Birth Injury Attorneys

Serving Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach and Clients Throughout Florida

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of every 33 children born in the United States has a birth defect, and those defects account for 20 percent of newborn deaths. A defect can affect a child for the rest of his or her life. It can impact how they appear, function or both. In some cases, it could result in problems like cleft lip or neural tube defects. While the defect most definitely affects the child, it can impact the parents as well – and cause significant strain on their lives. Our Jacksonville birth injury attorneys ready to help you.

If your child has suffered from a birth defect due to the negligence of a medical professional, then you need an experienced personal injury attorney to help you with your claim. You may be entitled to compensation for your child’s defect, including medical expenses, funeral costs, pain and suffering, and lost wages.

The Different Types of Birth Defects

There are hundreds of thousands of babies born in the United States each year with birth defects of some sort. The cause of these cannot always be pinpointed, but studies have shown that many of these birth defects could be predicted and identified prior to birth, and some can even be prevented.

Some of the common types of birth defects seen in children born in the U.S. include:

• Anencephaly – This is when the baby is born missing portions of their brain and skull. Considered a neural tube defect, this occurs in women during their first month of pregnancy.
• Autism – This is a brain disorder that can appear in children before age three. It affects a child’s ability to reason, interact, and communicate with others.
• Cerebral Palsy – Children are usually diagnosed with this condition by age three. It affects their control of movement and posture because of brain damage.
• Cleft Palate or Lip – This is when there is a split or separation of the face. While this can be repaired through plastic surgery, it is still a very tragic condition.
• Congenital Heart Defects – These are structural problems found at birth and can include atrial septal defects, left heart syndrome, and more.
• Encephalocele – This is another neural tube defect that affects the child’s brain. Typically there is a sac-like protrusion that covers the opening in the skull and occurs when the neural tube fails to close during pregnancy.
• Gastroschisis – This is when the baby’s intestines stick outside of the baby’s stomach. The liver and stomach may also be outside.
• Spina Bifida – This is another common neural tube defect that occurs when the spinal column does not close completely during the first month of pregnancy.
• Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome – This is a genetic disorder that causes accelerated aging in individuals and can be identified as early as 18 months.
• Turner Syndrome – This is when the child is missing one of their two X chromosomes. While the child will live, they may have heart problems, kidney issues, and fertility problems to deal with the rest of their lives.

What Causes Birth Defects?

Some birth defects occur because of medications prescribed by physicians, inadequate testing, etc. While some are unpreventable, there are many that could have been identified and prevented.

Some of the common causes of birth defects include:

• Medications taken during pregnancy
• Problems with chromosomes
• Genetic issues
• Environmental factors – things the mother is exposed to during pregnancy
• Illnesses
• Infections
• Use of drugs or alcohol