditions (such as G6PD), and their babies are more likely to become jaundiced.
Preterm babies Babies born before 37 weeks, or 8 ½ months, of pregnancy may become jaundiced because their liver may not be fully developed. The young liver may not be able to get rid of so much bilirubin. If too many red blood cells break down at the same time, the baby can become very yellow or may even look orange.	Blood type Women with an O blood type or Rh negative blood factor might have babies with higher bilirubin levels. A mother with Rh incompatibility should be given Rhogam.

Does jaundice always cause a problem?
Many babies have some jaundice. Jaundice can develop when red blood cells break down and bilirubin is left. It is normal for some red blood cells to die every day. In the womb, the mother’s liver removes bilirubin for the baby, but after birth the baby’s liver must remove the bilirubin. In some babies, the liver might not be developed enough to efficiently get rid of bilirubin. When too much bilirubin builds up in a new baby’s body, the skin and whites of the eyes might look yellow. This yellow coloring is called jaundice. The yellow color does not hurt the baby's skin, but the bilirubin goes to the brain as well as to the skin. When severe jaundice goes untreated for too long, it can cause brain damage and a condition called kernicterus.

 

What is kernicterus?
Kernicterus is a type of brain damage that causes athetoid cerebral palsy and hearing loss. It also causes problems with vision and teeth and sometimes can cause mental retardation.

Who can develop kernicterus?
Any baby with untreated jaundice is at risk for kernicterus. This does not mean that every baby with yellow skin will have brain damage. Most babies with jaundice get better by themselves. If their skin is very yellow, they might need phototherapy treatment. If phototherapy does not lower the baby's bilirubin levels, the baby may need an exchange transfusion. 

What are some warning signs of kernicterus?

 Ask your pediatrician to see your baby the day you call, if your baby 

- Is very yellow or orange (skin color changes start from the head and spread to the toes)

- Is hard to wake up or will not sleep at all

- Is not breastfeeding or sucking from a bottle well

- Is very fussy

- Does not have at least 4 wet or dirty diapers in 24 hours"

 

Can jaundice be treated and prevent kernicterus from developing? 

No baby should develop brain damage from untreated jaundice. If a baby gets too jaundiced, the baby can be treated with phototherapy. That is, the baby can be put under blue lights most of the day. The blue lights do not bother the baby. They are warm and probably feel good. If the baby gets very, very jaundiced, the doctor can do an exchange transfusion. 

What should I do if I think my baby has jaundice?
Call and visit your baby's doctor right away. 

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Children who develop Jaundice Kernicterus are often victims of medical maplractice.  The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, such as Kernicterus, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

 

Medical Malpractice Can Lead to Shoulder Dystocia During Birth

Shoulder dystocia is a dangerous condition that can occur during delivery.  For more information on shoulder dystocia, please see the following information from the American Family Physician Website:

"Shoulder dystocia can be one of the most frightening emergencies in the delivery room. Although many factors have been associated with shoulder dystocia, most cases occur with no warning. Calm and effective management of this emergency is possible with recognition of the impaction and institution of specified maneuvers, such as the McRoberts maneuver, suprapubic pressure, internal rotation, or removal of the posterior arm, to relieve the impacted shoulder and allow for spontaneous delivery of the infant. The "HELPERR" mnemonic from the Advanced Life Support in Obstetrics course can be a useful tool for addressing this emergency. Although no ideal manipulation or treatment exists, all maneuvers in the HELPERR mnemonic aid physicians in completing one of three actions: enlarging the maternal pelvis through cephalad rotation of the symphysis and flattening of the sacrum; collapsing the fetal shoulder width; or altering the orientation of the longitudinal axis of the fetus to the plane of the obstruction. In rare cases in which these interventions are unsuccessful, additional management options, such as intentional clavicle fracture, symphysiotomy, and the Zavanelli maneuver, are described. (Am Fam Physician 2004;69:1707-14. Copyright© 2004 American Academy of Family Physicians.)

Shoulder dystocia is one of the most anxiety-provoking emergencies encountered by physicians practicing maternity care. Typically defined as a delivery in which additional maneuvers are required to deliver the fetus after normal gentle downward traction has failed, shoulder dystocia occurs when the fetal anterior shoulder impacts against the maternal symphysis following delivery of the vertex. Less commonly, shoulder dystocia results from impaction of the posterior shoulder on the sacral promontory.

