Birth Injury Lawyer
Delivering a baby is a stressful experience even under the best of circumstances. So when something goes wrong and the child is injured during a vaginal birth or Cesarean section, parents are understandably devastated. And while a parent’s initial reaction may be to blame themselves, in many cases the facts show that the doctor or health care provider’s negligence was the real cause of the child’s injury.
If your child has been harmed due to an apparent act of medical malpractice, it is crucial that you seek timely legal advice from a qualified lawyer. Attorney Keith B. French is an experienced litigator who has represented many Texas residents in pursuing personal injury claims, such as those arising from medical negligence. He understands that children who sustain birth injuries often require a lifetime of specialized medical care, which is why he will make every effort to obtain compensation from the people who are responsible for this situation.
Birth Injuries Can Occur Even Before Birth
Medical malpractice can occur well before a child is actually born. If a doctor fails to properly diagnose a potential complication in a pregnant mother, that can lead to problems for the child during or after birth. In other cases, the mother’s pregnancy proceeds normally but something goes wrong during the actual delivery.
Some common examples of birth injuries arising from medical malpractice include:
- Placental abruption – If the placenta separates from the uterus before the mother gives birth, that can lead to a premature birth and possible brain damage to the baby, not to mention internal bleeding and other complications for the mother.
- Preeclampsia – This refers to a condition that causes high blood pressure in pregnant women. If not properly diagnosed or treated, preeclampsia can lead to the aforementioned placental abruption, as well as possible stroke or brain injury in the baby.
- Cerebral palsy – A baby can be born with a number of movement disorders classified as cerebral palsy if there are mistakes made during the delivery process, including a failure to perform an emergency C-section.
- Nerve damage – If the baby is not properly rotated or aggressively pulled or stretched during delivery, the result can be permanent damage to nerves–leading to paralysis–and even spinal cord damage.
- Fractures – It is not uncommon for a doctor to fracture a baby’s clavicle or limbs during a delivery, especially in “breech” births and infants who are considered large in size.
Contact Keith B. French Law Today
You might assume that a doctor or hospital will admit responsibility for a birth injury. But the reality is quite different. Healthcare providers (and their malpractice insurers) will often fight tooth-and-nail to deny liability. One reason for this approach is that damages in birth injury cases are often quite substantial, as they need to compensate the child and parent for a lifetime of medical care and other losses.
So if your baby has been harmed before or during delivery and you need legal advice on what steps to take next from an experienced Pearland birth injury lawyer, contact Keith B. French Law, PLLC, today to schedule a free consultation.
Birth Injury Lawyer FAQs
What can a birth injury lawyer do for me?
There are many benefits that you can receive if you decide to hire a birth injury lawyer. A birth injury is an injury that results during the birthing process, from labor preparations to the delivery of the child. The mother or child can suffer a birth injury. A lawyer specifically experienced in handling birth injury cases can explain your rights to you, review your case, and complete all of the legal tasks that are too complex for you to take on. They can defend your rights and negotiate so that you can obtain the best possible case results that you want. Contact an attorney today at Keith B. French Law, PLLC.
How do birth injuries occur?
A birth injury can occur in many ways, and there are many types of birth injuries. As a birth injury lawyer can explain, they can happen when a medical professional makes a mistake such as an anesthesia error, forgetting steps during the birthing process, or providing improper care to the mother or child. When a doctor does not listen to the mother when they express pain or symptoms, it can also increase the chances of a birth injury to occur. If you have evidence that you have received subpar care from a medical professional whose care you were under, you may be able to file a claim.
What kind of damages can I recover?
Birth injury victims are eligible to recover a wide range of damages. You can expect to receive both economic damages and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, medical expenses, emotional anguish, and missed wages. Talk to an experienced and qualified lawyer so that you can explain your complete situation and they will be able to tell you what kind of damages that you can receive. If you are missing damages, you may end up with a much lower compensation package than what you deserve, so discuss the potential damages that you can recover with a lawyer.
How long will my case take to complete?
Your case may take roughly a year or longer to complete. For some cases, it can take as little as several months, however, birth injury cases tend to be highly complex. Because they involve many different parties, from the hospital, medical professionals, and other staff, it can take a long time for al wyer to do a complete investigation. They will need to gather all of the information and evidence that they need to make progress so that you can get the results that you are striving to get. A lawyer can give you a better sense of your case timeline once they have enough details.
Why should I hire a birth injury lawyer?
Having a lawyer at your side to work on your birth injury case and give you specialized legal assistance has many advantages. You can understand your legal rights, increase your chances of getting the outcome you want, and avoid delays that can drag out your case even longer. If you have recently given birth and your child suffered a birth injury due to the negligence of the doctor, nurses or medical professionals who owed you a duty of care, you may be able to file a birth injury claim. To learn more about legal services you can get when you hire a birth injury lawyer from Keith B. French Law, PLLC, arrange a risk-free consultation immediately.
