Lafayette Louisiana Personal Injury Law blog

When preparing to bring a new bundle of joy into the world, the last thing any parent in Louisiana or elsewhere wants to think about is everything that could go wrong. While, technically speaking, child birth is not a medical condition -- it is a natural event -- a number of problems can occur during the process that result in medical crisis for mom, baby or both. A birth injury can have serious -- if not fatal -- results. 

A birth injury is any physical injury that occurs during the birthing process. Believe it or not, birth injuries are very common -- most only causing temporary issues. Babies are more likely to suffer injury during the birthing process if:

• They are too big
• They are born prematurely
• Labor is prolonged
• They are born in breech position
• A mother's pelvis is too small

In order to operate commercial vehicles, drivers have to keep themselves medically in check. If they have disorders than may affect their ability to drive safely, those disorders must be treated if they wish to keep their commercial licenses. Sleep apnea is one such medical issue that is known to contribute to truck accidents. Louisiana residents who have suffered injuries or worse in collisions caused by truck drivers with this disorder may have legal recourse. 

Sleep apnea is, in short, disordered breathing during sleep. There are various types of sleep apnea, but they all cause the same things -- lack of oxygen and poor sleep. A person with this disorder may stop or struggle to breathe hundreds of times during the night, causing the brain to miss out on much needed oxygen and rest. This, of course, can cause a person to struggle to stay awake, focus or properly function during the day.

In the late afternoon of Thursday, April 5, two vehicles collided near the airport in Baton Rouge. Louisiana police are still in the process of determining what caused this wreck. Two people are said to have been injured in the incident. When motor vehicle accidents occur, victims may seek relief for their losses through legal means.

According to a recent news report, a grey sedan traveling northbound on Interstate 110 crossed the median into the southbound lanes and struck a pickup truck. Why this happened is still unknown. Two people were transported to the hospital by rescue workers. One individual is said to be in critical condition, and the other has been listed in serious condition. It is unclear of which vehicle these individuals were occupants.

During labor and delivery, things can happen that put the baby's health at risk. Sometimes, babies suffer injuries that can affect their lives forever. A recent study out of another country has actually linked a specific birth injury to mental health issues. Those in Louisiana whose children suffered brachial plexus injuries during the birth process may be interested in this study's findings.

According to researchers at Lund University -- which is located in Sweden -- children born with BPBI are more likely to suffer from mental illness when they hit their teenage years. Of roughly 600,000 children who were involved in this study, 1,600 of them who were born with BPBI required medications for mental illnesses -- mostly depression. Girls seemed more affected by this than boys. Socioeconomic status also seemed to play a role in their levels of depression.