Skull fractures can occur during or immediately after childbirth and cause significant pain and suffering to the newborn. There are also additional medical costs related to this type of injury, and some infants suffer traumatic brain injuries as a result. If your doctor or other medical care providers caused your child to suffer a skull fracture through inexpert instrumental delivery or other medical negligence, you may be able to hold them accountable.
Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at 1-800-222-9529. You can connect with a birth injury attorney in your state for a free consultation. If you have a valid medical malpractice case, your attorney can pursue compensation with no out-of-pocket payment from your family.
Infant Skull Fractures Lawsuits & Injury Cases
If a doctor or other care provider caused your infant to suffer a skull fracture during or shortly after birth, it may be possible to prove they violated the acceptable standard of care and acted negligently. A birth injury attorney can help you identify a medical expert witness to review the facts of your case, agree the doctor or hospital is liable, and help us understand the acceptable standard of care.
If you can build a strong case based on the facts of your case and this expert witness testimony, you may be able to hold the doctor or hospital liable and recover damages including:
- Hospitalization and treatment
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Ongoing and future care costs
- Out-of-pocket costs related to the malpractice
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
Infant skull fractures can cause lifelong disabilities. Your child may require ongoing therapies and rehabilitative care, early intervention to ensure they are on track with their peers or additional future care such as surgery. Every case is different, and the completeness of your baby’s recovery depends on many factors. Having the money necessary for all recommended therapies, tools, and educational interventions are important. Recovering a payout makes this possible.
Infant Skull Fractures Types
A skull fracture is a crack or break in bones that surround and protect the brain. There are four primary types of skull fractures:
- Linear Skull Fractures: There is a break, but the bones remain aligned.
- Depressed Skull Fractures: The skull presses in because of the trauma to the outside of the head.
- Diastatic Skull Fractures: The most common type in newborns and infants, these fractures occur along the suture lines, or areas where the skull will later fuse.
- Basilar Skull Fracture: This is a fracture at the base of the skull.
Infant Skull Fractures Causes
Skull fractures in newborns most commonly occur because of:
- Injuries to the mother
- The infant being dropped
- Too much pressure applied by a doctor or other care provider during delivery
- Inexpert use of forceps or vacuum extractor
According to the Journal of Medicine and Life, instrumental delivery is one of the most common causes of skull fracture in children. If your child suffered a skull fracture after a doctor used forceps or vacuum extraction during delivery, you may have a viable medical malpractice claim.
Infant Skull Fractures Symptoms
Skull fractures and other head injuries cause many symptoms. The symptoms your infant experiences depend on:
- The type of skull fracture
- The severity of any damage sustained by the brain
- Where on the head the injury occurred
Some symptoms your child may exhibit include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Unresponsiveness
- Drowsiness
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Paralysis on some parts of the body, often on just one side
- A visible bump, bruise, dent, or cut on the head
- Bruising around the eyes or behind the ear
- Bleeding from the ear
- Clear fluid from the nose
- A bulging soft spot
Infant Skull Fractures Diagnosis and Treatment
If you or your doctor suspect a skull fracture, diagnostic testing is necessary to learn more about the location, severity, and type of injury. This may include:
- Blood tests
- X-rays
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Computed tomography scan (CT scan)
- Electroencephalogram (EEG) to check the brain’s electrical activity
The treatment of a skull fracture in an infant varies widely depending on the type, nature, and severity of the injury. Often, observation is enough if there is no brain involvement. However, skull fractures always require immediate medical attention.
More severe injuries may call for surgery, sedation while the baby heals, help with breathing, or monitoring for increased intracranial pressure since a serious skull fracture can cause the brain to swell.
Infant Skull Fractures Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my baby has infant skull fractures?
Unusual bruising around the eyes, a bulging soft spot, unexplained seizures, and paralysis in some parts of the body all could be signs of a skull fracture or other serious birth injury. Report these symptoms to a trusted medical care provider as soon as possible.
