As you prepare for your child’s birth, you probably picture your hopes and dreams for their future. Naturally, you want the best for them, so it can be devastating to learn they suffered an injury during childbirth that may cause permanent physical and cognitive disabilities.
Sadly, some birth injuries result from medical malpractice and can be avoided with proper treatment. If your child experienced a lack of oxygen due to medical negligence, a Germantown birth asphyxia attorney with Brown & Barron could help you seek compensation. This can ensure your child’s medical treatment and other care needs are met now and in the future.
Contact Brown & Barron for a Free Birth Asphyxia Case Consultation
A member of our team is available 24/7 to take your call andanswer your questionsabout your next steps and your child’s birth asphyxia.
Get in touch with a birth asphyxia lawyer serving Germantown, 410-547-0202 for a free case evaluation.
What Birth Asphyxia Is and How it Could Affect Your Child
According to Merck Manual, birth asphyxia occurs due to decreased blood flow or oxygen to the baby before, during, or immediately after childbirth.
Asphyxia can cause injury to the fetal brain and organs, which may result in complications including:
- Low blood pressure
- Difficulty breathing
- Low oxygen levels
- Liver problems
- Kidney problems
- Digestive issues
- Seizures
- Coma
- Learning difficulties
Cerebral Palsy
According to Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy is a group of disorders associated with birth asphyxia. The condition is permanent, often severe, and can affect movement, speech, and development.
Symptoms of cerebral palsy include:
- Lack of balance and coordination
- Difficulty walking
- Problems with fine motor skills
- Speech delays
- Difficulty swallowing
- Intellectual disabilities
- Problems with vision and hearing
- Constipation
- Urinary incontinence
- Emotional disorders
- Behavior problems
Birth Asphyxia Can Result From Medical Error
When you seek obstetric care services at a medical facility in and around Germantown, you trust their doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals. You rely on their medical expertise to provide quality care before, during, and after labor and delivery.
But what happens when those you trust fail to act according to the standards of their profession? When health care providers act negligently, injuring your child, they could be at-fault for medical malpractice.
You might have grounds for a malpractice claim or lawsuit if your child’s birth asphyxia resulted from the failure to properly diagnose or treat childbirth complications, including:
- Abnormal fetal heart rate
- Placenta separation
- Prolonged or difficult labor
- Preterm labor
- Umbilical cord problems
- Blocked fetal airway
- High or low maternal blood pressure
- Breech or abnormal birth positioning
Our attorneys can investigate the circumstances that led to your child’s birth injury and prove medical negligence.
We will:
- Obtain your medical records
- Speak with witnesses who can testify about your care
- Consult with health care experts about the treatment you received and its connection to your child’s birth asphyxia
- Fight to hold the responsible doctor, nurse, provider, or facility financially accountable
Our Lawyers Can Seek Compensation for Your Child’s Injury
If negligent medical care caused your child’s injury, you and your family deserve financial compensation. We can help you recover costs related to birth asphyxia and your child’s future care needs, including:
Medical Treatment
Babies who experience asphyxia may need serious medical intervention. Directly after birth, they may require resuscitation, intubation, intravenous fluids, blood cell or plasma transfusions, and even a ventilator.
While some treatments can improve or fully repair damage to the internal organs, brain damage is often permanent. Children with cerebral palsy or another permanent condition may require a lifetime of medications, doctor and specialist appointments, medical procedures, and follow-up care.
We can review your medical bills and recover your out-of-pocket expenses. Our birth asphyxia lawyers can also work with medical experts to estimate the cost of your Germantown child’s future treatment and long-term health care requirements.
Education, Equipment, and Services
Your child may need special services, schooling, and equipment to help them reach their potential.
Our lawyers could seek compensation for:
- Physical rehabilitation
- Cognitive therapy
- Speech therapy
- Tutors and educational services
- Mobility aids
- Therapeutic devices
- Modifications to make your home more accessible, such as the addition of ramps, stairlifts, or elevators
Lost Income
Our attorneys can seek compensation for the loss of your child’s future earning potential. If you must cut back your hours at work or quit your job to care for your child, we can also pursue compensation for your lost income.
Non-Economic Compensation
Non-economic compensation awards victims for how their injuries reduce their quality of life. Our attorneys can seek these awards, also known as pain and suffering damages, on behalf of your child, yourself, and other caregivers.
Compensation may include monetary awards for physical pain, emotional suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment of life. However,Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-2A-09places a cap on pain and suffering damages for medical malpractice injuries. It is difficult to say theaverage paymentin a case like this. However, our lawyers can tell you how much non-economic compensation may be available in your case.
Wrongful Death Compensation
If your child suffered a fatal birth injury, you could qualify for wrongful death compensation.
According to Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-904, you have three years to file a wrongful death lawsuit, and recoverable damages may include awards for:
- Loss of your child’s companionship, comfort, and filial care
- Mental anguish
- Emotional pain and suffering
Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a with a birth asphyxia lawyer serving Germantown.
Our Team Will Focus on Preparing a Germantown Medical Malpractice Case
Maryland medical malpractice cases can be complex. For example,Md. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 3-2C-02requires you to file a statement from a qualified medical professional affirming your malpractice claim within 90 days of your initial filing. Furthermore, state law may also require that your claim goes through theHealth Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Officefor arbitration before your case can proceed to civil court.
A birth asphyxia attorney with Brown & Barron can file your case and handle the details.
We can manage paperwork, enlist the help of experts, take care of case-related communications, and adhere to deadlines.
In most medical malpractice cases, you have five years from the date of injury to sue, according toMd. Code Ann., Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-109. However, when the injury involves a minor child, the statute is “tolled” (paused) until the child turns 18.
Call our offices today for a free consultation to learn more about how our Germantown lawyers can seek justice for your child and your family.