Washington, DC Birth Injury Lawyer
Birth injuries can turn one of life’s greatest joys into one of life’s most devastating tragedies. No matter how careful mothers are during pregnancy, some cannot always protect their babies. The mother’s action or inaction does not cause most birth injuries. They are more often the preventable result of medical negligence.
If you or a loved one has suffered from a birth injury, the Washington, D.C. birth injury lawyers at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. can help. We understand how difficult this time can be for you and your family and we are available to assist you following birth injuries that could and should have been prevented.
To learn if you might have a case and how our firm can help, contact us today for a free consultation with a Washington, D.C., birth injury attorney.
What Is a Birth Injury Lawyer?
A birth injury lawyer is a type of personal injury lawyer who represents clients who have suffered from injuries during childbirth. These injuries can be caused by various factors, including medical negligence, dangerous or defective products, and more.
What Is Medical Negligence?
Medical negligence is when a health care professional fails to provide the standard of care that a reasonable person would expect in a similar situation. This can be due to errors in diagnosis, treatment, aftercare, or other aspects of medical care.
Birth Injury Cases & Victims’ Rights
Many different factors can cause birth injuries. However, it is important to understand that just because a birth injury occurred does not necessarily mean you have a case.
Some birth injuries are not preventable and are part of the inherent risks of pregnancy, birth, or medical procedures. However, other birth injuries are indeed preventable if not for the negligence of health care providers or other responsible parties.
Examples of what can cause preventable birth injuries include:
- Failure to diagnose and treat pre-existing conditions
- Incorrect use of anesthesia or medication during pregnancy, labor, or birth
- Failure to monitor the fetus and respond to fetal distress
- Improper use of delivery instruments
- Miscalculating the size of the baby or due date
- Not performing a C-section at the correct time
- Failure to recognize respiratory distress or apply for respiratory support
- Not providing newborns with oxygen
- Untreated pneumonia, brain infection, or other conditions
- Improperly delivered nutritional support
- Excessive haste and force
If you or your child suffered a birth injury, contact Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. today. Our lawyers will work to find the source of your child’s birth injury.
Liable Parties in Birth Injury Claims
There can be multiple responsible parties in a birth injury claim, including:
- Doctors / Obstetricians
- Midwives / Nurses
- Anesthesiologists
- ER or Hospital Staff
- Hospitals
- Manufacturers of defective medical devices
- A government entity responsible for maintaining safe conditions at the delivery hospital
While negligence committed by medical professionals during labor and birth is the cause of many preventable birth injuries, other parties may be accountable when mothers or babies suffer harm.
Pharmaceutical Companies
Pharmaceutical companies that produce unsafe medications, for example, can be held accountable when their drugs present risks of congenital disabilities, particularly when they fail to adequately warn doctors and consumers about dangers associated with their medications.
Labs
In one recent local event, it was discovered that several pregnant women who had blood tests performed by the DC public health lab were incorrectly told they tested negative for the Zika virus but later found out that they did have the virus when their blood was retested.
Due to a critical lab error that could have been prevented, these women were not informed of their true condition. They did not receive medical attention for the Zika virus, which is known for causing severe congenital disabilities. In this situation, the public health lab could be held liable for birth defects and damages to victims.
Common Birth Injuries
Examples of common birth injuries include:
- Brain injury (including cerebral palsy)
- Brachial plexus injury (Erb’s palsy)
- Infections
- Meconium aspiration
- Spasticity Paralysis
- Seizures or fetal stoke
- Bruising or fractures from forceps
- Excessive bleedingHypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
- Spinal cord injury
- Cranial nerve trauma
- Facial paralysis
- Soft tissue injuries
- Skin irritation
- Stillbirth
- Quadriplegia
- Wrongful birth
- Fetal distress failure
We are dedicated to helping birth injury victims get the compensation they deserve.
How We Can Help With Your Claim
If you or your child experienced a birth injury you believe was caused by the negligence of a medical professional or health care provider, you might have the right to pursue justice and financial compensation for your damages by pursuing a birth injury lawsuit.
Birth injury lawsuits can be difficult, as they often involve complex issues of liability, negligence, medical malpractice, or even issues such as product liability. Because of this, experienced representation is essential when you have a birth injury case.
An experienced birth injury lawyer at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. will help you:
Prove Liability
You will need to show that the doctor or hospital was responsible for your child’s injuries. We will enlist the help of medical experts that will go over your medical records and gather evidence such as witness testimony. We will build a strong case to support your claim for your child’s injury with the collected evidence.
Fight for Compensation
Once your case has been built, we will fight for the compensation you deserve. This may include a settlement with the doctor or hospital or filing a lawsuit if necessary. We will help you recover compensation for:
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses are the costs associated with you and your child’s medical care. This can include hospitalization, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and more.
If your child has suffered from a birth injury, you may face substantial medical bills. Our team can help you recover compensation to cover these costs.
Pain and Suffering
Pain and suffering are non-economic damages that are hard to quantify but can include physical pain, emotional distress, and more.
Lost Wages
If you have missed work due to your injury or to care for your child, you may be able to recover lost wages in a birth injury claim. This can be done by providing evidence of your lost income and proving that the missed work was due to your child’s injuries.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Loss of enjoyment of life is a non-economic damage that can be awarded for the loss of the ability to enjoy previously enjoyed activities.
Why You Should Choose Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C.
For more than 50 years, the Washington, D.C. personal injury lawyers of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C. have successfully represented individuals and families who have been injured or lost loved ones due to someone else’s negligence.
Here is a small sample of some of our successful verdicts and settlements:
- $15 million for a woman who was permanently paralyzed from the neck down due to being struck by a stray bullet.
- $6 million on behalf of a man who suffered a brain injury due to a rear-end collision.
- $5 million medical malpractice settlement on behalf of a 14-year-old client who suffered a severe brain injury as a result of a doctor’s inappropriate use of a chemical product.
- $4.8 million on behalf of a severely injured man when his motorcycle struck a trailer being pulled by a minivan.
- $4.5 million for a woman who was seriously injured in a pedestrian accident after being struck from behind by a transit bus in a crosswalk.
What to Expect When You Hire CSCS
When you hire our firm, you can expect:
Compassionate and Dedicated Service
We understand how difficult this time is for you and your family. Our team will provide compassionate and dedicated service to help you through this tough time.
A Commitment to Your Case
We are committed to fighting for the compensation you deserve. We will work tirelessly to get the results you need.
A Free Consultation
Our team is here to fight for you and get the results you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation to learn more about how we can help you.
Washington, D.C. Birth Injury Attorneys with over 100 Years of Combined Experience
At Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata & Siegel, P.C., our legal team understands the tremendous difficulties parents and families face in the wake of preventable birth injuries. We offer our full support and experienced representation to families who want to assert their rights and hold health care providers or other parties responsible for their negligence.
Our firm has helped clients recover more than $500 million in compensation, and we have more than 100 years of combined experience. All of our partners are recognized by Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers®, and our firm includes three past presidents of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, DC.We work to help our clients obtain fair settlement offers to compensate them for the injuries they’ve suffered, but our attorneys are extremely well-equipped to go to trial if needed. Call (202) 659-8600 or contact us online to get the proven legal representation you deserve.