Birth Injury Lawsuits
Medical mistakes during childbirth could result in life-changing consequences. They can be extremely expensive to treat and can leave families with significant financial burdens.
A lawyer will determine if you have a legal claim for compensation. They will examine your medical documents and other evidence.
You will have to prove that the birth injury of your child was the result of medical professionals who did not fulfill their duty. You’ll need to talk with an expert witness.
Statute of limitations
The statute of limitation imposes a limit on the time that you can file a suit. Your case will be dismissed when you miss the deadline. It isn’t a matter of how serious your injury or how valid your claim is. A national birth injury law firm can assist you to understand the statute of limitations in your state, and help ensure that your claim is filed within the required deadline.
In most medical malpractice lawsuits, the statute begins to run on the date the negligent act was committed or not done. However, with birth injuries, the majority of these injuries might not be evident at the time of birth and may only be identified months or even years afterward. A majority of states have a policy that delays the start date of the statutes of limitation for these types of claims until the child is a legally mature.
This can be a bit complicated since in normal circumstances people do not become an adult until age 18. However, if your child suffers an injury to their birth because of medical malpractice you may have to file a claim prior to this legal threshold is passed. In these situations, you should seek legal advice immediately from a lawyer who specializes in birth injuries. An attorney can assist in preserving and obtain evidence to prove that a doctor’s medical professional’s failure to follow accepted standards of care led to your child’s illness.
Causation
The birth of a child is a delicate event. Medical professionals’ mistakes could cause serious injuries that have long-lasting effects on a family. If you think that a doctor, or nurse, a hospital, or another member of the medical staff was negligent during labor and delivery and caused your child to sustain a birth injury, then you could be a victim in a medical malpractice claim.
Birth injury lawsuits must prove four main elements, just as any other medical malpractice claim such as duty of care (or breach of duty), causation (or damage), and damages. Your lawyer can assist you to build a strong case by collecting and analyzing evidence such as medical documents, imaging studies, witness statements, and expert testimony.
When pursuing a birth injury case, it is crucial to work with an attorney who is familiar with these types of cases. Your lawyer can file a summons as well as a complaint, and the defendant will typically respond with an answer. Both sides will exchange information during the discovery phase.
If the defendant is a doctor or other health professional their lawyers will attempt to settle the case outside of court. A medical malpractice lawyer with expertise in dealing with insurance companies can defend your legal rights and demand complete compensation for the injury to your child. In addition many families are eligible for financial support through a state’s medical indemnity program, which can offset the costs of treatment and long-term medical care for a child suffering from a birth injury.
Damages
In the case of a birth injury lawsuit, damages are usually sought for both economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses can include medical bills, lost wages as well as the cost of healthcare for a long-term condition like cerebral palsy. Non-economic losses can include pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment life and loss of consortium (the bond between a spouse and their child).
The law requires that lawyers make a convincing case using evidence in order to win compensation for their clients. Most often, the evidence is provided by medical experts who testify about whether or not the medical professional violated the standard of medical care and caused an birth injury.
It is essential for parents to engage an attorney as soon as they suspect a doctor or hospital might have committed malpractice. A lawyer can assist parents to avoid missing the deadline if they suspect a doctor or hospital has been guilty of malpractice.
A lawsuit usually begins with an attorney filing an Summons and Complaint against the malpractice insurer. The defendant is able to answer and provide evidence regarding their side of the story via a process called discovery. In this phase, lawyers will exchange documents and evidence, including expert witness testimony. Prior to going to trial attorneys will often submit a set of demands to the malpractice insurance company asking for a certain amount to settle any claim.
Expert Witnesses
If you are filing a medical malpractice claim against a healthcare provider for birth injuries, your attorney will often need experts to provide testimony on your behalf. These experts are typically doctors or medical professionals with expertise in a specific area and have a solid understanding of the accepted practices in their area of expertise. They can play a significant part in establishing the four elements of your case: duty, breach or breach of contract, causation or damages.
If a medical professional knowingly commits negligence, such as not monitoring the mother’s blood pressure or delivering a baby via cesarean section instead of a vaginal birth, the legal procedure can be complicated and difficult to navigate without a skilled legal team. Expert witness testimony is a powerful tool to prove your case at trial and establish the facts.
Medical experts can offer their opinions on medical issues through two methods: consulting or by giving evidence. Experts are hired as consultative experts to explain certain aspects of a case such as medical records and imaging studies. This is typically the initial stage of a medical malpractice lawsuit, before the plaintiff or defendant decides to begin the trial.
A trial can be nerve-wracking and stressful for the victims of medical malpractice, specifically when it comes to birth injuries that involve children with chronic cognitive or physical impairments. If your case is brought to trial, you’ll need to establish the defendant’s culpability. This requires proving the defendant deviated from the standards of care that are accepted and caused the injuries to your infant.