The overall incidence of shoulder dystocia varies based on fetal weight, occurring in 0.6 to 1.4 percent of all infants with a birth weight of 2,500 g (5 lb, 8 oz) to 4,000 g (8 lb, 13 oz), increasing to a rate of 5 to 9 percent among fetuses weighing 4,000 to 4,500 g (9 lb, 14 oz) born to mothers without diabetes. Shoulder dystocia occurs with equal frequency in primigravid and multigravid women, although it is more common in infants born to women with diabetes. Several additional prenatal and intrapartum factors have been associated with an increased incidence of shoulder dystocia. The single most common risk factor for shoulder dystocia is the use of a vacuum extractor or forceps during delivery. However, most cases occur in fetuses of normal birth weight and are unanticipated, limiting the clinical usefulness of risk-factor identification."

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Unfortunately, shoulder dystocia is often the result of medical malpractice.  The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, such as Kernicterus, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Is Erb's Palsy Preventable?

Erb's Palsy is a brachial plexus injury that occurs when nerve fibers of the brachial plexus are stretched when the head and shoulders are moved in opposite directions.  For more information on Erb's Palsy please see the following content from AANEM website:

"Erb's palsy is one form of obstetric brachial plexus injury. The likelihood of an obstetric brachial plexus injury is 0.5-2.6 per 1000 full-term live births. The brachial plexus typically is composed of five collections of nerve fibers that emanate from the spinal cord. These collections intermingle and exchange nerve fibers as they progress from the spinal cord to the axilla (arm pit region). They then enter the arm as named nerves. The nerve fibers composing the brachial plexus, like other nerve fibers, convey information about the environment (sensation) and permit action to be taken on the environment (movement through muscle contraction). Consequently, disruption of these fibers results in loss of sensation and muscle weakness or paralysis involving muscles of the shoulder region and upper extremity.

What Causes Erb's Palsy?

Erb's palsy is generally caused by traction (stretching) of the nerve fibers of the brachial plexus when the head and shoulder are moved in opposite directions. This may occur following delivery of the head when the head is deviated away from the shoulder so that the shoulder can clear the birth canal (i.e., shoulder dystocia). This type of brachial plexus injury also follows cesarean section deliveries, indicating that it is not simply an indication of a poorly performed delivery. Reported risk factors include large infants, small mothers, low or midforceps delivery, vacuum extraction, second-stage labor exceeding 60 minutes, and delivery of a previous infant with an obstetric brachial plexus injury.

How is Erb's Palsy Diagnosed?

The diagnosis is based on the physical examination and certain tests. These tests usually include an EMG (to test the integrity of the nerve and muscle fibers) and an imaging study (MRI or CT – myelogram).

How is Erb's Palsy Treated?

Although obstetric brachial plexopathies were first described in 1764, their management remains controversial. The severity of the injury ranges from partial to complete involvement of the affected nerve fiber collections. Although many reviews suggest that some spontaneous recovery occurs in more than 90% of affected individuals, the natural history is unknown. Studies in which surgical intervention was not employed have reported significant later life impairment in at least 20% to 25% of patients"

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Erb's Palsy is often preventable and can occur as the result of medical malpractice.  The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, such as Erb's Palsy, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Infant Complications Associated with Shoulder Dystocia

Too many things can go wrong during the labor and delivery process.  For doctors and parents, one of the most frightening emergencies is shoulder dystocia.  This type of birth injury happens when the baby’s head has been delivered, but the shoulder becomes stuck.

Shoulder dystocia only affects about 1 percent of births in the United States, but when you look at the number of babies born each year, it means that potentially 40,000 infants suffer from this birth injury annually (based on an average of 4 million births).  These figures prompt the question – why are so many babies sustaining birth injuries each year?  There are many reasons, including the misuse of vacuum extraction and forceps during delivery.

Infants who have suffered from shoulder dystocia often experience many complications.  They may develop Erb’s palsy or the life altering condition, cerebral palsy.  Babies with shoulder dystocia have also been known to suffer from clavicle fractures, hypoxia and brain damage.  Some young children have even died from this birth injury.

