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Skull Fractures During Birth in Kentucky
Strong advocacy for parents and newborns when a birth delivery fractures a newborn’s skull
Delivery doctors have a duty to anticipate the conditions that can cause a baby to suffer fractures to the skull or any type of head trauma. They need to understand the proper methods for using forceps and vacuum extractors and when they should consider using C-sections. At Crandall & Pera Law, we understand why skull fractures are preventable and who should be held accountable when birth delivery doctors fracture your skull. Our Kentucky skull fracture lawyers demand compensation for all of your child’s damages and your expenses to care for your child. Call us today to help protect your child’s future.
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Table of Contents
- What is a skull fracture?
- Why are babies born with skull fractures in Kentucky?
- What are the symptoms of a skull fracture in an infant?
- How are skull fractures in newborns diagnosed in Kentucky?
- What types of skull fracture injuries do your birth injury lawyers handle?
- What are the treatments for skull fractures of newborns in Kentucky?
- How much is my child’s skull fracture claim worth in Kentucky?
- Do you have a Kentucky skull fracture lawyer near me?
What is a skull fracture?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “A skull fracture is a break in the bone structure that surrounds your brain.” While skull fractures may heal on their own, skull fractures that affect the brain normally require surgery. Skull fractures can be fatal. Skull fractures of newborns are especially dangerous because newborns have very soft skulls.
Why are babies born with skull fractures in Kentucky?
At Crandall & Pera Law, our birth injury lawyers review with delivery doctors, orthopedists, and other medical professionals to show why your child has a skull fracture and why your medical providers, such as your obstetrician, should be held accountable.
Some of the common causes of medical malpractice that can lead to skull fractures in newborns include:
- The improper use of forceps. Your doctors may be liable if they used forceps when they should have used other delivery methods such as vacuum extraction or Cesarean sections. Your physicians may also be liable if they use forceps improperly.
- The improper use of vacuum extractors. Physicians need to understand how to proceed if a baby cannot exit a mother’s birth canal without assistance. Your doctors can be held accountable if they fail to properly consider the use of a C-section, fail to use vacuum extractors properly, or fail to stop using vacuum extractors at the proper time.
- An overaggressive delivery. Doctors who use any type of excessive force can be liable if the force damages a baby’s skull.
- A lengthy labor. Newborns can suffer skull injuries if a difficult or long labor “exposes the baby’s head to continuous pressure, potentially weakening the skull bones.”
Using forceps or vacuum extractors too long or too early can also contribute to skull fractures.
What are the symptoms of a skull fracture in an infant?
Our Kentucky skull fracture lawyers review with you and our network of doctors the symptoms of skull fractures that doctors should observe during and after deliveries. These symptoms include:
- Loss of feeling
- A lump on the skull
- Fatigue
- Bleeding
- Bruises
- Brain damage
- Loss of consciousness
- Your newborn’s head looks misshapen
- Seizures
- Paleness
- Nausea or vomiting
How are skull fractures in newborns diagnosed in Kentucky?
Diagnostic tests for skull fractures in babies include:
- A physical examination
- A neurological examination to determine the extent of any brain damage
Imaging tests may be considered, though doctors need to balance the benefits of those tests with the risk of exposure to radiation in newborns.
What types of skull fracture injuries do your birth injury lawyers handle?
There are many different types of skull fractures, each with its own particular dangers and characteristics. However, some fractures are more commonly seen in newborns suffering from traumatic birth injuries than others.
The Cleveland Clinic identifies the following types of skull fractures:
- Linear fracture. Linear fractures are the most common type of fracture. A linear fracture usually occurs in the “bone toward the top of your [baby’s] head, above your ears.”
- Depressed fracture. This type of fracture occurs when a break in your baby’s skull “pushes part of the bone closer to [their] brain.” A depressed fracture can involve numerous fragments and breaks.
- Basal (basilar) fracture. This fracture involves a break of your newborn’s bones at the base of their skull. Basal fractures include the bones behind your child’s face.
- Diastatic fracture. This fracture is “a separation of the cranial sutures, or the bands of tissue that connect the bones in your [newborn’s] skull together.” Newborns can suffer this type of fracture because their bones have not fused together yet.
- Combination or complex fractures. This type of fracture refers to a combination of the above types of fractures or multiple fractures of the same bone.
Doctors also classify fractures as closed (the fracture doesn’t break the skin) or open (the skin over the fracture breaks). Closed fractures are more common. Open skull fractures have a higher risk of infection.
Skull fracture complications
Complications of skull fractures, according to the Cleveland Clinic, include:
- “Bleeding in brain tissue (intracranial hemorrhage).
- Brain damage, including bruised brain tissue (contusion).
- Blood clots (venous sinus thrombosis).
- Changes to your appearance.
- Infection (meningitis).
- Paralysis.
- Seizures."
What are the treatments for skull fractures of newborns in Kentucky?
The treatments for skull fractures vary depending on the type of fracture, the severity of the fracture, the extent of possible brain damage, and many other factors. Some fractures heal on their own. Other fractures require surgery.
How much is my child’s skull fracture claim worth in Kentucky?
Our Kentucky skull fracture lawyers work with orthopedists, neurologists, pediatricians, and other doctors to verify that your newborn has a skull fracture and any other injuries, such as brain damage. We review what treatments your child will need and all the ways their birth injuries will affect them – physically, emotionally, cognitively, and developmentally.
At Crandall & Pera Law, we demand compensation for all of your child’s:
- Medical bills
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of bodily function
- Inability to enjoy life’s pleasures
- All other damages
Do you have a Kentucky skull fracture lawyer near me?
Yes. We meet clients at our Lexington, Kentucky, office located at 201 E Main St., Suite 530. Our lawyers also consult with parents by phone and through online video discussions such as Zoom and FaceTime. If your child’s skull fractures prevent you and your child from coming to our office, we can make different arrangements to speak with you and observe your child.
Our lawyers will answer all your questions and guide you through the claims process.
Contact our experienced Kentucky medical malpractice lawyers today
Our Kentucky birth injury lawyers have earned the respect of many former clients, insurance companies, and the legal community for our dedication and compassion for our clients, our preparation, and our impressive record of medical malpractice verdicts and settlements. At Crandall & Pera Law, we have the experience, medical relationships, and tenacity to hold negligent doctors and hospitals accountable for their medical mistakes.
Please call our Kentucky skull fracture lawyers or use our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We handle labor and delivery malpractice claims on a contingency fee basis.