Cephalohematoma is a condition in which a newborn traumatically suffers bruising to the skin of the skull. The skull is one of the most delicate parts of a baby’s body, and cephalohematoma can feel like a water-filled balloon of blood under their skin. What happens is that the blood vessels in this area are damaged, and it allows and causes blood to pool in this newborn’s head. Underlying skull fractures are present in 25% of cephalohematoma patients. Now, studies have shown that there’s a variety of causes for this occurring during the delivery process. One specific cause they’ve linked to cephalohematoma is the use of forceps by the OB-GYN performing the delivery. What we do when we look at this is what we do with all of our birth injury cases: try to find out what went wrong. We have to see what steps were taken by the OB-GYN during the labor process and what decisions they made. We know the appropriate people to consult, people who know the appropriate things to look for to really investigate this. If we can prove that your doctor made choices that were not in your child’s best interest and which resulted in their injury, we can begin trying to make that right by holding them responsible for the consequences of those choices.
The process of investigating and potentially bringing a lawsuit against doctors and hospitals can be intimidating and difficult. They have the benefit of strong legal teams, and their representation will make it as hard as possible to get the kind of compensation you’ll need to provide for your child’s medical care. You might even be offered a settlement that’s far below what you need, simply to dissuade you from seeking more appropriate damages. One of the dangers of pursuing legal action alone or with insufficient representation is the danger of not being able to provide for your child when they need you most, due simply to your own legal vulnerability.
If you are dealing with this tragic situation and caring for a child that has cephalohematoma, call us, allow us to do the investigation process for you, really answer those questions, and try to determine what is the best approach for moving forward. One option to pursue is a medical malpractice suit, in which the responsible party would be held accountable for their actions. Injuries sustained at birth can affect your child for the rest of their life, and the costs of care could be prohibitive. Our attorneys, who are compassionate to your needs and sensitive to the complexities of birth injury cases, can help you reach the best settlement possible, which can give you the freedom to provide your child with the highest quality medical treatment available. We believe that if doctors and hospitals have the advantage of an experienced legal team, then you should too. Rather than putting yourself or your child at risk of being taken advantage of, contact us online or by phone to set up a free consultation.
