Where Can I Find Birth Injury Lawyers in Big Pine Key, Florida?

A birth injury is every parent’s worst nightmare. However, if medical negligence or recklessness caused your baby’s injury, you could hold a hospital or doctor to account. You could qualify for damages such as medical bills, future healthcare expenses, loss of income, and others. While nothing can bring back your baby’s health or lessen the pain of seeing your child suffer, receiving fair compensation can secure your baby’s future. 

Finding a dedicated birth injury lawyer in Big Pine Key, FL, can be crucial for your case. Morgan & Morgan’s lawyers are standing by and ready to review your child’s injury. If you have a claim against a hospital or medical professional, our experienced attorneys can fight tooth and nail for what you deserve. Contact us now for a free consultation to find out more.

Common Birth Injuries

Birth injuries can range from mild conditions that clear up on their own to severely disabling injuries. A life-changing birth injury could prevent a child from living an independent life as an adult. According to Stanford Children’s Health, some of the most common birth injuries include:

Brachial Palsy

Brachial palsy (also called Erb’s palsy) is a relatively common birth injury affecting the nerves of the neck that provide movement to arms and hands. Therefore, this injury can cause loss of motion and arm weakness. Brachial palsy can occur during difficult or long labor when a baby’s neck is stretched to the side. While brachial palsy is generally reversible and movement returns within a few weeks or months, nerves can be permanently damaged in severe cases. Surgery may be required to improve function. 

Fractures

Fractures can occur in long and complicated deliveries, for example, when a doctor needs to reposition the baby before birth. A typical fracture injury during childbirth is that of the clavicle or collarbone. However, in some forceps-assisted deliveries, infants can suffer a potentially severe skull fracture.  

Caput Succedaneum 

Caput succedaneum is swelling of the tissues of the infant’s scalp and commonly occurs in complex and prolonged deliveries or those with vacuum extraction. Caput tends to heal on its own. However, there can be complications in some cases, such as alopecia, infection, and jaundice.

Paralysis of the Face

The pressure exerted on an infant’s face during a long or difficult labor and birth can injure the facial nerve. The injury usually becomes apparent when the baby cries and only one side of the face moves. Mild cases of facial paralysis can heal by themselves in a few weeks. However, surgery may be required for a torn nerve. 

Serious Birth Injuries

While some of the less severe birth injuries may not have any consequences on a child’s development and future life, severe birth injuries can be devastating. Children may require costly around-the-clock care. Birth injuries with long-term effects can include:

Lack of Oxygen

Complications during birth can lead to a baby lacking oxygen with potentially devastating consequences such as disability, irreversible brain damage, and even death. A lack of oxygen at birth could also lead to the following conditions:

• Cerebral palsy
• Autism
• ADHD/ADD
• Epilepsy and seizures
• Behavioral disorders
• Blindness

Causes of oxygen deprivation include umbilical cord problems, pre-eclampsia, difficult labor, and others. Oxygen deprivation can also occur due to a doctor’s negligence, such as failing to monitor the mother and baby adequately.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy can occur due to a lack of oxygen during labor and delivery or an injury to the baby’s head. The condition can severely reduce a child’s ability to move and maintain posture. 

Spinal Cord Injury

While spinal cord injuries in newborns are rare, they can occur due to birth trauma or overstretching the baby during a challenging delivery. Spinal cord injuries in babies usually have a catastrophic outcome and can lead to:

• Difficulty breathing
• Lack of movement
• Loss of reflexes
• Paralysis of the limbs
• Death

There can be many other serious birth injuries that could be caused by negligent medical professionals. The cost of a severe and lifelong birth injury such as cerebral palsy or a spinal cord injury can be astronomical and cause severe financial hardship for a family. According to cerebralpalsy.org, the lifetime cost of cerebral palsy can amount to one million dollars. 

