A cephalohematoma is a birth injury that results in a blood clot between the skull and its protective membrane, called the periosteum. It is caused by a ruptured blood vessel, most often as the result of prolonged childbirth or complications during labor and delivery.
Learning that your newborn child has been diagnosed with a cephalohematoma can be a traumatic experience. While these injuries can heal, they can carry potential long-term health risks as well. Unfortunately, cephalohematomas are often the result of medical mistakes that could – and should – have been avoided. If you suspect a doctor’s mistake led to your child’s injury, reach out to a Connecticut cephalohematomas lawyer.
While some childbirth delays are due to natural causes, there are various care-related issues that can prolong delivery and increase an infant’s risk of developing a cephalohematoma as well. For example, some of the most common causes of infant cephalohematomas include:
The most obvious symptom of a cephalohematoma is a bulge in the infant’s head. This bulge is the blood clot resulting from the blood vessel rupture – it can be scary to see, but it isn’t permanent. Other possible symptoms include anemia, jaundice, and certain types of infections.
In most cases, the greatest risk associated with a cephalohematoma is the risk of the infant experiencing complications from jaundice. If jaundice is not treated right away, it can potentially lead to brain damage, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and other debilitating conditions. However, infants diagnosed with cephalohematomas can experience brain damage and other issues even if they are not exhibiting symptoms of jaundice (i.e., yellowing of the skin and eyes). As a result, infants with cephalohematomas should be carefully monitored, and any necessary treatment should be administered promptly.
In most cases, cephalohematomas will go away without treatment. However, as mentioned above, infants with cephalohematomas should receive close medical monitoring until they are fully healed. If an infant develops anemia, a blood transfusion may be necessary and, in severe cases, invasive treatment may be required.
There are a number of ways that medical mistakes can cause cephalohematomas. For example, failure to diagnose a potential abnormal fetal presentation or macrosomia can lead to unnecessary complications during childbirth, and improper use of forceps and vacuum extractors can cause cephalohematomas and other birth injuries. There are many other potential issues as well. And due to the variety of potential issues, if your child has been diagnosed with an infant cephalohematoma, we strongly recommend that you speak with a Connecticut cephalohematomas lawyer at Berkowitz Hanna about your family’s legal rights.
In addition to medical mistakes resulting in cephalohematomas, in many cases, parents will have claims for doctors’ failure to diagnose cephalohematomas as well. This can involve either:
Failure to timely diagnose jaundice, brain damage, and other complications from cephalohematomas can also give rise to medical malpractice claims. Diagnostic errors are among the most common forms of medical malpractice. If you believe that your child’s doctor failed to provide a timely or accurate diagnosis, we strongly encourage you to speak with one of our lawyers about your family’s legal rights.
Whether a medical mistake caused your child’s cephalohematoma or your child has suffered unnecessarily due to a diagnostic error, your legal rights are the same. You have the right to recover just compensation for all the financial and non-financial costs resulting from the malpractice. When you contact us, our lawyers will conduct a thorough case evaluation to determine what claim (or claims) you can file. We will work with trusted medical and financial experts to seek the full financial compensation your family deserves.
Why is it important that you speak with a trusted attorney? First, and most importantly, you need to make sure your newborn receives the professional medical care he or she needs. Treatment for traumatic birth injuries can, unfortunately, be prohibitively expensive, and many families will need to take legal action in order to cover their medical expenses and other losses.
Second, if your health care provider made a mistake, it needs to be held accountable. Accountability is what helps prevent these kinds of mistakes from happening. By taking legal action to protect your family, you may help protect other families as well. For more information about taking legal action for an infant cephalohematoma resulting from medical malpractice, please contact us to schedule a free initial consultation. To speak with an experienced Connecticut cephalohematomas lawyer in confidence, call our office today.
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