Cranial Nerve Injury

The Cranial Nerves are the 12 pairs of nerves that emerge directly from the brain. Medical or midwifery negligence can cause injury to a baby’s Cranial Nerves. Injuries can result from inappropriate hyperextension, traction (pulling) and overstretching with simultaneous rotation of the baby during delivery. Extreme pressure from inappropriate application of forceps on the baby’s cranial nerve or from the position of the fetus can cause avoidable nerve injury, as can failure to monitor the amount of pressure being applied. Injuries caused by unnecessary pressure on the cranial nerves can include:

Central injury to the facial and vagus nerves causing Bell’s Palsy, asymmetry of the child’s face on crying, swelling of the injured side of the face and one side of the mouth drooping, with difficulty in producing saliva.

Peripheral damage due to cranial nerve injury resulting in paralysis of the child’s forehead, mouth, or eye including ptosis (drooping of the eyelid). The paralysed eye must be treated with a covering and administration of synthetic tears.

Injury to the phrenic nerve, which can result in half of the diaphragm being paralysed causing severe difficulty in breathing and a significant number of deaths.

Other causes of cranial nerve injury can range from stresses, pressures and positioning of the fetus in the womb. 

The majority of Cranial Nerve injuries, including neuropraxia, resolve spontaneously and quickly. However some injuries are much more severe, such as those involving complete transection of the nerve. In cases which do not resolve spontaneously, some or all of the problems may resolve with months or years of treatment and this can prove to be a long, expensive and difficult ordeal. However, some injuries will be permanent.

Our team of dedicated expert specialist medical negligence and birth injury solicitors have many years of experience in handling birth injury compensation claims. It is important that your claim is dealt with by specialist medical negligence lawyers, as these claims are usually complex. We specialise solely in complex clinical and medical negligence claims and have an excellent record. We represent birth injury, children  in medical negligence claims, many resulting in very substantial settlements. We have the expertise to obtain the maximum amount of damages to compensate and provide for your child’s future and to support you and your family through the process.  

If injuries were caused by the negligence of doctors or midwives, compensation will include damages for the injury and may include the costs and expenses associated with medical and surgical treatment aids and equipment. You may also be entitled to compensation for additional past care and assistance and costs of future care and assistance. 

Our team is led by Tony May, a specialist birth injury solicitor with an excellent record and with over 20 years experience and expertise in dealing with birth  injury compensation cases. 

Tony can be contacted by email on  anthonymay@chadlaw.co.uk or by telephone on 01484 519999. Alternatively, you could call our team on the freephone number below.

We are members of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel and Action Against Medical Accidents (AVMA). We are also one of only a select number of solicitors’ practices accredited by the Legal Aid Agency and the Law Society to handle medical negligence claims. We are therefore authorised to deal with medical negligence investigations funded by Legal Aid. If you are not eligible for Legal Aid, Conditional Fee Agreement funding (also known as “No Win No Fee”) may be available. 

We are based at our Huddersfield office but can visit you in your home or in hospital if you are unable to attend at one of our West Yorkshire offices. If you or a member of your family may have sustained a birth injury as a result of medical negligence and/or negligence by a midwife, please contact our specialist medical negligence Legal Aid and no-win-no-fee lawyers. Initial advice is always free, whether in person, on the telephone or by e-mail. 

Contact Chadwick Lawrence for free legal advice on FREE PHONE  0800 028 2969 or email: anthonymay@chadlaw.co.uk