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Tampa Skull Fractures During Birth Lawyers
More than 35 years of representation for personal injury victims in Florida
Parents have the right to expect that their newborn will be healthy. It’s traumatic when your child has any type of birth injury. It’s devastating to learn your child’s injuries were preventable. At MattLaw, we hold obstetricians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers accountable when they cause your baby to be born with a skull fracture due to medical malpractice. Our Tampa skull fracture lawyers have the experience and working relationships with medical experts to show why your newborn’s skull was fractured, who is liable, and what damages they should pay. Call us now to protect your child’s future.
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- What are infant skull fractures?
- What are the different types of infant skull fractures?
- What are the symptoms of an infant skull fracture?
- What are the causes of infant skull fractures in Tampa?
- How is a newborn skull fracture diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for skull fractures?
- Who is responsible for my child’s birth injuries in Tampa?
- How much is my child’s skull fracture claim worth?
- Do you have a Tampa, Florida skull fracture lawyer near me?
What are infant skull fractures?
An infant skull fracture occurs when one or more skull bones break during the birth of a child. Some fractures can heal on their own. Severe fractures often require surgery. Infants have much softer skulls than adults, which makes them more likely to break if the baby’s head is turned or moved in a forceful way.
According to Very Well Health, an infant’s skull is made up of five individual bones. “These bony plates are able to overlap one another during birth so your child can fit through the birth canal.” These bones include:
- Two frontal bones
- Two parietal bones
- One occipital bone
Fibrous, flexible joints called sutures hold together these skull bones.
What are the different types of infant skull fractures?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, skull fractures are categorized as:
- Linear fractures. This is the most common type of skull fracture. It normally occurs in the bone toward the top of the baby’s head, above the ears.
- Depressed fractures. These skull breaks involve pushing the bone closer to the brain. “A depressed fracture can involve multiple cracks and fragments.” This type of fracture is sometimes called a “ping-pong” fracture because the impression on your infant’s head looks like it was made by a ping-pong ball.
- Basal (basilar) fractures. This fracture is a bone break at the base of your newborn’s skull. Basil fractures include bones behind the face and bones that are internal to the brain.
- Diastatic fracture. This fracture is a “separation of the cranial sutures or the bands of tissue that connect the bones in your [baby’s] skull together.” Infants are vulnerable to this type of fracture.
- A combination of complex fractures. Infant fractures may involve several of the above types of fractures.
Skull fractures are also classified as closed or open. With a closed fracture, the skin over the fracture remains intact. With an open fracture, the skin over the fracture breaks, too. Open fractures have a higher risk of infections than closed fractures.
Untreated skull fractures are dangerous because the infant’s brain and skull are not formally formed. As your child grows, the fracture can cause various complications.
What are the symptoms of an infant skull fracture?
The symptoms of a skull fracture vary depending on the type of fracture. The possible symptoms include:
- Changes in skin color at the site of the injury.
- Swelling or a bump on your baby’s head.
- Bruising around the site of the injury.
- “Clear fluid (cerebrospinal fluid) leaks from your [baby’s] nose or ears.”
- “Blood draining from your nose, ear or a wound at the site of an open fracture.”
- Pain at the site of the injury.
- Paleness
If the fracture affects your infant’s brain, your child may experience:
- Vomiting and nausea
- Confusing
- Vision difficulties
- Loss of feeling
Infant skull fracture complications include:
- Bleeding in brain tissue (intracranial hemorrhage).
- Brain damage
- Blood clots
- Infections such as meningitis
- Paralysis
- Seizures
Skull fracture complications can be life-threatening.
What are the causes of infant skull fractures in Tampa?
Our Tampa skull fracture lawyers work with medical experts and through the discovery process (formal questions and answers) to determine what happened in the delivery room to cause your child’s skull fractures – and what preventive measures should have been taken.
Some of the common reasons infant skull fracture may happen in a Tampa delivery room include:
- The improper use of forceps to extract a baby from the birth canal or position the baby in the birth canal
- The improper use of vacuum extractors to extract a baby from the birth canal or position the baby in the birth canal
- Any type of excessive force on the infant’s head during the delivery
- A prolonged labor
Physicians should be extra cautious when using forceps and vacuum extractors. A possible alternative procedure if a baby is stuck in a birth canal is to consider a C-section.
How is a newborn skull fracture diagnosed?
Our Tampa skull fracture lawyers work with orthopedists and other medical professionals who understand the proper tests for skull fractures. These tests include:
- A physical exam
- A CT scan
- A neurological exam
An MRI may also be used.
There are dangers to using X-rays and any tests that expose an infant to radiation. The sedatives used for some of these tests also have certain risks.
What are the treatments for skull fractures?
The treatments for infant skull fractures vary. Doctors who treat adult skull fractures need to understand the unique risks involved when providing medications to infants or performing surgeries on infants.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the treatments for skull fractures may include:
Monitoring the infant after the delivery in the hospital. Generally, linear fractures heal on their own. Pain and seizure medications may be used – though, again, there are special considerations for infants. The treatment for the other types of infant fractures (other than linear fractures) may include:
- Rest
- Draining excess or leaking cerebrospinal fluid
- “Surgery to repair the skull bones, move them back into place, and stitch (suture) your [baby’s] skin together over the injury for open fractures.”
Some infants may suffer permanent brain damage.
Who is responsible for my child’s birth injuries in Tampa?
At MattLaw, we file claims against all responsible parties, including:
- The obstetrician
- The hospital
- The anesthesiologist
- The nurses who are part of the delivery team
How much is my child’s skull fracture claim worth?
At MattLaw, we demand compensation for all your baby’s economic and personal damages. These include:
- All medical expenses, including surgeries, hospital stays, physician visits, medications, rehabilitation, and other medical care
- The infant’s pain and suffering
- The lost income of the parents to take care of their newborn
- The loss of bodily function and cognitive abilities
- Any scarring or disfigurement
Do you have a Tampa, Florida skull fracture lawyer near me?
MattLaw meets parents and newborns at our Tampa, Florida office located at 304 S Plant Ave., Tampa, FL 33606. We also have an office in St. Petersburg. We also meet clients away from the office when necessary. In addition, we consult with clients by phone and through online consultations.
We understand how concerned you are. We are here to calmly and clearly guide you through each step of the claims process.
Talk with our experienced Tampa skull injury lawyers now
Infant skull fractures are often due to medical malpractice. The treatments may be expensive. Some infants live with catastrophic or permanent injuries. At MattLaw, we are respected by former clients, insurance companies, and defense lawyers for our record of success representing personal injury victims. Call us or submit our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We handle birth injury cases on a contingency fee basis.