What Are Broken Bone Birth Injuries?

The last thing any family expects is that their child will sustain broken bones during the delivery process. However, there are times when medical professionals make a mistake before, during, and after delivery that can lead to the child sustaining broken bones. Here, we want to discuss these injuries and their long-term consequences, as well as whether or not families can recover compensation through a Houston birth injury lawsuit.

Types of Broken Bones During Labor and Delivery

There are various types of bones that can break during the labor and delivery process. Sometimes, infant fractures are the result of natural birthing procedures and processes. However, the following fractures can also occur as a result of mistakes made by medical professionals:

• Clavicle fracture. The clavicle bone, located near the shoulder, can break if a baby gets stuck in the birth canal. This is more likely to happen with babies that are larger than average and struggle to move through the canal. These clavicle fractures can also occur as a result of the improper use of birth tools such as vacuum devices or forceps.
• Femur fracture. The femur is the thigh bone, and this rarely breaks during the labor and delivery process. However, when these injuries do occur, they are signs that there was an improper delivery. C-sections can help reduce the risk of a femur fracture, but this does come with other risks.
• Humerus fracture. The humerus is the upper arm bone. If a child does not move their arm much after birth, this could indicate that there is a broken humerus. This bone is more likely to break in the event doctors rush a delivery, resulting in the baby’s head coming through the birth canal too quickly but resulting in the shoulders and neck becoming stuck.
• Depressed skull fracture. According to data available from the National Center for Biotechnology Information, depressed skull fractures occur in approximately 4 to 10 births per 10,000 births. These injuries are most commonly associated with the misuse of birthing tools and are rarely seen in births where these instruments are not used (vacuum devices and forceps).

Recovering Compensation After a Birth Injury

Not every type of birth injury is going to necessarily result in a medical malpractice claim. Sometimes, mothers and their children sustain injuries that are no fault of any person on the medical team. Injuries do simply occur sometimes.

However, there are times when the careless or negligent actions of a doctor, surgeon, or other member of the medical staff could lead to a broken bone birth injury. If this has happened to your child, we encourage you to reach out to a skilled personal injury lawyer in Houston as soon as possible. Medical malpractice claims are very difficult to go through, and a skilled attorney needs to get involved quickly. A lawyer will help investigate every aspect of the claim, enlist assistance from trusted medical professionals, and help you determine the best steps moving forward.

Successful medical malpractice claims could help families recover compensation for their medical expenses and long-term care needs that their child may have as a result of the broken bone.