Birth Injury Lawsuits Explained
Childbirth is a risky and stressful time, but families expect their medical professionals and doctors to adhere to a high standard of care. If they don’t, birth injuries can be devastating for families.
If you suspect your child was born with a preventable injury due to medical negligence then contact a birth trauma lawyer to get help. The most reputable lawyers will review your case and not charge any upfront costs. A successful claim requires the proof of the four elements of your case.
Duty of Care
Few life events are more memorable and special than the birth of a baby. However, the birth injury law firm process can turn traumatic for parents who have medical mistakes cause serious injuries to the baby during labor and birth. These errors could be irreparable, creating the possibility of a lifetime of difficulties for a family.
Doctors and medical professionals have an obligation under law to treat their patients with the same level of care and expertise that they expect from health care professionals of similar professions under similar circumstances. This is known as the duty of care. You must prove that a medical professional has violated this duty to settle a claim. This usually means proving how the medical professional’s actions or absence of actions, differed from what a qualified and reasonably trained medical professional would perform under similar circumstances.
The second component in a negligence lawsuit is the causation. You must prove via medical records and testimony from an expert that the healthcare professional at fault’s breach of duty led to your child’s injuries. A doctor, for instance could not have observed the vitals of your child during labor and birth. This could have led to brain damage due to the prolonged oxygen deprivation.
Damages are the most important aspect in the case of a successful negligence claim. You must prove that you and your child suffered real, tangible financial losses from the healthcare professional’s inability to meet their obligation of care. This includes future and past medical costs in addition to lost wages, and non-economic losses like discomfort and pain.
Causation
Medical professionals have a responsibility to patients to provide treatment in line with the highest standards of care in their area of expertise. A doctor or nurse who does not meet the standards of care can cause injury to a patient, and lead to a claim for damages. To succeed in a birth injury case the attorney must prove that the breach of duty directly caused the injuries suffered by your child. This can be proven through evidence, like medical records or expert testimony.
It is also necessary to prove that your child wouldn’t have suffered the injury even if the medical professional been able to provide the standard of treatment. Medical experts are expected to review the case and provide an opinion regarding whether or not the doctor or hospital performed a procedure that was not in accordance with accepted medical practices.
Birth injuries can cause a lot of trauma and require medical attention for a lifetime. It is important that you make hospitals and doctors accountable for their negligence, and receive compensation to meet the future needs of your child.
A lawyer experienced in handling medical malpractice cases will manage the entire legal process for you, which includes responding to insurance requests and filing an action against the responsible parties. They can also create an evidence-based argument and obtain expert testimony, recover medical records and other documents and negotiate a fair settlement to cover your family’s losses as well as lifetime care costs.
Damages
Medical experts are required to look over medical records, the testimony of you and your family members, and other evidence in the birth injury lawsuit. They will prove that the doctor in your case acted outside of their duty to care and caused injuries to your child. They will also estimate the damages you’ve sustained as a result of these injuries. These include your future and current medical expenses, lost wages, loss of quality of life, emotional distress, and many other losses.
If nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals make mistakes that are preventable prior to or during the birth of your child, it could have devastating effects for your family. It can also be difficult to pursue legal action against hospital and doctors who might have committed malpractice or negligence. They usually have their own legal teams working full-time to protect their clients and defend against claims or reduce settlement amounts.
By hiring a New York birth injury lawyer and appointing medical professionals who are at fault accountable. The lawyer will negotiate with the insurance companies and file a claim in court and build a solid argument based on evidence to establish liability. They will also advocate for you to get an equitable jury verdict, or settlement for your losses and care costs over the course of your lifetime. They will also make your claim in time to comply with any applicable deadlines, since the clock begins ticking off from the date of the medical negligence or malpractice.
Statute of limitations
A successful claim for compensation in a birth-related injury case includes four parts. Your attorney can explain the factors and craft a solid legal argument in support of your claim.
Medical negligence claims require showing that the defendant owed you an obligation of care, that the defendant breached this duty and that the breach directly resulted in your child’s injuries. It is essential to prove causation to prevail in an action. This means that the defendant’s actions, or inability to act would not have caused your child’s injuries.
The defendants can challenge any of these elements. They can argue that there is no doctor-patient relationship or that the standard care is not what you claim it to be. Additionally, they could contest your evidence and expert witnesses opinion.
You’ll have to provide medical records, other documents, as well as an explanation of what went wrong during the birth of your child. Additionally, you’ll need to file an application package that includes an inventory of all the people you think should be named as defendants. A skilled lawyer can help you establish the appropriate defendants and ensure that there is adequate insurance coverage. A lawyer can assist you in advancing costs related to litigation, including the fees of highly qualified medical experts. This helps to alleviate some of the financial strain that comes with litigating a birth injury claim.