Where Can I Find the Best Birth Injury Lawyer in Covington, KY?

Discovering that your precious baby suffers from an avoidable birth injury can be utterly heartbreaking and devastating. A birth injury causes needless suffering and can lead to emotional and financial strain for parents. While compensation cannot make your baby healthy again, it could help secure your child’s future and provide financial stability. 

A settlement could provide medical care and other necessities your child needs to live a comfortable life now and for years to come. If your baby is the victim of medical negligence, our Covington birth injury lawyers could be here for you and would fight tooth and nail for what your child deserves. Start the process of getting justice now and contact us for a free case review.

Finding the Best Birth Injury Lawyer in Covington 

Medical malpractice cases such as birth injury lawsuits can be tough to litigate and require a specific skill set from an attorney. They should have an excellent grasp of the applicable laws and good medical knowledge. Since your birth injury will require expert witness testimony, your attorney needs to be well connected in the medical field. Moreover, when it comes to standing up to medical professionals or a powerful hospital, you need a seasoned and tenacious birth injury lawyer in your corner who is prepared to fight hard for your baby’s rights. 

Knowing where to find the best birth injury lawyer in Covington can be challenging. However, with a little effort and some online research, you should be able to find a great birth injury lawyer near you. 

Ask Friends and Family for Help

A great first step can be turning to friends, family, and coworkers who may be able to recommend a good attorney. Someone you know might have worked with a birth injury lawyer before. 

Online Research

Online research for birth injury lawyers in Covington can be a quick and convenient way to find potential candidates. You could simply search for “birth injury lawyers near me” or use dedicated databases such as Avvo and Martindale Hubbell. 

Meet Your Birth Injury Lawyer Personally 

The final and perhaps most important step when searching for the best birth injury lawyer in Covington is meeting potential attorneys personally. Make sure to take advantage of free first consultations to get to know attorneys, find out about their experience, and determine whether their personality inspires trust and confidence. A successful and personable lawyer will be happy to answer your questions diligently and talk about their experience and track record.

What to Look for in a Birth Injury Attorney 

While birth injury cases fall under personal injury law, you should look for someone specializing in medical malpractice cases rather than a general personal injury attorney. Birth injury litigation involves complicated medical and legal issues, and hiring an expert who has many years of experience in medical malpractice and birth injury cases can be essential.

It is also worth noting that a reputable birth injury lawyer typically will not ask clients for an upfront attorney’s fee. Covington’s best birth injury lawyers work on contingency, meaning that you pay nothing until they resolve your case successfully and you receive compensation. You will not have to pay attorney’s fees if you lose your case. This is also known as a “no-win-no-fee” agreement.

What Is a Birth Injury?

Not all babies are healthy, and some are born with medical issues. However, in legal terms, the condition must have occurred due to a medical mistake or recklessness to have a birth injury case. Typically, a birth injury occurs near the time of birth, during the process of childbirth, labor, or before. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), birth injuries can include a variety of minor and major injuries caused by mechanical forces during birth. 

Minor birth injuries occur relatively frequently and usually do not leave a lasting impact on the baby’s health. However, significant birth injuries can cause permanent disabilities and affect a child physically, cognitively, and emotionally. Birth injuries are largely preventable when medical professionals adhere to standards of care and monitor mother and child during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Some complications, such as oxygen deprivation, need immediate intervention to prevent a permanent injury or death.  If a medical professional acts negligently, resulting in a birth injury, the injured child’s family could have a legal case. 

Common Causes of Birth Injuries in Covington

A difficult birth and birth injury can occur for many reasons, such as the size or position of the baby during labor and delivery. Common factors linked to problematic births include:

• Large babies
• Premature babies
• The size and shape of the mother’s pelvis
• Difficult and prolonged labor
• Abnormal position, such as breech
• Maternal obesity

However, swift medical intervention can prevent birth injuries even in difficult births. Causes of birth injuries due to medical mistakes include:

• Incorrect use of forceps or vacuum extractors 
• Failure to act quickly and decisively during a difficult birth
• Failure to monitor baby and mother before, during, or after birth
• Use of unnecessary force during delivery

Symptoms of Birth Injuries

A birth injury is not always immediately apparent. Some signs and symptoms of a birth injury may not present themselves for weeks or even until a year or two into a child’s life. However, some symptoms could point to a birth injury, such as: 

• Difficulties with suckling or eating
• Bruising and swelling of the head
• Sensitivity to light
• Weak reflexes 
• Weak muscle strength or appearing floppy
• Drooling excessively
• Arching the back when crying
• Low heart rate
• Seizures
• Favoring one side of the body

If you believe that your child may be suffering from a birth injury, seek medical advice as soon as possible and consider speaking with a birth injury lawyer about your legal options.

Examples of Birth Injuries

 There can be many birth injuries, ranging from mild to severe. Some common birth injuries include:

Fractures

Broken bones can occur with a difficult and prolonged delivery, particularly when doctors try to reposition the baby with force. According to Stanford Children’s Health, the collarbone is the most commonly fractured bone during delivery.

Facial Paralysis

Paralysis can occur when facial nerves are damaged during delivery. Too much pressure during birth or the use of forceps can lead to facial paralysis. 

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition affecting the child’s motor skills. Cerebral palsy can develop in pregnancy or occur due to difficult labor, lack of oxygen, and other reasons.  

Oxygen Deprivation

Oxygen deprivation can lead to devastating consequences for the baby and, in the worst cases, lead to irreversible brain damage. Oxygen deprivation can be caused by long labor or failure to monitor a child and mother’s vital signs and take decisive action.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries can occur due to too much pressure on the spinal area or overstretching the baby during delivery. A severe spinal cord birth injury can result in lifelong paralysis. 

Caput Succedaneum

Caput is the swelling of a child’s scalp typically caused by applying too much pressure to the head during birth. The condition usually occurs during a long and difficult labor.

Stillbirth

The most heartbreaking of all birth injuries is a stillbirth when the baby is born lifeless. Reasons for neonatal death can include infections, improper prenatal care, an umbilical cord in the wrong position, and others. 

This list of birth injuries is not exhaustive, and there can be many other injuries caused by negligent professionals that can potentially impact an individual’s entire life. Birth injuries can also be financially devastating for the family of an affected child. The average cost of cerebral palsy during an individual’s lifetime amounts to almost one million dollars, according to Cerebralpalsy.org. If your baby suffered a birth injury, Morgan & Morgan could help you move forward with a lawsuit to pursue compensation.