The birth of a child should be a joyous occasion filled with hopes and dreams for the future. But when something goes tragically wrong during labor and delivery, resulting in harm to the baby, it shatters those dreams and leaves families devastated. If your child has suffered a birth injury due to medical negligence, you need the dedicated representation of an experienced Charleston birth injury lawyer.
At Briggs Law Group, our Charleston birth injury attorney provides compassionate, personalized legal advocacy for families whose lives have been forever changed by preventable birth trauma. We know the immense challenges you face – extensive medical treatment, uncertainty about your child’s future, and astronomical expenses. Let us shoulder the legal burden so you can focus on your child and family during this difficult time.
Understanding Birth Injuries
A birth injury refers to any harm to the baby that occurs during or near the time of birth. While some birth injuries are unavoidable, many result from substandard medical care. Examples of birth injuries caused by negligence include:
- Cerebral palsy
- Erb’s palsy (brachial plexus injury)
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Shoulder dystocia
- Forceps and vacuum extractor injuries
- Spinal cord damage
These injuries can lead to lifelong impairments, requiring extensive medical care, therapy, assistive devices, and accommodations. The costs, both financial and emotional, can be staggering for families. Children with birth injuries may face developmental delays, cognitive impairments, physical disabilities, and a lifetime of medical needs. The impact extends beyond the child, affecting parents, siblings, and extended family in profound ways.
Birth injuries often occur when medical professionals fail to properly assess and respond to risk factors during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. This can include failing to diagnose and treat maternal infections, not recognizing signs of fetal distress, or improperly managing conditions like preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. Misuse of forceps, vacuum extractors, and other delivery instruments can also directly injure the baby.
Proving a Birth Injury Claim
Birth injury cases are highly complex, requiring meticulous investigation and the insight of medical experts. To prove that medical negligence caused your child’s injury, your Charleston birth injury lawyer must establish the following:
- The medical professionals involved owed you and your baby a duty of care.
- They breached that duty by providing substandard care that fell below accepted standards.
- Their negligence directly caused or substantially contributed to your child’s birth injury.
- Your child and family suffered damages as a result.
Examples of negligence that commonly lead to birth injuries include:
- Failure to properly monitor fetal heart rate
- Failure to recognize and address signs of fetal distress
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors
- Delaying or failing to perform a necessary C-section
- Medication errors
Our Charleston birth injury attorney has access to respected medical experts who can review the medical records, identify deviations from the standard of care, and persuasively explain how those mistakes caused harm. We thoroughly build strong cases aimed at securing the full and fair compensation your child needs and deserves.
Proving a birth injury claim requires an in-depth understanding of both the legal and medical issues involved. Medical malpractice cases have strict procedural requirements that must be precisely followed. There are also unique challenges, such as obtaining medical records, deciphering complex medical information, and dealing with uncooperative defendants.
Our legal team has the knowledge and experience to skillfully handle every aspect of your birth injury claim, from pre-suit investigation through trial and appeal if needed. We frequently work with renowned medical experts to review cases and provide compelling testimony to support our client’s claims. While we prepare every case for a potential trial, we also have a successful record of negotiating fair settlements. Our goal is to achieve the best possible outcome for your child and family.
Seeking Justice and Fair Compensation
At Briggs Law Group, we believe medical professionals who cause preventable birth injuries through negligence must be held fully accountable. While no amount of money can undo the harm, pursuing a birth injury claim can provide vital resources for your child’s future care and needs. Depending on the circumstances, compensation in a birth injury case may cover:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Assistive devices and accommodations
- Special education services
- Diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Diminished quality of life
Valuing a birth injury claim requires assessing your child’s current and future medical needs, likely prognosis, and overall impact on quality of life. Our team works with leading experts in medicine, life care planning, economics, and other specialties to calculate the scope of damages fully. We explore all avenues of compensation to maximize financial recovery.
It is important to act quickly if you suspect a birth injury, as there are strict deadlines for filing medical malpractice claims. Investigating the case and securing expert reviews also takes time. However, we understand the demands on your family and make the process as smooth and stress-free as possible. Our team handles all legal matters with sensitivity and respect, allowing you to focus on your child’s well-being.
Experience and Dedication You Can Trust
Birth injury claims require an attorney with the skills, experience, and commitment to go up against well-funded adversaries like hospitals and insurance companies. Our Charleston birth injury lawyer has a track record of success in complex medical malpractice claims. We are not afraid to take cases to trial when necessary to pursue the best possible outcome.
We also understand the emotional toll birth injuries take on families. Our team provides caring, personalized service, taking the time to understand your family’s unique needs and goals. We work tirelessly to help secure the brightest possible future for your child.
Speak with Our Charleston Birth Injury Attorney Today
If your child has suffered a birth injury due to suspected medical negligence, please contact Briggs Law Group today to speak with our Charleston birth injury lawyer. The consultation is free and confidential. Let us fight for the justice and support your child and family deserve.