Birth Injury Compensation
If your child suffers a birth injury resulting from a doctor’s negligence or wrongful decision, it could be devastating. These injuries may require lifetime treatment and treatment. The family will be left with enormous financial costs.
In addition, many birth injury cases are a complex debate about medical malpractice versus medical mistakes. Our lawyers can help you discern the differences.
Costs of Treatment
In determining the amount to give for a birth injury lawyers from insurance companies and judges evaluate the severity of the injury and its impact on the child’s quality of life. For instance, if a child requires constant medical attention it will increase the value of an claim.
Medical treatment for birth injuries can be extremely expensive. Compensation for birth injuries can aid families in covering these costs. Lawyers often collaborate with experts to create an «Life Care Plan» which calculates the lifetime costs of a child’s injury. These include hospitalization including surgical interventions, specialized medical treatment prescriptions, home renovations and other equipment, and many more.
Your legal team will gather medical documents from your child’s pregnancy and birth injury attorney, as well as firsthand reports from family members. These documents will be used to show that your child was injured due to medical malpractice and to demonstrate the extent to which the injury occurred.
Many states have medical indemnity fund that provides financial aid to families of children who suffer birth injuries. These funds pay a portion of malpractice insurance premiums, or require hospitals and doctors to contribute to the pool of resources. These programs can provide families with financial aid and reduce the need to file a lawsuit. However, JLARC staff found that the programs don’t always meet their aims and need to be improved.
Life Care Planning
Children suffering from conditions like hypoxic ischephalopathy, cerebral palsy, or hypoxic ir will require medical attention for the rest of their lives. This includes physical therapy, specialized equipment, and home health. The costs for these can be substantial.
A life-care plan is a legal document that defines the future medical educational, in-home, and other expenses that disabled children will have to pay throughout his or his or her life. These plans are used to calculate the financial portion of the compensation awarded in cases of birth injury. They should be comprehensive and carefully designed to meet the strict requirements of evidence for legal admissibility in the court.
Experts in planning for life can assist in the preparation of these documents using input and the formal opinions of disabled children’s doctors as well as therapists and caregivers. The plans also include a detailed narrative of the injury’s initial diagnosis. They also explain the root reason for the disability and its long-term consequences.
A medical malpractice lawyer should collaborate with a life-care planner to draft the best possible strategy for their client’s particular situation. The plan’s purpose is to ensure your child is compensated enough to cover all future expenses and care. The money is typically put into a trust for special needs, which is managed by an authorized administrator. Typically the amount granted will be adjusted over time to adjust to any changes in your child’s needs.
Pain and Suffering
In a birth-related injury case the damages awarded are for the plaintiff’s future and past suffering and pain. This includes the physical and mental pain caused by the injury, as well as the inability to take part in activities that others can participate in.
You may also be able to recover lost income when a victim’s injury limits their options professionally or prohibits them from working all. Families could also be compensated for the care and treatment of an injured child.
Medical malpractice claims often have very high verdicts due to the fact that juries tend to show sympathy for victims and hold medical professionals accountable for their mistakes. Many doctors and hospitals opt to settle rather than risk an expensive trial and stressful for all parties involved.
During the trial, lawyers for both sides will collect evidence to support their arguments. They will exchange documents during a process known as discovery, which involves deposing witness to get statements under an oath. In many states, defendants can also request access to the plaintiff’s records.
A successful birth injury lawsuit requires a lawyer with experience in these kinds of cases. An experienced lawyer will examine the facts of your case to determine if it satisfies the legal requirements and make sure you get the best financial settlement you can get.
Punitive Damages
Some medical malpractice lawsuits also include punitive damages. These are intended to convey a message and prevent future negligence. The damages can be awarded when there is a high level of malice or negligence on the part the doctor. They are rare in cases of birth injury.
After identifying the defendants the attorney must gather and review the evidence to support the claim. They must show that the injuries caused by the medical professionals did not conform to the a high standard of medical care. The legal team also has to provide evidence of the damages resulting from these injuries, also known as «damages.» The information can be economic or non-economic in the sense that it is not a loss.
Economic losses are usually calculated by making estimates of the cost of the child’s ongoing treatment, which may include long-term care facilities as well as other services. They can also include loss of earnings if the injury caused one or both parents to quit their jobs.
The legal team will create a demand form that they can present to the malpractice lawyers. This document will describe the birth injuries and their effects on the child as well as the family, and ask for compensation for the loss. The lawyers will negotiate with the medical providers until a settlement is reached. During this process, the lawyers will share information about their cases with the opposing side through discovery, which entails depositions of witnesses who are required to testify under the oath.