What is Birth Injury?
Updated January 24, 2026
Harm to a baby or mother caused by medical negligence during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or immediately after birth.
Understanding Birth Injury
Common birth injuries include cerebral palsy, brachial plexus injuries (Erb's palsy), brain damage from oxygen deprivation, and fractures. These cases often involve failure to monitor fetal distress, delayed C-sections, or improper use of forceps or vacuum.
Examples
- 1Cerebral palsy from delayed delivery
- 2Erb's palsy from shoulder dystocia
- 3Brain damage from lack of oxygen during birth
Related Terms
Medical Malpractice
Professional negligence by a healthcare provider whose treatment falls below the accepted standard of care, resulting in injury or death to the patient.
Informed Consent
A patient's agreement to medical treatment after being fully informed of the risks, benefits, alternatives, and potential outcomes.
Misdiagnosis
A medical malpractice claim based on a healthcare provider incorrectly diagnosing a condition, leading to improper treatment or delayed proper treatment.
Surgical Error
A preventable mistake during surgery, such as operating on the wrong body part, leaving instruments inside the patient, or damaging healthy tissue.
Medication Error
A preventable mistake in prescribing, dispensing, or administering medication that causes harm to a patient.
For Medical Malpractice cases
The record behind a term like this one is built by the client, not the file.
Quilia asks clients about treatment, appointments and how they are doing, records the answers on the case, and syncs it to Clio, Filevine, MyCase, Neos and more.
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