Metairie Birth Injury Lawyer
The birth of a new child should be a joyous time. Unfortunately, some births are more complicated than others, and it is possible that the newborn child sustains potentially catastrophic injuries during the birthing process itself. While some of these birth injuries are unavoidable, in many cases they are the result of a mistake or negligent act on the part of the medical staff supervising the birth.
A qualified Metairie birth injury lawyer can provide you with legal guidance and counsel during this difficult period. The team at Palazzo Law Firm can represent you in filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against a negligent provider. This can help ensure that your child has the financial resources to provide for the needs after sustaining what should have been an avoidable birth injury.
Is Medical Malpractice Responsible for Your Child’s Injuries?
To be clear, a birth injury is not the same thing as a birth defect. Birth defects are typically genetic and occur before or during the mother’s pregnancy. In contrast, a birth injury refers to something that goes wrong during the delivery itself.
Some of the more common birth injuries arising from medical negligence include:
- Brachial palsy. Sometimes during a delivery, the doctor will injure the newborn’s brachial plexus–i.e., the group of nerves connecting the arms and hands. This can lead to a condition known as brachial palsy. In some cases, this leads to permanent nerve damage.
- Cerebral palsy. There are a number of medical errors that may cause the child’s brain to become deprived of oxygen during the delivery process. The resulting brain damage can lead to cerebral palsy, which is a term used to describe a range of movement disorders that can affect a child for their entire life.
- Paralysis and disfigurement. Improper use of forceps, vacuum extraction, and other equipment during the delivery process can cause permanent disfigurement or even paralysis due to facial nerve damage.
Proving that a doctor or health care provider’s negligence led to a birth injury can be a lengthy and difficult process. Louisiana’s medical malpractice laws impose strict deadlines on filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. On top of that, plaintiffs must first submit their case to a medical review panel, which will review the child’s case and offer their own expert opinion as to whether malpractice occurred. The panel’s opinion can then be cited as evidence in any subsequent trial.
Contact The Palazzo Law Firm Today
In cases where medical malpractice is proven, victims of birth injuries and their families are entitled to seek a wide range of compensation. This includes damages related to the child’s ongoing medical care, therapy, adaptive devices, and even the need to hire care workers. In many cases this can easily add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
So if your child has suffered a brain injury and you believe your health care’s actions were to blame, it is important that you seek out qualified legal advice as soon as possible. To speak with a Metairie birth injury lawyer, contact Palazzo Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.
