When you welcome a new baby, you expect the very best care. But if mistakes are made during pregnancy, labour, or delivery, and your child suffers a birth injury as a result, it can turn what should be a joyful experience into a lifelong challenge.
At Harris Fowler, our experienced birth injury solicitors understand how devastating this can be. We’re here to help you uncover what went wrong, hold those responsible to account, and secure the compensation and care your child deserves.
What Is a Birth Injury?
A birth injury refers to any harm suffered by a baby or mother before, during, or shortly after birth due to medical mistakes or negligent care. While some complications are unavoidable, others occur because doctors, midwives, or other healthcare professionals fail to meet the expected standard of care.
Birth injuries can range from temporary physical trauma to severe, lifelong disabilities requiring ongoing medical and financial support. Our medical negligence lawyers specialise in these complex cases and will ensure you receive expert guidance every step of the way.
Common Causes of Birth Injuries
Many birth injuries are the result of:
- Failure to monitor the baby’s heartbeat (CTG monitoring) – Missing signs of fetal distress or oxygen deprivation.
- Delayed or mismanaged caesarean section (C-section) – Waiting too long to perform a C-section when it was clearly needed.
- Incorrect use of forceps or ventouse (vacuum extraction) – Causing head or nerve injuries to the baby.
- Mismanagement of maternal conditions – Such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, or infections.
- Failure to respond to complications during labour – Such as umbilical cord prolapse or shoulder dystocia.
If you suspect that your child’s injury was caused by mistakes during birth, our birth injury claim specialists can help you find the truth and obtain the financial support you need.
Types of Birth Injuries We Handle
Our dedicated medical negligence solicitors have successfully represented families affected by a wide range of birth injuries, including:
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is one of the most serious birth injuries and often results from oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) during labour or delivery. It can affect movement, coordination, speech, and development, requiring lifelong care and rehabilitation.
We have extensive experience in cerebral palsy compensation claims, securing significant settlements to fund specialist care, therapies, and adaptations for affected children.
Erb’s Palsy and Shoulder Dystocia
These injuries occur when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck during birth, stretching or damaging the brachial plexus nerves. This can lead to weakness, paralysis, or long-term disability in one arm.
Proper management of shoulder dystocia can prevent these injuries. If it wasn’t handled correctly, you may have grounds for a claim.
Brain and Head Injuries
Improper use of instruments, untreated infections, or delayed delivery can cause brain injuries leading to developmental delays, seizures, or learning difficulties.
Fractures and Nerve Damage
Poor handling during delivery may lead to fractures of the collarbone, arm, or skull, as well as nerve damage that can affect mobility and growth.
Maternal Injuries
Negligent treatment during labour can also result in severe injuries to the mother, such as third- or fourth-degree perineal tears, retained placenta, or infections caused by poor postnatal care.
Stillbirth and Neonatal Death
In the most tragic cases, medical negligence can lead to stillbirth or the loss of a newborn. Our team approaches these claims with the utmost compassion, helping families get answers and justice.
How to Start a Birth Injury Claim
We understand that contacting a solicitor may feel overwhelming, but our role is to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible.
When you contact Harris Fowler, we will:
- Listen to your story with empathy and understanding.
- Assess your case and advise you on whether you have a potential claim.
- Gather expert medical evidence to establish what went wrong.
- Pursue maximum compensation to cover medical treatment, therapies, specialist care, and loss of earnings.
- Support you throughout the process, ensuring you always feel informed and in control.
All of our birth injury claims are handled on a No Win, No Fee basis so there’s no financial risk to you.
Contact Our Birth Injury Solicitors Today
If your baby or you suffered harm due to medical negligence during pregnancy or childbirth, you don’t have to face it alone.
Speak to one of our expert birth injury solicitors today for free, confidential advice.
Call Harris Fowler now on 0800 213 214
Or complete our online enquiry form and one of our specialists will call you back.
You’ve already shown incredible strength, now let us help you find the justice and peace of mind you deserve.
