Having a child is one of the happiest moments in a person’s life. However, that feeling of exhilaration can quickly be replaced with feelings of fear, anxiety, and confusion if your child is injured during the birthing process.
If you have found yourself in this situation, a compassionate Lower Merion Township birth injury lawyer from Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette can help you sort it out. We can advocate for you and your family to hold the at-fault medical provider responsible for your child’s injuries. Contact us today for a free consultation.
What Is a Birth Injury?
A birth injury is defined as an injury that a newborn suffers during labor or delivery. Some of the most common types of birth injuries include:
- Cerebral palsy
- Erb’s palsy
- Caput succedaneum
- Spinal cord injuries
- Forcep injuries
- Vacuum extraction injuries
- Clavicle fractures
- Nerve damage
What Is a Birth Injury Claim?
When a child’s birth injury is due to the negligence of a doctor, hospital, midwife, birthing center, or medical staff, the parents may have a viable legal claim to seek compensation from the negligent healthcare provider. These types of cases can hold a medical provider responsible for the harm they caused.
Financial Compensation for Birth Injury Claims
Ultimately, birth injury claims seek compensation for the losses the child and the family suffered as a result of the negligence, including:
- Medical expenses, including payment for medical bills, ongoing medical treatment, rehabilitation, therapy, and future medical expenses
- Specialized care that your child may need due to the injuries they sustained, which can help improve their quality of life
- Counseling and support services
- Compensation for lost wages you sustained to tend to your child’s needs
- Reduced earning capacity for your child
- Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life
No lawsuit can undo the injuries your child has suffered, but the financial compensation that you could recover from a legal claim against a negligent healthcare professional can help provide for your child’s future needs and improve their quality of life.
What to Do After a Birth Injury
Though the moments after learning that your child has suffered a birth injury are terrifying, try to take these steps to protect your family:
- Focus on your child’s immediate needs: Your child’s health is the top priority. Ensure that your child is receiving competent medical care. Take them to every follow-up appointment and follow all treatment plans.
- Request your child’s complete medical records: You have a legal right to all of your child’s medical records, including records related to their prenatal care, labor and delivery, doctor’s notes, physician’s orders, NICU records, and fetal monitoring strips.
- Keep good records: Keep all of your child’s medical records in an organized folder. Keep a journal detailing your child’s development, medical appointments, and the impact of the injuries on your family’s daily life.
- Do not sign hospital releases or waivers: The hospital might try to get you to sign away your rights. Refuse to do so.
- Contact a birth injury lawyer: They can guide you on the next steps.
Request a Free Case Evaluation with Our Birth Injury Lawyers Today
A compassionate Lower Merion Township birth injury lawyer from Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. can meet with you to discuss your legal rights and options. Contact us today for a free consultation.