If your child has been diagnosed with shoulder dystocia, you need to talk to a medical malpractice attorney in Louisville who can help you get to the bottom of what caused your child’s injury.  Contact the law firm of Franklin, Gray & White today at 502-637-6000 or 800-637-6033 for legal advice.

Jury Returns Medical Malpractice Verdict Against Doctor for Death of Newborn

From Examiner . com:

"A jury has awarded a former Frederick couple $1.85 million in a wrongful-death lawsuit filed after the death of their newborn son.

Attorney Giles Manley says Benjamin Ketterman died as a result of Dr. Leonard Bienkowski's decision to use vacuum extraction to deliver the baby at Frederick Memorial Hospital in 2005.

Manley says Bienkowski violated the standards of care and performed the procedure without explaining the risks to Benjamin's parents, Sandra and John Ketterman."

[Continue Article]

The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Louisville Birth Injuries Caused by Negligence

Many times, a birth injury can be avoided.  There are many Louisville birth injury cases caused by negligent doctors, nurses and hospitals.  Unfortunately, many of these injuries are life changing for the young victim.

Some of the common types of birth injuries include caput succedaneum, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, facial paralysis and cerebral palsy.  A number of these injuries will correct themselves, but others are lifelong conditions. 

A birth injury can be caused from prolonged labor, delayed C-section, breech delivery, prematurity, difficult labor or a large baby.  Medical providers can typically take precautions to help reduce the risk of a birth injury and when they fail to do so or commit a negligent act, they can and should be held liable.

If your baby has sustained a birth injury, you may be able to obtain financial compensation, including damages for pain and suffering, medical expenses and other costs associated with your child’s injuries.  You should contact an experienced Louisville birth injury lawyer to review your case to help you determine who was at fault.  Even if you are unsure whether or not the medical provider was negligent, you should still consult with an attorney.  Call the law office of Franklin, Gray and White today at (502) 637-6000 or (800) 637-6033.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy among Children in Kentucky

When a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, it can be devastating.  Cerebral palsy, which is a group of disorders, can be congenital or caused by a birth injury. 

A physician will diagnose a child with cerebral palsy after reviewing risk factors, symptoms, medical history and when the disorder occurred.  Many children are affected by cerebral palsy from an event that took place during pregnancy or the birth process.  For some patients, cerebral palsy can develop as the result of brain damage within the first few months of birth. 

Sometimes factors that occurred during the birth process cause cerebral palsy in the newborn.  A prolonged labor can lead to birth injury if the baby was deprived of oxygen in the birth canal.  Also, if the mother’s water broke, it can cause birth injury if the doctor did not make sure the baby was delivered within 24 hours.  Birth injury can result in brain damage and brain damage is one of the main factors in developing cerebral palsy.

A fever during pregnancy can also increase the risk of the baby sustaining brain damage.  During pregnancy, a fever can indicate that there is something seriously wrong and it is crucial that the doctor take immediate action to prevent harm to the mother and baby.

If your child has developed cerebral palsy and you are not sure of the exact cause, you should consider contacting a Louisville birth injury lawyer.  Contact the law office of Franklin, Gray and White today at (502) 637-6000 or (800) 637-6033.

Scientists Link Chemical To Birth Defects

From the Charlestown Gazette:

"A three-person science committee has found evidence that could connect the toxic chemical C8 to human birth defects and high blood pressure in pregnant women, according to the latest reports made public Thursday.

Babies whose mothers had high levels of C8 in their blood were 70 percent more likely to have birth defects, according to the study by the C8 Science Panel.

Woman with greater than average levels of C8 in their blood were 30 percent more likely to have preeclampsia, or high blood pressure during pregnancy, according to the panel's analysis.

Members of the three-scientist panel downplayed both findings, calling them "weak relationships," but also saying the results support the need for continuing to study C8's health impacts.

"The numbers are what they are, and then there's the question of what to make of them," said David Savitz, a Science Panel member from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "There are a lot of reasons to be cautious about drawing those kinds of conclusions."

But so far, in three rounds of reports released since last October, the Science Panel has each time found some evidence of adverse health effects: High cholesterol, increased uric acid that can cause hypertension, reduced immune system functions, and now, birth defects and preeclampsia.

