louisville birth injury lawyer

Few events are more life-changing than the birth of a child.

Thankfully, the majority of the 50,000 annual births in Kentucky mark the start of a beautiful new chapter for many loving parents. 

However, birth injuries do happen all too often.

And few things are more traumatic and tragic than giving birth to a child who begins life with a serious injury.

If you have just discovered your child has a birth injury, it’s easy to be overwhelmed with guilt and doubt.

What happened? How does the injury affect the child? How did everything go wrong? 

While birth injuries are sometimes “natural,” medical malpractice is regularly the underlying cause or factor.

So if a medical professional has diagnosed your child with a birth injury or condition, consider contacting a birth injury lawyer in Louisville today.

Understanding How Medical Negligence Can Cause Birth Injuries

Birth injuries are more common than most people think. According to the CDC, one in every 33 babies (or about 3%) born in the United States has some kind of birth defect.

Virtually every kind of birth defect, whether genetic, mental, or physical, can be caused or worsened by medical malpractice.

For instance, medical professionals may be negligent in identifying emergency medical threats, like when a child experiences oxygen deprivation due to a kink in the umbilical cord.

Other common medical errors include:

  • Failing to carry out (or botching) genetic tests to identify potential genetic conditions;
  • Prescribing the wrong medication to the mother or failing to prescribe medication when needed;
  • Failing to identify potential pregnancy issues like hypertension and diabetes;
  • Misusing medical equipment, including forceps, extractors, and scalpels; 
  • Poorly communicating with other health providers; 
  • Inducing delivery too early;
  • Delaying on providing an emergency Cesarean section (c-section); and
  • Failing to properly care for the baby after it’s born.

These examples include only a few of the possible medical errors that lead to birth injuries, and to your need to contact a Louisville, KY birth injury lawyer. 

Common Types of Birth Injuries

Just one simple act of negligence or recklessness can devastate a child’s life.

Permanent disfigurement, disability, and premature death are all-too-common outcomes. Here are a few of the most common injuries.

Cerebral Palsy 

Cerebral palsy refers to several situations where a baby’s brain suffers damage or improper development.

Common symptoms of cerebral palsy include poor muscle coordination, improper posture, mental deficits, and impaired movements. There is no cure for cerebral palsy.

This means your child may face a lifetime of serious disability, not to mention emotional and physical trauma.

A nurse or doctor can damage the child’s brain with medical equipment or allow a medical condition to deprive the child’s brain of oxygen. If they do so, that will likely amount to medical malpractice.

Brachial Plexus Injury

The brachial plexus refers to a group of nerves near the base of the neck. These nerves play a vital part in controlling sensations in the shoulders, arms, and upper back.

During delivery, one or both of the child’s shoulders can get stuck on the mother’s pelvic bones. Without immediate proper medical intervention, the brachial plexus can suffer severe damage.

A frequent result is lifelong muscle weakness and paralysis in the hands, arms, and shoulders.

Other birth injuries include spinal cord damage, facial nerve compression, heart damage, and even hemorrhaging in the child’s brain. 

Benefits of Obtaining a Louisville Birth Injury Attorney

It is easy to become overwhelmed with feelings of helplessness after you discover your child’s birth injury. But you have rights.

And hiring an attorney allows you to protect those rights and improve your child’s future. A lawyer can offer you a wide variety of benefits, including the following.

A Lawyer Increases the Chances You Obtain Proper Compensation for the Child

Many kinds of damages are available in medical malpractice cases. However, figuring out which ones apply to your case can be difficult.

An experienced lawyer will be intimately familiar with Kentucky’s laws regarding things like compensatory and punitive damages.

By applying their knowledge and experience to the facts of your case, they can give you a decent idea of what you can expect to recover.

Then, they will work tirelessly to plead your case so that you are more likely to obtain the compensation you deserve. 

A Lawyer Will Advocate for You

After your child’s injury, you will be surrounded by all kinds of medical insurance companies, hospital administrators, and doctors.

None of these parties have any duty to protect you or give you fair compensation for any mistakes that were made. On the contrary, they will do anything they can to leave you high and dry. 

A qualified Louisville birth injury attorney represents you and only you. They will fight for your rights and work to ensure that your interests are protected.

Such an attorney also knows how to negotiate on your behalf during mediation and settlement discussions. 

Let a Dedicated Louisville KY Birth Injury Attorney Help You Fight for Your Rights

We know how medical malpractice can transform your child’s life in an instant.

The effects of medical negligence can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in lost income, rehabilitative treatments, and lifelong medical care. If medical malpractice has inflicted a birth injury on your child, you do not have to simply accept the consequences.

Instead, take action to protect your child’s future. With a quick phone call or email, you can help repair some of the damage caused by medical malpractice. To do that well, you’ll need the right attorney. 

Here at Gerling Law, we strive to be engaged with all our clients. We are not just attorneys. We are compassionate legal representatives who want to bring justice and fairness to our communities.

On top of that, we have decades of experience representing clients and ensuring they get a fair deal. Because of our approach, our clients have great things to say about the firm. And we have obtained some incredible successes for them. 

Unlike some law firms, we never want money to come between our potential clients and us.

Consequently, we offer a free initial consultation. Tell us your story today by calling us or contacting us online. Go with Experience. Go with Gerling.®