Can infant skull fractures be fatal?
Skull fractures can cause traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can be fatal. Infants who suffer a skull fracture and TBI may have:
- Paralysis
- Lost speech
- Blindness
- Deafness
Some infants with a significant TBI may require ongoing and lifelong physical, occupational, and/or speech therapy, and other types of ongoing care.
Who is liable for infant skull fractures?
The doctor who delivered your infant or the hospital where they were born may be liable for your financial losses and their pain and suffering. As a part of the investigation into your case, your attorney will identify how the skull fracture occurred and identify all potentially liable parties.
What is the statute of limitations for infant skull fractures?
How long you have to file a medical malpractice lawsuit varies depending on the state where your child was born. Each state has its own laws that apply in these cases, including a statute of limitations, a statute of repose, and the possibility of tolling for minors. Your attorney can help you understand the deadlines that apply in your case.
Infant Skull Fractures Glossary Terms
- What are Suture Lines? The suture lines are the spaces between the bones of the skull in an infant. They fuse as the child grows.
- What is Coup Lesion? A coup lesion is a bruise on the brain directly related to the trauma that occurred.
- What is Intracranial Pressure? Intracranial pressure is pressure inside the skull. It is often due to swelling of the brain following an injury.
Talk to an Infant Skull Fractures Birth Injury Lawyer
If your newborn suffered a skull fracture during or after birth, you may be able to hold their doctor, the hospital, or another care provider responsible. Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at 1-800-222-9529 today to connect with a skull fracture birth injury attorney in your state.
Infant Skull Fracture And Bulges Lawyer
Sometimes a skull fracture or bulge is caused by medical error. It may be a healthcare provider who fails to identify an infection or does not perform an emergency C-section for a baby too large for the birth canal.
If medical negligence has caused your family suffering, you should consult a birth injury lawyer for skull fractures and bulges about compensation. The Birth Injury Lawyers Group will connect you with an attorney in your area who can answer your questions and explain your legal options. To get started, complete the form on this page or call 1-844-908-0346.
Complications from Infant Skull Fractures and Bulges
Infant skull fractures can sometimes heal on their own without any lasting ill effects. According to the fontanel, or “soft spot” on the head, can be life-threatening if the underlying cause is an infection such as meningitis.
The prognosis for an infant with a skull fracture or bulge may include:
- Brain damage that causes severe cognitive and physical impairments for reasoning, memory, swallowing, walking, and talking
- Paralysis
- Nerve damage that impedes normal activity
- Developmental delays
- Seizures and epilepsy
- Heart deformities that may need surgery and/or transplant
Birth Injuries Impact Your Entire Family
A family with an infant birth injury experiences a rollercoaster of emotional trauma. If parents are the primary caregivers, there may be a significant loss of income if one spouse must remain at home. Infants with severe complications from a skull fracture or bulge may need help with daily activities such as eating, bathing, dressing, and using the toilet for their entire lives.
A birth injury lawyer for skull fractures and bulges can hold a negligent healthcare provider or facility accountable. He or she will collect the necessary evidence and testimony to help your family get the compensation you deserve for losses like:
- Medical bills (current and future)
- Lost wages
- Decreased earning ability due to childcare demands
- Disability and/or disfigurement of your child
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
The Birth Injury Lawyers Group are attorneys who will protect your rights. They work on a contingency basis so that you pay attorney fees only when they are successful in recovering damages. To learn more, call 1-844-908-0346 or fill out the form on this page for a free consultation with a birth injury lawyer in your area.
Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer Near You
A birth injury lawyer for skull fractures and bulges in your area understands your state’s liability and negligence laws. There may also be a statute of limitations that is different depending on where you live. You should not hesitate to find out how the Birth Injury Lawyers Group can help you and your family get the compensation you may deserve.
For a free consultation, call 1-844-908-0346 or complete the form on this page.