Atlanta Medical Malpractice Lawyer Robert J. Fleming HomeBirth Injuries
Atlanta Medical Malpractice Birth Injuries Attorney
We Have the Trial Experience to Help
If you or a family member has been injured due to suspected medical malpractice, you are entitled to be fully compensated under Georgia law. In some cases, the malpractice is obvious. The majority of cases, however, involve complex medical issues, requiring a thorough evaluation. Birth Injuries are often caused by medical negligence on the part of the doctor who delivered the baby or the hospital nursing staff who are responsible for monitoring the baby and mother during the birth process. We have earned our reputation for excellence by helping clients and their families face life-changing tragedies such as birth injuries caused by medical malpractice. We have recovered millions of dollars for our clients in the Atlanta area and throughout the state of Georgia in medical malpractice and birth injury cases.
Why Timely Legal Representation is Essential
Once the birth injury from malpractice has occurred, things move very quickly. We start working for you as soon as we are retained. The first course of action is to send correspondence to the hospital and all treating physicians demanding a full and complete copy of the medical records related to the birth process and that no records be destroyed. We then fully investigate every aspect of your birth injury medical malpractice case. This includes hiring the best obstetricians, specialists in gynecology care, the study of women's health, and OB-GYNs to act as our experts. These experts work with us to prove how the birth injury occurred and how the malpractice caused the birth injuries. Among other things that our medical experts do are: study all of your medical records related to the birth and the care and treatment leading up to, and after, the delivery, perform medical research to fully understand the medical issues at stake, work closely with our experienced medical malpractice attorneys to determine strategy, investigate all potential defendants, draft affidavits to be filed with the court, and help us proactively manage your lawsuit to ensure that you receive the help you need to fully recover for your injuries. The above legal steps are the most time-critical. However, the steps needed to pursue your case do not stop until the case is either settled or tried to a jury.
Call (800) 613-1923 Today
Birth injuries from medical negligence occur when a doctor, nurse or other medical care provider improperly treats or misdiagnoses a medical condition, resulting in an injury to the baby either shortly before, during, or after the delivery. When a new born is seriously injured during this time and hospitalized, it often necessary for a number of specialists to treat the baby as part of a medical “team.” One of the most common scenarios that leads to birth injury medical malpractice in Georgia is when a doctor, nurse or other medical provider fails to properly communicate with others on the care team who are caring for the mom and baby and the they "slips through the cracks." This is especially true when a doctor fails to prescribe a necessary test or otherwise performs an insufficient evaluation.
We Have the Trial Experience and Resources to Help You
Birth injuries from medical malpractice cases in Georgia are very expensive to pursue. It is not unusual for case expenses to reach $100,000 or more if the case must be tried. It is expensive to secure the services of the top obstetricians, specialists in gynecology care, and OB-GYNs in the country and many cases require multiple experts to prove liability. Fortunately, we are in a position to fund the case expenses for our clients to ensure a proper case evaluation and work-up. Make no mistake about it: the stakes are high in birth injury medical malpractice litigation in Georgia. The investment in your case is large, and the potential recoveries for the injuries suffered are also large. If the malpractice is especially egregious, you may be entitled to punitive damages from the doctor or hospital. That is why you need a well-established birth injury medical malpractice lawyer who can take your case to trial and win.
There are Many Forms of Medical Malpractice
Common examples of Atlanta medical malpractice include:
In addition to birth injuries such as Erb's palsy, cerebral palsy, brain damage, Rh- incompatibility, large baby syndrome and placental abruption, the following are the most common injuries resulting from birth injury medical malpractice:
Brachial Palsy Injuries
Brachial palsy injuries, which include Erb’s palsy and Klumpke’s palsy, occur when the bundle of nerves responsible for moving the arms and hands (brachial plexus) is injured. The most common reason for brachial plexus injuries is shoulder dystocia, a condition that occurs when an infant’s shoulders are trapped in the mother’s pelvic bone during delivery. If a physician pulls too hard or incorrectly while attempting to deliver the baby, the brachial plexus can be damaged.
Facial Paralysis
During the delivery period, an infant’s face may have too much pressure on it, resulting in damaged nerves. This type of injury is common when physicians improperly use forceps or a vacuum extraction to pull the baby out. Symptoms include the inability to close the eye on the affected side of the face and there is usually no movement at all on the side of the affected face. If the injury is not too severe, it can clear up within a few weeks. More serious cases may lead to total paralysis on the side of the affected face.
Brain Injuries
Oxygen deprivation during delivery can cause a host of problems, with the most severe being a brain injury. When an infant suffers from a brain injury, many medical disorders may follow, including cerebral palsy and chronic seizures. Oxygen deprivation can happen when a physician fails to correctly monitor an infant immediately after birth, from umbilical cord issues such as a prolapsed cord, or allowing the baby to remain too long in the birth canal. Experts suggest that even mild oxygen deprivation can lead to serious consequences, including intellectual disabilities and long-term physical problems.
Fractures
A fracture to the clavicle is the most common fracture during delivery of a baby. This type of birth injury usually occurs when the OBGYN pulls on the infant too hard while in the breech position. It can also happen when the shoulder is forcefully pulled during a prolonged, difficult delivery. Infants usually can’t move the arm on the side of the fracture.
Cranium Trauma and Bleeding
Cephalohematoma is an injury marked by bleeding underneath the cranium, usually directly under one of the cranial bones. It most often appears several hours after birth when a raised bump appears on the top of the infant’s head. The improper use of birth-assisting tools have been known to cause cephalohematoma. The bump usually clears up within a few months, but not without causing other risks, including jaundice, anemia, hypotension, and in rare cases, meningitis.
We may be Able to Help
Birth injury medical malpractice can take an unbelievable toll on you and your family. We understand this because we have helped clients get their lives back after being victimized by birth injury medical malpractice. The first step is to call so that you can discuss your case with a lawyer who truly understands birth injury medical malpractice in Georgia. Call Robert J. Fleming directly at (404) 525-5150 for a free case evaluation to see how we may be able to help. Or contact us online.
