Intracranial Hemorrhage/Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Intracranial hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage are commonly referred to as ‘brain bleeds’, and often occur as the result of trauma during delivery. While they can be due to a variety of factors, improper delivery techniques on the part of the doctor are often to blame.   

At Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., we understand how disabling these injuries can be for your child, and the impacts they can have on your family. Our birth injury attorneys can advise you on how to hold negligent medical providers accountable for the damage they have caused, so that you can get the compensation your family needs to recover.

What Is The Difference Between Intracranial And Subarachnoid Hemorrhages?

Both intracranial and subarachnoid hemorrhages are serious birth injuries, which can result in lifelong disabilities as well as death. Symptoms include a swollen or enlarged head, irritability, labored breathing, seizures, and apnea, a disturbance in which breathing stops and starts during sleep. Medscape reports that the difference between the two types involves not only the part of the brain affected, but also the age of the infant when the injury is most likely to occur:  

• Intracranial hemorrhages may affect multiple parts of the brain and are more likely in full term infants.
• Subarachnoid hemorrhages, which involves bleeding between the innermost membranes covering the brain, are more likely to affect preterm infants.

Babies born prior to 28 weeks’ gestation are particularly susceptible to hemorrhage-related birth injuries, as their bone structure and blood vessels tend to be more fragile, and is more easily damaged by manipulation efforts during birth.  

Causes of Intracranial Hemorrhage/Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Studies by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicate brain bleeds are one of the most common types of birth injury. They typically occur during delivery of the infant, due to excessive pressure or trauma to the infant’s head. Common causes of brain hemorrhages include:  

• Prolonged, hard labors in which the infant is subject to trauma in the birth canal;
• Breech births, in which the baby presents feet first, requiring manual maneuvering on the part of the doctor;
• Difficult births, in which the use of forceps or vacuum extraction is required to remove the baby from the birth canal.

Doctors can be held accountable for brain hemorrhages if their actions contributed to the injury occurring. Failing to intervene in a prolonged labor, using excessive force, either in maneuvering the infant in the womb or with extraction instruments, or failing to correctly diagnose and treat a brain hemorrhage could result in a medical malpractice lawsuit being brought against the doctor or hospital involved.  

Has Your Child Suffered A Birth Injury?

If your child has suffered intracranial or subarachnoid hemorrhages as the result of your doctor’s actions, contact Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C. today. Our birth injury attorneys offer compassionate, professional legal representation to assist you in getting compensation for the damages your family has suffered, including lost wages, pain and suffering, and current and future medical expenses.