All-Inclusive Guide To Birth Injury Lawyers
How a Birth Injury Attorney Can Help Families Get the Compensation They Need
Although medical advances make birthing safer than ever before, complications can still arise during and after the birth of the baby. If you believe your child was injured due to a birth injury, speak to an experienced attorney for birth injuries immediately.
A firm that is specialized in cases involving birth injuries will typically advance all legal costs and only be paid if they win compensation for your case.
Damages
While advances in medicine have made childbirth much safer than it was previously but many mothers and their babies are still susceptible to injuries due to a variety of reasons. This includes oxygen deprivation, head trauma and infections. These injuries can result in permanent and devastation to the body like cerebral palsy. An experienced attorney for birth injuries can assist families in obtaining the compensation they require to cover the cost of lifelong treatment and support.
Your lawyer will request all relevant medical records and reports relating to your baby's injury. They will also hire medical experts to analyze the evidence and give an opinion regarding whether the medical experts involved in the delivery of your baby breached the standard of care. In a typical situation, an expert will assess the medical treatment provided by the defendant to the practices commonly accepted by other medical professionals with similar education and experience.
Damages can be awarded for economic and non-economic losses. Economic damages include medical costs loss of income, property damage. Non-economic damages include emotional distress, suffering and pain. In rare instances, punitive damages are also awarded. They are intended to punish the at-fault party and deter similar behavior in the future. These are separate from the compensation damages that are awarded to recover actual losses.
Medical Experts
While medical advances have made childbirth safer than ever before, there are some risks for both the mother and baby. It is up to the nurses and doctors involved in the birth process to behave professionally and avoid making mistakes that could have devastating consequences for birth injuries the health of both parties. When they fail to do so and cause birth injuries parents can claim compensation for the damage.
An attorney for birth injury lawyers injuries will work closely with you throughout the duration of your case, starting from the initial consultation until the final resolution. They will gather evidence from you, such as medical records and witness testimony and will also seek expert opinions from a variety of sources including other doctors and specialists.
The experts will go over all the evidence and give a formal opinion on whether the injuries were caused due to medical negligence. The lawyer will use this to decide on the best way to proceed.
If a medical professional confirms that a mistake occurred your lawyer will file suit against the responsible parties. This includes the obstetrician in charge of your pregnancy, and any nurses, surgeons, or hospital personnel who assisted during the birth.
The cost of litigation can be quite high because of the many fees like those for records, expert witnesses and depositions. Your lawyer will pay these costs and then reimburse you when they have negotiated settlement on your behalf.
Preparing for trial
In general, a birth injuries lawyer will consider any case where the infant suffered injuries caused by negligence of a doctor prior, during or shortly after delivery. When examining the case, the lawyer will be looking at two things: whether there any evidence of medical negligence as well as the severity of the injury.
In most cases, attorneys consult with medical experts in order to determine if a medical error led to the injury. These experts will review all documents related to birth, pregnancy, and medical treatment for injuries. They will also be able to assess the effects of the injuries sustained by the child on his or her future.
The experts will assist the lawyer determine which medical professionals should be included in the lawsuit. The lawyer will send a formal letter to the medical providers and their insurers inquiring them to respond to the lawsuit. A reputable attorney for birth injuries will be able to negotiate with the insurance companies and will be prepared to make the case go to trial if needed.
Parents could be entitled to damages for future and past medical expenses resulting from the injuries suffered by their child. You could also be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering. The amount of damages could be substantial in the event that the child's injuries are serious. An experienced attorney for birth injuries can help maximize the compensation awarded to the parents.
Insurance Companies
Although a lawsuit for birth injuries can't reverse the harm done to your child, it can cover future medical expenses for therapy, the cost, home modifications, and ongoing support. These costs may seem daunting, but a skilled birth injury lawyer will collaborate with several experts to determine the financial impact on your family due to an injury that you suffered and how much compensation you are entitled to.
The first step in a birth injury lawsuit is to prove that the doctor who was involved in your case had an established professional relationship with you and your child, and that they violated this relationship by acting negligently prior to or during the child's birth. It is easy to prove this by collecting your medical records and hospital bills.
Once this is established the lawyer will have to identify the specific actions the doctor took that were negligent and how they impacted your child's health. An attorney for birth injuries will know what to look for and where to get the medical records and expert witness testimony to prove your case.
A reputable birth injury lawyer will take care of the complexities of your claim and will never ask you to pay for justice. They must be able and willing to work on a contingent fee basis. This means they will only get paid when they win your case, and their fee is a portion of the settlement or award.