Las Vegas Skull Fracture Lawyers
Helping Nevada families whose newborns sustained skull fractures during labor or delivery
An infant’s skull is soft and pliable. That’s why doctors need to be extra cautious in the ways that they handle a newborn. Some birth and delivery procedures, such as the use of forceps or vacuum extractors, are especially dangerous because the physician is directly manipulating a malleable skull. At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, our Las Vegas skull fracture lawyers are seasoned personal injury lawyers. We’ve helped our clients obtain more than $1.5 billion in recoveries. Call us today if your child’s skull was fractured during the delivery process.
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Quick Questions
- What are newborn skull fractures?
- How do babies suffer skull fractures in Las Vegas?
- Why are newborn skull fractures so dangerous?
- How are skull fractures diagnosed in Las Vegas?
- What are the treatments for skull fractures in Las Vegas?
- What is the value of my child’s skull fracture claim?
- Do you have a Las Vegas skull fracture lawyer near me?
Newborns’ skulls aren’t fully fused. Instead, the plates of the skull are connected by “sutures,” a type of tissue that allows for easier birth. Per Johns Hopkins Medicine, there are four types of skull fractures:
- Linear, where the bone breaks but does not move.
- Depressed, where the skull literally sinks in. These are sometimes called “ping-pong” fractures.
- Diastatic, where the fracture occurs along the suture lines.
- Basilar, which is “a break in the bone at the base of the skull.”
It is possible for a newborn to suffer multiple types of skull fractures during labor and delivery.
According to the US National Institutes of Health (NIH), “head injuries are the most common type of birth injuries.” Most head injuries are limited to the scalp. Scalp injuries can be fatal. Scalp birth injuries are observed more frequently with instrumental-assisted deliveries. The NIH further notes, “About 46% of birth-related skull fractures are associated with vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery.”
Most cases of skull fracture are diagnosed on the date of the infant’s birth or within a few days after birth.
Injury to fontanelles
According to Children’s Hospital Colorado, babies have two “soft spots” called fontanelles:
Fontanelles are the soft spaces on your baby’s head where their skull bones have not yet fused together. These spaces allow for the skull bones to shift as needed during birth and for your baby’s brain to grow. They will close as your baby grows. You should keep your eye on two fontanelles:
The anterior fontanelle is located near the front, top of your baby’s head. This is the larger of the fontanelles.
The posterior fontanelle is located near the back of the head.
If the anterior fontanelle closes too early, a baby may develop an abnormally shaped head or have limited brain growth. If the anterior fontanelle closes too late, that can create its own set of medical problems.
Children’s Hospital states, “Sometimes when a baby cries or lies down, their fontanelle will bulge above the skull bone. This is normal, as long as the fontanelle returns to its regular position when the baby sits up or stops crying. A fontanelle that bulges when your baby is not crying, vomiting, or lying down is a medical emergency.”
Nearly half of all infant skull fractures are due to the use of forceps and vacuum extraction. Obstetricians may use these instruments when a baby isn’t coming through the birth canal naturally. There are specific standards that doctors should follow when using these instruments, such as when they should be used and how long they should be used. There are also standards for when the birth doctor should conduct a C-section.
Other causes of skull fractures during the delivery or the period while the baby is in the hospital include:
- Falls. A nurse or other healthcare professional who drops a baby can cause the baby’s scalp to break.
- Prolonged labor. Babies that spend too much time in the birth canal have a higher risk of head injuries.
- Improper positioning. Breech deliveries increase the risk of skull fractures.
- Delayed Cesarean section. Delaying a C-section can prolong labor and place more pressure on the infant’s skull.
Complications from infant skull fractures in Las Vegas include bleeding in brain tissue, brain damage, infections, paralysis, blood clots, and seizures. If the skull fracture is open, there is also an increased risk of infection, which can lead to all these complications. Skull fractures can be life-threatening.
The Cleveland Clinic states that the signs of a skull fracture include:
- Changes in skin color at the wound site
- Swelling, bumps, or lumps
- Bruising
- Cerebrospinal fluid leaks
- Blood draining from the wound site
The symptoms of a skull injury in your child include:
- Vomiting and nausea
- Speech difficulties
- Confusion
- Loss of vision
- Loss of feeling in body parts
- Balance and coordination difficulties
- Tiredness
These symptoms can be especially hard to diagnose in a newborn. Doctors may order tests like MRIs but should conduct a physical exam as well. They may be wary about ordering a CT scan, however, because of the radiation risk to the baby.
Many skull fractures don’t require significant treatment. Linear fractures generally heal on their own. Doctors will normally treat seizures with antiseizure medications. Short-term use of medications may help.
The treatments for basal, depressed, and diastatic fractures vary. Surgery to repair the skull bones may be required. Rest and draining cerebrospinal fluid that is leaking or excessive may be required. These options require extra care when newborns are involved.
At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, our birth injury lawyers demand full compensation for all your baby’s current and future:
- Medical expenses
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Loss of bodily function
- Loss of quality of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
Infants who suffer skull fractures may require a lifetime of physical care, psychological care, help from physical and occupational therapists, and other types of care.
We’ve helped more than 125 clients obtain recoveries of $1 million or more and many others obtain substantial recoveries for tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We’ll explain when and how Nevada’s caps on non-economic damages and punitive damages may affect the size of your recovery.
Do you have a Las Vegas skull fracture lawyer near me?
Our Las Vegas office is located at 4101 Meadows Lane, Suite 100. We’re near Springs Preserve and Meadows Mall. Our birth injury lawyers meet you and your newborn at your home or a healthcare facility if you can’t make it to our office. We also conduct consultations by phone and video.
We’ll guide you step-by-step through the claims process.
Call our Las Vegas infant skull fracture lawyer now
We understand how distraught you are. Your world has been turned upside down. You have the right to be angry at the doctors who caused your baby to be born with a skull fracture. You have the right to hold these doctors accountable. At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, we’ve been fighting for personal injury victims and their families for 20 years. We’ve earned the respect of former clients and the legal community. Our experienced Las Vegas skull fracture lawyers will fight for your child’s future. To schedule a free consultation, call us or complete our contact form today.