Best Birth Injury Lawyers in Athens, GA

FAQs

• What is the statute of limitations for cases of birth injury in Athens?

  The statute of limitations for cases of birth injury in Athens is the same as in the state of Georgia, which is two years starting from the date the injury occurred. However, the statute of limitations is extended to five years if the victim's family learns of the harm after two years. This is critical for children with brain injuries or cerebral palsy because the extent of damage is often not known until much later during the baby’s development.

• What are some common types of birth injury that occur in Athens?

  Some common types of birth injuries that occur in Athens include traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, oxygen deprivation, perinatal asphyxia (or a decrease in oxygen in the blood or decrease in blood flow to the tissues), paralysis, and brain bleeding. Other birth injuries are blindness, nerve damage, hearing loss, and broken bones. Severe cases could cause catastrophic injuries.

• What types of negligence can cause a birth injury in Athens?

  Some types of negligence that can cause a birth injury in Athens involve failure in evaluating and treating maternal health issues, poor delivery procedures, and failure in quickly responding to birth complications. Other types include failing to gather an accurate and complete medical history, administering incorrect drug and anesthetic amounts, overlooking drug allergies, negligent delivery delay, failure to diagnose and treat infections and injuries, improper monitoring of mother and baby, and excessive force during delivery.

• What causes the Athens birth injury known as Erb’s palsy?

  A birth injury in Athens known as Erb’s palsy is often caused by shoulder dystocia due to a difficult birth. In this condition, the anterior shoulder of the child becomes stuck behind their mother’s pubic bone, which injures the upper nerves and leads to paralysis of the upper arm. Infants cannot move their shoulders and upper arms but may have finger mobility. If the condition is too severe, the whole trunk may become debilitated.

• What are some lifelong disabilities in Athens that are caused by birth injuries?

  Some of the lifelong disabilities in Athens that are caused by birth injuries include HIE or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which is brain damage due to lack of blood flow or oxygen during birth. Cerebral palsy, another disability, is the most commonly occurring motor disorder during childhood, which may result from causes such as HIE and infections. Other disabilities include seizure disorders such as epilepsy, hearing and visual impairments, and intellectual disabilities.