Diagnosis and Treatment of Hematomas

There are established standards on when and how vacuum extraction tools and forceps are to be used safely during the delivery process. When these tools are used improperly, they can result in severe head injuries such as hematomas and intracranial hemorrhaging.

If injury to your child’s head resulted in dangerous bleeding in the brain, please call Stern Law, PLLC (800) 462-5772 for a free evaluation of your claim.

How are hematomas and intracranial hemorrhages diagnosed?

• Physical exam at birth;
• X-ray;

• CT Scan;
• MRI.

How are hematomas and intracranial hemorrhages treated?

For minor hematomas such as bruising, sometimes monitoring is the best form of treatment to ensure that the situation does not worsen. For more serious forms of hematomas and intracranial hemorrhaging, sometimes neurosurgeon involvement is necessary to stop further damage, i.e., to control bleeding, relieve pressure on the brain, etc. Overall the prognosis with children requiring more invasive medical treatment, such as brain surgery, to treat hematomas and intracranial hemorrhaging depends upon the severity of the case and how long the condition has gone without treatment.

Medical negligence and head injuries involving hematomas and intracranial hemorrhaging

Newborn head injuries involving hematomas and hemorrhaging are caused by a multitude of different factors however, many involve the following types of medical negligence (whether caused by a doctor, hospital or medical staff):

• The improper administration of drugs to a pregnant women that are harmful to the fetus;
• Delayed decision to perform a cesarean section (or c-section);
• Failure to monitor for and/or detect fetal distress;
• Improper usage of a vacuum extractor or forceps;
• Failure to administer oxygen to a newborn in distress;
• Failure to diagnose a pregnancy related medical condition that can result in birth injuries to a child;
• Failure to recognize and immediately address placental abnormalities, including placental abruption and placenta previa;
• Faulty or improperly used fetal monitoring equipment;
• Dropping a newborn after birth;
• Failure to diagnose and treat pregnancy, labor and delivery complications;
• Failure to detect and address a compressed umbilical cord
• Miscalculation of a baby’s size, leading to delivery complications;
• Use of excessive force (i.e. pulling, tugging and twisting delivery);
• Failure to diagnosis and respond to a baby’s obstructed airway due to meconium aspiration or other serious causes;
• Improperly administering labor inducing drugs;
• Failure to respond to the signs and symptoms of a ruptured uterus;
• Failure to respond to abnormal behavior in a newborn, including lack of eating, drinking or passing stool/urinating, which can signal a potential problem such as intracranial hemorrhaging;
• Failure to perform a timely vaginal delivery;
• Failure to enlist the help of specialists to assist a women with a high risk pregnancy.

Hematomas and intracranial bleeding are a serious form of birth injury. If misuse of medical equipment or other negligence during the delivery process harmed your baby, please call Stern Law, PLLC for a free consultation: (800) 462-5772.