A birth injury is a traumatic injury to a child that occurs during the delivery, usually caused by negligent healthcare workers. However, there’s often a significant delay in the initial trauma and its discovery in the most dire of injuries, which are internal and not easily visible or diagnosed. That delay is made more tragic by the fact that the sooner you receive treatment for any traumatic injury, the better off the patient is in terms of recovery.
Why is there a gap between trauma and injury discovery in birth injuries?
The suffering of any child is an acute, painful issue for parents anywhere, but it is almost understandable to see injuries in a labor and delivery setting. Labor is among the most intense, painful experiences that a person can go through and it can last for multiple days. This process can be just as traumatic for the child, with many children born with such visible injuries as:
- Bruising
- Cuts
- Swelling in the head
- Marks from forceps
These are all considered acceptable injuries to a child and “normal” in the course of birth. However, more serious conditions, including brain damage, nerve damage or internal organ injuries can also happen. And these are much harder to detect and treat.
Diagnosing an infant is hard
The inability to communicate and the sheer helplessness of an infant, are examples of the complicating, confusing factors early on that impact accurate diagnosis of a child. That delay in diagnosis, however, will mean a delay in intervention which can and will exacerbate the issues.
In many cases, parents have to be aggressive and unyielding in getting the care their children need, when many medical professionals may underestimate their concerns.
You may still have time to pursue compensation
The good news is, that for as long as it takes to get to the root of your child’s injuries and problems, you may still have the ability to pursue compensation. Indiana law provides space for up to the child’s eighth birthday to file a lawsuit for injuries that occurred at birth. You still have time. You can still get help.
