Forbes Solicitors' brain injury solicitors provide expert legal advice to individuals who have suffered a brain injury due to medical negligence. Our experienced team is equipped to address issues such as misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, and surgical errors. We understand the profound impact a brain injury can have on individuals and are committed to securing the best possible outcome.

There are many different types of brain injury and the long-term impact on the child will depend on the severity of the injury, the treatment that the baby receives and the region of the brain that is affected. Brain injuries evolve over time, so these are not the only factors that can affect what type of consequences there are to the injury. The most common types of brain injury sustained at birth include:

Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury at birth Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a type of brain injury that is caused by the baby being deprived of oxygen during the birth and/or the blood flow to the brain is limited. A hypoxic brain injury at birth can result in the child having cerebral palsy and in severe cases, can even be fatal. If appropriate treatment is given shortly after birth, the progression of the brain injury can often be halted to some degree, which can help to minimise or prevent permanent damage. If your baby isn't provided with the right treatment at the right time, and as a result their injury is more severe, this may be medical negligence and you might be able to seek compensation.

Anoxic brain injury at birth Anoxia refers to a lack of oxygen. When a baby is being delivered, sometimes their oxygen might be compromised, and if the child has stopped breathing for several minutes, this is likely to mean they are anoxic. As with hypoxic brain injuries, brain damage from anoxia can often be treated immediately after birth and, in many cases, this can limit the severity of the injury. Failure of the medical staff to treat appropriately might be clinical negligence if the child goes on to develop difficulties that could have potentially been avoided if the care they received wasn't negligent.

Brain injury at birth symptoms Some brain injuries won't necessarily result in any physical symptoms immediately after birth, as some types of brain damage or developmental issues can take some time to manifest. However, a severe traumatic brain injury at birth might mean that the baby displays one or more of these symptoms as a new born:

A large forehead

A smaller than expected head or skull

Abnormal eye movements

Unusual or distorted facial features

Stiffness in the next or spine

Seizures

If you believe that your child suffered birth injury brain damage because of medical negligence, you might be able to claim compensation for what has happened to help provide the care that your child needs and help the whole family to move forward.