Missouri Birth Injury Lawyers

The birth of a child is a momentous occasion, filled with hopes, dreams, and the anticipation of a new beginning. For most parents, this is one of the happiest times of their lives. However, for some, what should be a joyful experience turns into a heartbreaking ordeal due to a birth injury. A birth injury can drastically change the life of a newborn and their family, transforming excitement and celebration into fear, stress, and uncertainty about the future.

Birth injuries are often the result of medical malpractice—negligence on the part of healthcare providers responsible for the safe delivery of your child. When these professionals fail to meet the standard of care expected during childbirth, serious and sometimes lifelong consequences can arise.

f your family has been affected by a birth injury in Missouri, it’s important to know that you are not alone. Our network of local Missouri birth injury lawyers is available to provide compassionate and skilled legal guidance. They can help you understand your legal options and connect you with resources to pursue compensation that can ease the financial burden of caring for a child with a birth injury.

Birth injuries can take a toll on both the child and the family. Parents expecting a joyous occasion now face the uncertainty of their child’s future health and well-being. The emotional toll is compounded by the financial costs of ongoing medical care, therapies, and the potential need for lifelong assistance for the child. As families navigate this difficult situation, they often feel overwhelmed and unsure of where to turn.

Birth injuries vary in severity, but in many cases, they result in disabilities that affect a child’s physical, cognitive, and emotional development. Conditions like cerebral palsy, brain injuries caused by oxygen deprivation (hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy), and physical trauma from difficult deliveries are just some of the possible outcomes. 

These injuries are life-altering, often requiring extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and special education services. Some delays in the child’s development may not appear until they start missing developmental milestones.

Birth injuries occur in various ways and can affect different parts of a child’s body. Some injuries are immediately noticeable, while others may not become apparent until the child fails to reach developmental milestones. Some of the more common birth injury cases our attorneys have handled include one or more of the following conditions:

• Cerebral palsy: A group of motor disorders that affect a child’s movement, posture, and muscle tone. Cerebral palsy is often caused by brain damage during birth due to oxygen deprivation or trauma.
• Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): A serious birth injury that occurs when a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen. HIE is a type of brain injury that can lead to brain damage and long-term disabilities.
• A high-risk pregnancy
• A delayed emergency c-section
• Umbilical cord problems
• Infant seizures: These can occur due to oxygen deprivation or brain trauma during delivery and may be an early sign of brain injury.
• Newborn Infections: Newborns can contract infections during birth that, if left untreated, lead to serious complications.
• Brachial Plexus Injuries: These injuries affect the network of nerves that control the muscles of the shoulder, arm, and hand. They often occur when a baby’s shoulder gets stuck in the birth canal during delivery.
• Brain Bleeds: Also known as intracranial hemorrhages, brain bleeds can result from trauma during birth and may cause long-term neurological problems.
• Fractures: Some newborns suffer bone fractures, especially in the collarbone, during delivery, particularly if forceps or vacuum extraction is used.
• Erb’s Palsy: A condition caused by injury to the brachial plexus nerves, often resulting in weakness or paralysis in the arm.
• Other birth injuries.

These injuries can often be traced back to specific medical errors, such as the failure to monitor the baby’s distress, delayed decisions to perform a C-section, improper use of birthing tools, or failure to address complications during labor. 

Families in Missouri who are coping with the effects of a birth injury can turn to our network of local birth injury lawyers to determine whether medical malpractice occurred and what steps they can take next.

When dealing with the aftermath of a birth injury, parents have a lot on their minds, and the idea of pursuing legal action may feel overwhelming. However, there is a time limit for filing a lawsuit, called a statute of limitations. The statute may differ depending on what kind of facility the negligence or malpractice occurred in.

In Missouri, this statute is unique in that parents can file a birth injury lawsuit on behalf of their child until the child’s 20th birthday. This extended window allows families to take the time they need to evaluate their child’s condition, seek medical treatments, and decide on the best course of action.

Still, you should begin the legal process as soon as possible to preserve evidence, gather necessary records, and consult with experts. Delaying can make it harder to build a strong case. Our network of local Missouri birth injury lawyers can help you understand the specific deadlines that apply to your case and guide you through the process of filing a claim.

Handling a birth injury case involves both legal and medical knowledge. To prove that your child’s birth injury was the result of medical malpractice, it is necessary to demonstrate that the medical professionals involved failed to provide the standard of care expected during childbirth. This can involve detailed medical records, expert testimony, and other evidence showing negligence.

A birth injury lawyer in Missouri will:

• Investigate Your Case: Your local lawyer will gather all the necessary medical records, interview witnesses, and consult with medical experts to determine the cause of your child’s injury.
• Prove Negligence: A birth injury attorney will build a case showing that the medical staff’s actions fell below the expected standard of care and that this negligence caused your child’s injury.
• Negotiate with Insurance Companies: Birth injury cases often involve complex negotiations with insurance companies. Your lawyer will handle these negotiations to seek a fair settlement that covers your child’s current and future needs.
• Take the Case to Trial if Necessary: If a settlement cannot be reached, your lawyer will be prepared to take the case to trial to secure the compensation your family deserves.

Birth injuries can result in significant financial burdens for families. Compensation in a birth injury case may include:

• Medical Expenses: This covers both past and future medical care, including surgeries, hospital stays, rehabilitation, and any specialized care your child may need.
• Home Modifications: If your child’s injury requires your home to be modified, such as adding ramps or making a bathroom accessible, these costs can be included in the claim.
• Therapy and Rehabilitation: Birth injuries often require long-term therapy, such as physical, occupational, or speech therapy, to help the child reach their full potential.
• Educational and Assistive Devices: Some children may need specialized equipment, such as wheelchairs or communication devices, as well as special education services.
• Pain and Suffering: Compensation may be awarded for the emotional and psychological impact the injury has on both the child and the family.
• Lost Wages: If a parent must reduce work hours or leave their job to care for their child, they may be entitled to compensation for lost income.

The financial, emotional, and physical toll of a birth injury is overwhelming, but legal action can provide a path forward. Compensation can alleviate some of the financial strain, allowing you to focus on providing the best possible care for your child. A Missouri birth injury lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and pursue justice for your child.

Don’t wait to get the legal assistance you need. Our network of local Missouri birth injury lawyers can provide the compassionate and skilled representation your family deserves. Birth injury cases are complex, but you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Contact ABC Law Centers today to be connected with a lawyer who can help your family pursue the justice and compensation you deserve.

ABC Law Centers: Birth Injury Lawyers work closely with a network of trustworthy attorneys across the country. Our unique focus on birth injury allows us to provide both knowledge on the complicated medical aspects of these cases and the compassion each family needs for their case.

The attorneys at ABC Law Centers: Birth Injury Lawyers have exclusively handled birth injury cases since the firm’s inception in 1997. Our firm has a network of renowned medical, economic, and forensics experts on our side. Our attorneys have been consistently recognized for their work in birth injury. We are available 24/7 for a free consultation and do not charge any fees for the entire legal process unless we recover compensation to help your family.