If your baby was injured at birth, Morgan & Morgan is on your side. Our experienced medical malpractice attorneys can assess your case, determine your legal options, and move forward with a legal claim. 

Causes of Birth Injuries in Big Pine Key

The Keys are a stunning place to live and work. However, starting a family can have its challenges due to the limited options for birth and delivery care in the island chain. Out of three hospitals in the Keys, only one has a labor and delivery unit. If you live in Big Pine Key, you can either go to Key West or drive the long distance to visit specialists in Miami. Not having easy access to maternity services can make for stressful labor and delivery.

However, all pregnancies and births carry some risks, and injuries can potentially occur for many reasons, such as:

• The size and position of the baby
• Premature birth
• A prolonged and difficult labor
• Maternal obesity and pre-existing conditions

When a problematic birth is expected, the health of mother and child can depend on split-second decisions by doctors and nurses. In some cases, negligence or recklessness of a medical professional may be responsible for a baby’s injury. A doctor may be liable for a child’s injury if they:

• Delayed a C-section or other necessary medical procedures
• Used excessive force during delivery
• Improperly monitored mother and baby before, during, and after delivery
• Administered the wrong medication or wrong dosage
• Improperly used assistive devices such as forceps or vacuum extractors

While childbirth is not risk-free, responsible medical intervention can prevent birth injuries in many cases. Moreover, every mother going into labor has the right to expect that doctors and nurses act according to the medical standard. If you think a doctor or other medical professional caused your baby’s birth injury, our lawyers could help. 

Compensation for Birth Injuries

The amount of compensation families could receive depends on several factors, including the severity of the birth injury and the expected lifetime needs of the child. The costs of a significant birth injury can be astronomical. Receiving adequate compensation can be critical for your child’s future medical needs and your financial stability as a family. Damages you could pursue with a lawsuit include: 

Medical and Disability Expenses

Depending on the nature of your child’s birth injury, your past, current, and future medical costs can be steep. You could be entitled to the following and other damages: 

• Surgeries and hospital stays
• Specialist appointments
• Physical therapy
• Medical devices and accessories
• Medications
• Medical transport costs
• Adjustments to your home and vehicle
• A home health aide
• Long-term care costs

Education Costs

Children with significant birth injuries and disabilities will have additional educational needs and require extra support with learning. You could receive compensation for special education, speech therapy, and other requirements.  

Lost Wages

Parents of a child with a birth injury may miss work time due to caring for their child, trips to the doctor, and other necessary activities. You could be entitled to any loss of income and future income due to caring for your injured child. 

Finding Birth Injury Lawyers in Big Pine Key, FL 

Birth injury lawsuits can be complex, lengthy, and expensive to litigate. Therefore, you will need an experienced attorney with a specific skill set. They should have legal and medical knowledge, adequate resources, and a successful track record of litigating medical malpractice claims. Moreover, your attorney should be well-connected in the medical field as proving your case may require testimony from several expert witnesses. Steps you can take to find a great birth injury lawyer in Big Pine Key can include: 

Ask Friends and Family for Referrals

Friends and family members may be able to recommend an attorney. You could also ask attorneys you have worked with whether they know of a great birth injury lawyer in the Florida Keys. 

Research Attorneys Online

Online research for birth injury lawyers in Big Pine Key can be quick and easy. You can search for lawyers on dedicated databases such as Avvo and Martindale Hubbell or ask the Monroe County Bar Association for help with finding a great local attorney. 

Contact Morgan & Morgan

Morgan & Morgan is here for your family. We understand parents’ struggle to provide for an injured child and pay for medical care, physical therapy, special schooling, and other needs. We never settle for less and try more cases than other law firms because we want to give our clients the best shot at getting maximum compensation. 

We have attorneys near you that focus on nothing but birth injuries and have the resources to stand up to insurance companies, fighting them in court if necessary. You don’t pay a dime unless we recover compensation for you. The time to file a lawsuit may be limited, so contact us today for free legal advice.