The three-scientist panel is conducting one of two C8 reviews as part of a $107.6 million settlement of a lawsuit filed by residents who alleged DuPont's Washington Works plant poisoned their water with C8.

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The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

South Carolina Jury Awards $4.4 Million to Parents of Child With Cerebral Palsy Brain Injury

From the South Carolina Herald:

" A York County jury has awarded $4.4 million to the parents of a 4-year-old girl who died after suffering brain injury at birth at Piedmont Medical Center.

The Rock Hill hospital in a statement Monday offered sympathies to the family and said it is considering its legal options, including an appeal. Piedmont said its staff acted appropriately.

The civil court jury found that the hospital was at fault in 2003 when it assigned a nurse trainee to monitor expectant mother Robin Wilson, who had arrived at the hospital three days before her scheduled induction, complaining of nausea and vomiting.

Lawyers for Wilson argued the nurse trainee misread fetal heart monitoring information showing the baby was in dire distress. The information showed the baby needed emergency intervention, according to a lawsuit Robin Wilson and her husband, Brice Wilson, of Fort Lawn filed against the hospital in York County court.

The girl, Sierra Wilson, was born Nov. 18, 2003, with a severe brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation. She died of complications from cerebral palsy more than four years later, on Feb. 13, 2008."

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The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Judge Upholds $16 Million Jury Verdict Against Hospital in Baby Delivery Death

From the San Diego Union-Tribune:

"A judge has upheld a jury's decision to award more than $16 million to a couple whose baby died during delivery at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital in November 2004.

Superior Court Judge Steven R. Denton signed the judgment Wednesday. Jurors returned a verdict Dec. 5 at the end of a nine-week trial that began in October. They had deliberated for less than a day.

The jury found that Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women and two of its doctors were negligent in their treatment of the mother, Teresa Bailey, 35, and caused harm to her and her husband, Robert, 40.

Jurors also determined that Dr. Arturo Mendoza, the director of pathology, committed fraud by making a false representation of fact to the baby's mother. The couple accused the doctor of concealing the baby's true cause of death on an autopsy report.

Attorneys Cassandra Thorson and Julie Parker said in an interview yesterday that the Escondido couple were told their baby died of lung disease when, in fact, the infant died of asphyxia. The boy became stuck in the birth canal, and his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.

Teresa Bailey had been sent to the hospital on Nov. 29, 2004, for an induced birth after doctors noticed a problem with her amniotic fluid. However, after she was admitted, she rarely saw one of two doctors assigned to her care. She never saw the other doctor at all, the attorneys said.

“The exact cause of death that she was sent to the hospital to avoid occurred,” Thorson said.

The two doctors had been named in the lawsuit but have since settled."

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The law firm of Franklin Gray & White repesents victims of medical malpractice, including birth-related injuries.  If your family has been the victim of a birth-related injury, please contact, or email, the experienced attorneys of Franklin Gray & White for your free consultation.

 

Franklin Gray & White

The Speed Mansion

505 West Ormsby Avenue

Louisville, Kentucky 40203

Tel: (502) 637-6000

Toll-Free: (800) 637-6033

Fax: (502) 637-1413

email: mwhite@franklingrayandwhite.com

Family Settles With Hospital For $6.5 Million In Brain Injury Case

From Chicago Breaking News:

"A $6.5 million settlement has been reached on behalf of a 7-year-old Aurora boy who allegedly suffered a brain injury at birth at Provena Mercy Medical Center, the Beacon News reports. Attorneys for the boy, Roberto Morales Jr., say the attending obstetrician, as well as the labor and delivery nurse, failed to respond to the baby's low heart rate and reduced oxygen flow caused by the drug Pitocin. The settlement was reached Friday afternoon in Cook County Circuit Court. Morales was treated at Provena Mercy on April 7, 2001."

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The law firm of Franklin Gray & White represents victims of brain and birth injuries.  Such representation has included the largest Cerebral Palsy verdict in Kentucky.  If you believe a loved one has suffered a brain or other birth related injury, please contact the experienced Medical Malpractice attorneys at Franklin Gray & White.  Our attorneys are ready to assist you, please contact us for a FREE Consultation.

Experts Concerned With Rise in C-Sections

From the Louisvile Courier-Journal:

"Kelly Parsons was in her eighth month of pregnancy when her water broke and doctors, concerned about her severe high blood pressure, prepared to deliver her baby by Caesarean section.

