Baltimore Facial Nerve Injury or Paralysis Lawyer
During the birthing process, the mother and her child are quite vulnerable. It is not uncommon for newborns to suffer minor injuries that heal on their own and require no medical intervention. Some injuries though, are much more serious, and facial nerve injury or paralysis falls into this category. Facial nerve paralysis is caused by many different factors. When medical malpractice is to blame, it is important to know you can take legal action. Below, our Baltimore facial nerve injury and paralysis lawyers will explain in greater detail, and explains your legal rights.
What is Facial Paralysis?
Facial paralysis occurs when an infant is unable to move the facial muscles on one or both sides of their face. The condition is typically caused by trauma, disease, or birth injuries. Facial paralysis can develop slowly over time, or it can occur very suddenly. The first sign of the condition is a distinct drooping of the facial features. Depending on the cause, facial paralysis can be temporary or last for an extended amount of time. Newborns who suffer from facial paralysis may have trouble feeding, reduced tear production, uncontrollable drooling, and loss of facial control.
Common Causes of Facial Paralysis in Newborns
Facial paralysis is a result of the nerves in the face that control the muscles becoming damaged or inflamed. Many factors can cause the condition but the most common are as follows:
- Bell’s Palsy: While there is no known cause of Bell’s Palsy, it is the most common form of newborn facial paralysis. The condition affects up to 40,000 people every year throughout the country. Bell’s Palsy causes the facial muscles to suddenly become weak.
- Trauma: Newborns can experience trauma in any part of the body during the birthing process, including in the face or skull. Trauma during the birthing process can be the result of a large baby weight, extended labor, or the use of epidural anesthesia.
- Head injury: Facial paralysis in newborns affects the nerves that exit the skull. Due to this, any time a newborn suffers a head injury, they are also at risk of developing facial paralysis.
Filing a Lawsuit for Facial Paralysis
Facial nerve injury or paralysis in newborns is usually completely preventable. Doctors and other healthcare professionals must carefully monitor the mother and the baby throughout the pregnancy and during the birthing process. Doctors must also use assistive devices, such as forceps, carefully and accordingly. Even the smallest mistake in judgment, such as inducing labor too soon, can cause birth injuries such as facial paralysis.
It is not always easy to determine when facial paralysis is caused by medical negligence. Healthcare professionals will rarely admit to making a mistake that caused harm to a newborn. A Baltimore birth injury lawyer can review the facts of your case and determine if negligence is to blame for your child’s birth injury.
Our Birth Injury Lawyers in Baltimore Can Advise on Your Case
If your child was born with facial nerve damage or paralysis, our Baltimore birth injury lawyers can determine if the injury was caused by negligence. At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, our attorneys have extensive experience with medical malpractice cases and we want to put that experience to work for you. Call us today at 410-998-3600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
