Having a baby should be one of the most beautiful and joyous experiences for any family. Unfortunately, due to medical malpractice or negligence, some families experience birth injuries that can have lasting effects on their newborns and their entire lives.
These injuries can range from mild to severe and often require costly medical treatments and therapies. According to recent statistics, approximately 6 to 8 out of every 1,000 live births in the city of Seattle result in a birth injury. These injuries can cause long-term physical, emotional, and financial consequences. In such cases, seeking legal assistance from a reputable law firm specializing in birth injury cases can be crucial. For victims in Seattle, the best Seattle birth injury law firm can offer professional legal aid. They have experienced attorneys on board who understand the complexities of medical malpractice and can fight for the rights of affected families, helping them obtain the compensation they deserve to support their child's ongoing care and recovery.
If you or someone in your family was affected by medical malpractice, this article is for you. Read on.
What Are Common Birth Injuries?
Birth injuries are classified as either permanent or temporary depending on whether or not they will heal over time. Some of the most common types of birth injuries include:
• Cerebral Palsy: This is a neurological disorder caused by damage to the brain before, during, or after delivery that affects movement and muscle coordination. It can be mild to severe, affecting a child’s ability to move normally.
• Erb’s Palsy: This is a condition where nerve damage occurs in an arm due to improper use of forceps during delivery which causes paralysis in one arm or both arms.
• Shoulder Dystocia: This occurs when there is difficulty delivering a baby through the mother’s pelvis due to shoulder dystocia, which can cause nerve damage in an arm leading to Erb's palsy mentioned previously.
How Can A Lawyer Help?
When it comes to seeking compensation for your child's birth injury caused by malpractice or negligence, you must seek legal representation from an experienced birth injury law firm so they can begin working immediately on your case while protecting your rights throughout the process. An attorney will be able to investigate what happened during delivery and determine if any medical professionals were negligent in their care leading up to and/or during labor and delivery, which ultimately resulted in harm coming to your child.
Your lawyer will also be able to identify possible sources of compensation such as insurance companies, government programs like Medicaid/Medicare, hospital funds, etc., so you have access to resources necessary for providing quality care for your injured child now and into adulthood if needed. Now, how can you ensure that you get adequate resources? Your lawyer would assist you in filing claims with insurance companies or pursuing litigation against those responsible (if necessary) and ensure you get the maximum possible compensation.
Seeking Compensation For Your Child's Care
The amount of compensation available depends on many factors, including the type of injury sustained by your baby at birth; severity; long-term prognosis; extent of the disability; the cost associated with current treatment; potential future needs, etc. With support from an experienced birth injury law firm, parents are more likely to receive fair monetary awards that cover all ongoing expenses related to their children’s medical treatments, including physical therapy, medications, specialized equipment, home modifications, etc.
Having someone who understands how devastating these events are emotionally can also make this difficult time easier. A compassionate attorney will do everything possible to fight hard and ensure justice is served. They provide emotional support while allowing parents to focus solely on taking the best care possible of their children.
Conclusion
No parent should ever have to go through trauma, knowing nothing could be done to prevent serious harm from coming to their newborn babies. If medical negligence played a role in causing injury sustained during childbirth, then consult a qualified lawyer who specializes in handling such cases. An experienced birth injury law firm can guide the entire process, ensuring an appropriate level of financial compensation to cover costs associated with treatment options available to improve the life quality of those involved in such situations.
The content is intended to augment, not replace, information provided by your clinician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Reading this information does not create or replace a doctor-patient relationship or consultation. If required, please contact your doctor or other health care provider to assist you in interpreting any of this information, or in applying the information to your individual needs.
