Difference Between Birth Injury and Birth Defect

Under the medical malpractice laws in Texas, there is clear legislation that protects the victims of birth injuries. If your child has been affected by the negligent actions of a medical professional, please call a birth injury lawyer Houston, Texas today. Birth Injury or Birth Defect? Perhaps you may be wondering whether your child’s injury has been caused by medical negligence or an unavoidable birth defect. This is a normal concern, and can often be attributed to doctors who insist that what happened was unavoidable, or natural, or perhaps even being completely ignored. In truth, if you believe something is wrong, or that something happened that should not have, you should listen to your instinct and investigate further. Ask a birth injury attorney in Houston, TX to help you. After a child is born with a medical condition, it usually cannot be clear to know whether or not the condition is a birth defect that developed while in the womb of the mother or a birth injury. There are any number of factors that could lead to the same condition which is why it is important to carefully investigate what happened. Birth Injuries As a Houston, Texas  birth injury attorney might explain, birth injuries occur during the neonatal care, labor, delivery, or postnatal care process. In general, some birth injuries can be prevented. Examples include:

• Nerve damage
• Fractures and broken bones
• Brain damage
• Erb’s Palsy
• Cerebral Palsy
• Fetal Lacerations
• Oxygen Deprivation
• Seizures
• Death

Birth injuries that bring forth the most attention are typically medical malpractice cases which involve a lawsuit or claim against a medical professional. A birth injury lawyer Houston, TX trusts can explain these procedures and what you might expect. Birth Defects Birth defects typically develop while the baby is in the mother’s womb. They can be hereditary or caused by the environment of the womb, as well as through harmful substances, medication, toxins, and more. Birth defects can have an affect on any part of the mother’s body, but often affects the central nervous system. Although birth injuries are more common in medical malpractice claims, birth defects can also be the result of negligence. These are more complicated and will take the skill of a respected birth injury attorney in Houston, TX. An example of a medical malpractice claim involving a birth defect might be when a drug manufacturer failed to warn of potential side effects, especially for women during pregnancy. If it can be proven the drug an unborn baby to develop a condition that is considered to be abnormal, it may be a birth injury that resulted by negligence. Risk Factors that May Increase the Likelihood of a Birth Injury As a birth injury attorney in Houston, TX might explain, some babies are more prone to being injured than others. For example, a baby born to a mother who has diabetes may be at a greater risk for suffering harm; the same applies to premature babies, breech babies, or babies born after a delayed labor. That said, it is up to the medical professional to identify, address, and treat any potential risks or complications. Although not all birth injuries are a result of negligence, some are. If you believe your baby was injured because of a doctor’s mistake, you should get a case review from a birth injury attorney in Houston, Texas from John K. Zaid & Associates.