Was your child injured at birth because a doctor or medical professional was negligent in Tampa, Florida? You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost earning potential, pain and suffering, and more. An experienced Tampa birth injury lawyer at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can provide the quality legal advice you deserve.
We’ve recovered more than $100 million in compensation for injured clients in the Tampa Bay area since 1996. We’ve proven time and time again that we have the experience and resources to handle even the most complex injury cases–and win. Our practice areas include Tampa cruise ship accidents, Tampa negligent security cases, truck accidents, boating accidents, bicycle accidents, and more.
Are you interested in learning more? Call our law firm in Tampa, Florida at (813) 686-7588 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help With a Birth Injury Claim in Tampa
Birth injuries are traumatic. It’s important to take legal action as soon as you recognize the signs of an injury. Our Tampa medical malpractice lawyers can start working to protect your rights immediately.
Children with birth injuries deserve the best care possible–yet quality medical care, special education, and other necessities can be expensive. At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we can help you seek the compensation you need to protect your child’s future.
Our lawyers will stand by your side every step of the way as we:
- Investigate to locate the information you need to support your birth injury claim
- Consult top medical experts who can help prove your case
- Demand fair compensation from all responsible parties
- Manage all legal details so that you can focus on your child’s wellbeing
Our Tampa medical malpractice attorneys will negotiate to recover the maximum possible out-of-court settlement. If the insurance company refuses to pay what you deserve, we’ll fight for your rights at trial.
With over 75 years of experience, you can trust our team to provide the legal representation you deserve. Take action now by calling our law offices to get started.
Overview of Birth Injuries
Birth injuries are caused by injuries or illnesses that arise around the time of your baby’s birth. Some of these injuries can be minor. Others have the potential to cause long-term disability.
Research shows that for every 1,000 babies born in the U.S., six to eight will suffer a birth injury. Unfortunately, doctors can also make mistakes during the birth of your child. Many birth injuries are the direct result of medical malpractice.
Types of Birth Injury
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of birth injury claims, including those involving:
- Brain damage
- Broken bones
- Brachial plexus injury
- Hypoxia (oxygen deprivation)
- Cerebral Palsy
- Erb’s Palsy
- Shoulder dystocia
- Spina bifida and other spinal cord injuries
- Uterine rupture
- Hemorrhaging
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Wrongful death
To recover damage, you have the burden of proving what caused your child’s injuries. Unfortunately, proving that a medical error caused your baby’s injuries can be extremely complex. It’s important to hire an attorney with experience successfully handling similar cases.
Interested in learning more? Just give us a quick call to schedule a free case evaluation today.
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Birth Injuries?
Some signs and symptoms that an injury occurred during the birthing process appear immediately. Others can take days or even months to appear. In fact, some birth injuries aren’t diagnosed for months or years after the baby is born.
Some immediate signs that your baby has suffered a birth injury include:
- A need for resuscitation
- Weak reflexes
- Turning blue or extremely pale
- Low heart rate
- Slow or rapid breathing
- Seizures
- Muscle weakness
- Lethargy
- Extreme irritability
- Excessive drooling
Other signs of birth injuries appear once your child is a bit older and may include:
- Developmental difficulties
- Delayed speech
- Inability to sit up or stand
- Lack of control over body movements
- Trouble holding objects
- Hearing problems
- Problems crawling or walking
- Tremors
- Rigidity in the muscles
- Language impairments
If you suspect your child has suffered a birth injury, it’s important to seek medical help immediately. The sooner your doctor can diagnose the issue, the greater the chances of preventing long-term damage.
What are the Long-Term Consequences of Birth Injuries?
Some birth injuries can impact a child permanently. Others will heal relatively quickly with proper treatment.
Depending upon the type of injury, your child could suffer from long-term physical or cognitive problems. Many victims of birth injuries require surgeries, speech therapy, physical therapy, and even occupational therapy once they’re older.
What Causes Most Birth Injuries?
Some of the most common causes of birth injuries include:
- Negligent care during pregnancy, labor, or delivery
- Failure to monitor the mother and baby
- Failure to order a timely C-section
- Failure to recognize signs of fetal distress
- Failure to monitor the baby’s vital signs and heart rate
- Oxygen deprivation
- Staff communication errors
- Medication errors
- Lack of experience
- Failure to recognize risk factors during pregnancy
- Negligent use of forceps, vacuum extractors, and other medical devices
If your child was injured during labor and delivery, it’s critical to find out what happened. Our experienced Tampa birth injury attorneys can help you uncover whether medical negligence was to blame.
We’re here to help hold negligent medical professionals accountable. To learn more about how our legal team can help your family, call for a free case review today.
How Do I Prove a Birth Injury Claim in Tampa?
Some birth defects are inevitable. However, other injuries sustained at birth are caused by medical negligence.
To recover compensation based on medical malpractice, you must prove:
- The medical standard of care under the circumstances
- The doctor, nurse or healthcare provider made a mistake that breached the standard of care
- The mistake caused your child’s birth injury
Proving that a doctor, obstetrician or hospital was negligent can be difficult. Typically, expert witness testimony will be necessary to win your case.
Our lawyers in Tampa have the resources to help. We’ve built relationships with some of the most respected experts in the area. With their guidance, we’ll fight to hold the parties responsible for your child’s suffering accountable.
What is My Tampa Birth Injury Case Worth?
A birth injury can change the entire course of your child’s life. Proper medical care and intense rehabilitation can help in some cases. In other cases, your baby may require a lifetime of care, specialized education and could suffer consequences even into adulthood.
It’s critical to account for all of these costs when negotiating a settlement award.
In birth injury cases, factors that are important when calculating how much your personal injury case is worth:
- The nature of your child’s injury
- The anticipated future cost of medical treatment
- How the injury will impact your baby’s childhood, education and career prospects
- Whether the injury will harm your child’s overall quality of life
- Your lost wages and Out-of-Pocket Expenses
It can be incredibly difficult to imagine your child suffering life-long harm because of a careless mistake. Those parties who made the mistake should be the ones who pay.
Our lawyers can fight to make that happen. Reach out to our legal team today to learn more.
What Compensation Can I Recover for Birth Injuries in Tampa, Florida?
When you file a birth injury lawsuit, you should expect to recover damages to cover all out-of-pocket costs related to the injury.
Economic damages include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Your lost wages and income
- Your child’s diminished future earning capacity
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Specialized education costs
- Long-term care
- Medical devices
- Any other anticipated expenses
In serious birth injury cases, it can be difficult to anticipate your future cost of care. Our lawyers can enlist experts in medicine, economics, and life planning to help us understand the complex issues in your child’s specific case.
It’s equally important to consider your non-economic losses when negotiating a settlement. Those losses include your intangible pain and trauma, such as:
- Physical and emotional pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of a normal childhood
- Physical disfigurement or scarring
- Anxiety and depression
Some birth injuries are fatal. Our lawyers can work to recover damages for wrongful death if a careless healthcare professional was responsible for your child’s death.
How Long Do I Have to File a Birth Injury Lawsuit in Florida?
Under Florida state law, you have just two years to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against any parties who are responsible for your baby’s injuries. This deadline is called the statute of limitations.
The clock starts ticking as soon as you reasonably should have known that your child suffered a birth injury. However, if you don’t take legal action, it’s possible that your child may have the right to file a medical malpractice claim later in life.
Contact a Tampa Birth Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Hiring Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers means that you’ll have a team of skilled trial lawyers who you can trust to protect your legal rights. We know that you’re struggling. To learn more about how we can help, call our personal injury law firm in Town ‘n’ Country, FL for a free initial consultation today.
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