Tacoma Birth Injury Lawyer

The day your child arrives into the world should be the happiest day of your life. But for some families, the day turns tragic when a doctor makes a mistake. Here at Ladenburg Law, we’ve seen errors that have caused severe, life-long impact or even death. If this story sounds familiar to you, read on to see how a Tacoma birth injury lawyer might help.

What are some of the Causes of Birth Injuries?

A birth injury can happen just before birth, during birth, or just after birth. It’s important for doctors and nurses to monitor labor and respond to any complications. Unfortunately, this doesn’t always happen.

Here are some examples of negligence that can lead to a birth injury:

Failure to provide routine screenings
Failure to recognize and/or respond to fetal distress
Improper use of Pitocin or other medications
Failure to order a C-Section in a timely manner
Failure to diagnose maternal or fetal medical conditions

Some of the reasons mistakes happen include communication errors, overstaffing, and faulty equipment. In most of the cases we handle, human error is a key factor. Usually, there have been several missteps that resulted in the injury.

What are some of the Most Common Birth Injuries?

Here are some of the most common preventable birth injuries:

Cerebral Palsy. This condition impacts muscle control and is caused by brain damage. Sometimes, it can be the result of a lack of oxygen to the brain during the delivery process.
Vacuum or Forceps Injuries. Vacuum or forceps are sometimes used when delivery is stalled. These tools increase risks for both mother and baby. When errors occur, they can be severe or even deadly. Some of these injuries include brain bleeds, hemorrhages, fractures, and facial injuries.
Pitocin Dosing Errors. Pitocin is often given to women intravenously to induce labor. The medicine can start or intensify uterine contractions. Under watchful care, Pitocin can be a useful tool. Used carelessly, it’s possible to cause the baby distress or injury.

This list is by no means exhaustive.

What are some of the Risk Factors for Birth Injuries?

Certain conditions increase the risk for a birth injury to occur. Some of these include:

Large baby size
Pre-term birth
Breech or other unfavorable fetal position
Vacuum or forceps delivery
Pelvic disproportion
Prolonged labor

When one or more of these situations is present, doctors and nurses must take extra measures to ensure the safety of mother and infant.

What Kind of Compensation do Juries Tend to Award for Birth Injury Lawsuits?

Birth injuries can take an enormous financial and emotional toll on families. Sometimes, the injuries are severe enough that the child will need special care for the rest of his or her life. Parents may need to leave their jobs to become full-time caretakers. Families may find their lives now revolve around childcare and therapy appointments. As a result, it’s not uncommon to see very large verdicts for birth injury cases.

Here are some of the damages you may be eligible to receive compensation for:

Medical costs
Long-term healthcare costs
Childcare costs
Lost wages
Pain & suffering
Wrongful death

Our goal is to always win maximum settlements for our clients. Unlike other firms that push to settle out of court, we are unafraid to take our cases to trial.

How Do I Know if my Child’s Birth Injury Warrants a Malpractice Lawsuit?

You do not need to try to determine if your child’s birth injury was caused by negligence before calling us. Just call a Tacoma birth injury lawyer from our team. After meeting with you, we’ll work to uncover medical records, your practitioner’s history and other facts about what happened. But, we do urge you to call us as soon as possible as you only have a limited amount of time to file a malpractice claim.

At Ladenburg Law, we only collect a fee if we’re able to win you a settlement. Let us help take some of the burden off your plate so you can focus on your health and family. Call us today for a no-fee, no-obligation consultation about your case.