The birth of a baby is a miracle, but it does not come without its challenges or dangers. While some births are easy and everything goes perfectly, not all births happen this way. Some babies suffer birth injuries, such as caput succedaneum.

What is caput succedaneum? How does it happen?

Caput succedaneum, or swelling in a newborn baby’s scalp, results from pressure on the baby’s head during labor or birth. CS swelling can be a normal part of the birth process, particularly during prolonged labor.

CS will usually go away on its own after a few days, but doctors need to monitor it to ensure no complications, such as jaundice, occur.

How does caput succedaneum cause jaundice?

Jaundice, which results from a high blood level of bilirubin, can be frequent in newborns.

It may result from CS when the bruises to the newborn’s head break down into bilirubin. While it is common, it can lead to serious complications, such as brain damage or even death.

For these reasons, it is important that your medical provider identify any presence of CS to ensure that no complications result and that it resolves on its own, as it normally does.

Is my baby’s injury anyone’s fault?

CS and jaundice are fairly common birth conditions which often require no treatment. In most cases, they occur naturally in difficult births when doctors do everything right, but there are cases when a doctor may be at fault.

CS or jaundice may be the fault of a medical professional if:

  • The doctor ignored your baby’s caput succedaneum
  • The doctor ignored or failed to treat your baby’s jaundice
  • The doctor failed to treat any complications
  • The doctor incorrectly caused a vacuum extraction tool to help your baby along the birth canal

If you believe anyone involved in your baby’s birth did any of the above, you may have a valid medical malpractice claim.

Where can I get help with my malpractice claim?

If you believe that the doctor or medical team behaved negligently during your baby’s birth, you may be eligible to file a claim against the careless medical professional.

In order to protect your rights, you will need to gather evidence, including medical records and witness names. If you wait too long, important evidence may be lost and witnesses may no longer remember what happened or be less willing to cooperate. Do not delay in consulting with an attorney and protecting your rights.

Call Montero Law Center for help with your Florida medical malpractice claim today. Our Ft. Lauderdale birth injury attorneys have decades of experience helping families get the compensation they deserve.

Contact us today at 954-767-6500 to see how we can help you get the compensation you need and deserve for your baby’s birth injury.