Lying in her hospital bed, she kept thinking her baby wasn't ready to be born.

"I knew it wasn't good," said the 30-year-old Louisville woman.

ndeed, while he's doing well at 5 years old, Parsons' son Jackson was born underweight, suffered breathing problems and jaundice and spent two weeks in a neonatal intensive care unit.

Such serious and costly medical problems are not unusual for the growing number of babies born relatively late in pregnancy, but before the 37 to 42 weeks considered full-term.

And a growing number of doctors and health advocates -- including the March of Dimes at a recent "prematurity summit" in Louisville -- are linking this to a new factor: a jump in C-sections.

The rate of C-sections reached a record in 2005 -- the most recent year for which data are available -- 30.3 percent of all births in the United States, up 46 percent from 1996. Kentucky's rate, 33.9 percent, was sixth-highest in the nation.

Pre-term births, meanwhile, have risen more than 30 percent in two decades nationally, and today comprise about one in seven births in Kentucky and Indiana. Most of those are "late pre-term," defined as 34 to 36 weeks in the womb.

Some medical experts and women's health advocates say late pre-term births could be reduced by bringing down the number of C-sections done before 39 weeks for reasons such as mothers' requests or doctors' schedules.

The March of Dimes is asking hospitals to voluntarily review all such C-sections.

"There are many of us doing elective Caesareans," said Dr. Iffath Abbasi Hoskins, of New York, vice president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "Often, it is for the health of the mother or baby. … (But) some of it is the patients saying: 'I'm done. Get me delivered.' "

Others argue, however, that the vast majority of C-sections are done for sound medical reasons, as in the case of Parsons, who was believed to be 33 weeks along. But doctors do admit medical decisions are sometimes tempered by concerns about malpractice lawsuits."

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Prenatal and perinatal care are complicated areas of medical practice.  Unfortunately, too often negligent care in these areas can led to devastating effects to the child and the mother.  The law firm of Franklin Gray & White represents victims of medical malpractice including cases involving birth injuries and cerebral palsy.  If you are concerned that you or a loved one has been the victim of medical malpractice, please contact the attorneys at Franklin Gray & White for a free consultation.

Many Factors Have Been Identifed As Causing Cerebral Palsy

Many mistakes by doctors and hospitals during delivery can lead to cerebral palsy. The following is a list of mistakes made during delivery that have caused chlidren to be born with cerebral palsy:

-Failure to recognize and treat seizures following delivery
-Failure to detect a prolapsed cord (when the umbilical cord wraps around the child's neck and cuts off oxygen to the brain)
-Improper or excessive  use of vacuum extractors
-Improper or excessive use of forceps
-Failure to properly respond to fetal heart rate changes
-Leaving the child in the birth canal too long causing a lack of oxygen to th brain
-Failure to respond to the mother's changing conditions such as high blood  
 pressure, toxemia or abnormal pain
-Failure to timely diagnose and treat jaundice
-Failure to timely diagnose and treat meningitis

Franklin Gray & White has successfully represented many children injured during birth against hospitals and doctors in medical malpractice lawsuits. The firm currently has the largest jury verdict in Kentucky for these types of lawsuits.

Antibiotics for Preterm Labor Linked to Cerebral Palsy

From the Washington Post, two recent studies have found a link between preterm labor antibiotics and cerebral palsy.  The article states that "not only do antibiotics not help pregnant women experiencing premature labor without ruptured membranes and no sign of infection, they may increase the risk of cerebral palsy in some children."

A doctor interviewed for the article said this about the study, "This is a good study, because it's a large number of patients, and it shows that the use of antibiotics do not help and are possibly harmful for preterm labor in the absence of rupture of the membrane (broken water)."

However, doctors who were interviewed about the study were quick to warn pregnant women not to neccessarily avoid antibiotics though, stating, "We need to reassure pregnant women that, if they have signs of infection and antibiotics are clearly indicated, then they should feel no reluctance to accept antibiotics."

The law firm of Franklin Gray & White has experience litigating cases involving birth injuries and cerebral palsy.  If you are concerned that you or a loved one has experienced a birth injury, please contact the attorneys at Franklin Gray & White for a free consultation.