Giving birth is very difficult, but it is also one of the happiest times in a family’s life. In West Palm Beach, the vast majority of live births are successful. However, labor and delivery rooms are fast-moving environments and the health of a woman or child can suddenly be put in jeopardy. Everyone on the medical team has a legal obligation to react quickly and appropriately, and to provide the highest standard of care to the mother and infant. When they do not provide this standard of care and either the mother or child becomes hurt, they can be held liable for their actions or inactions.
Birth injuries are considered a type of medical malpractice, and they are some of the most complex personal injury claims to file. To ensure your family receives the full compensation you rightfully deserve, speak to a West Palm Beach birth injury lawyer first.
What are Common Birth Injuries?
A birth injury occurs when doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals are negligent and their carelessness results in injuries to the mother or child. For example, a mother may suffer from excessive blood loss or an infant may not receive enough oxygen because their vital signs were not monitored properly. Some of the most common birth injuries are as follows:
- Brachial plexus injuries
- Hypoxia
- Multiple broken bones
- Cerebral palsy
- Shoulder dystocia
- Injuries caused by Cesarean birth
- Erb’s palsy
- Maternal or infant infections
The above are just a few types of birth injuries and when they occur, parents can file a medical malpractice claim to recover financial compensation for their injuries.
Trust Our Experts to Seek Justice for Birth Injuries!
The Statute of Limitations on Birth Injury Claims in West Palm Beach
Birth injury claims are unique from other types of personal injury claims in West Palm Beach. After a car accident, slip and fall, or other type of accident, individuals typically have four years to file a claim. This is known as the statute of limitations in personal injury cases.
However, birth injury claims are medical malpractice cases and they have a much shorter statute of limitations. In West Palm Beach, you have only two years to file a claim after suffering a birth injury. In rare cases, that time limit can be extended to four years if the injury was not discovered right away. Still, the statute of limitations in medical malpractice cases can never be extended past the four-year mark unless there are allegations of fraud or concealment.
It is vital that you file your claim before the statute of limitations expires. If you do not, you will likely forfeit your legal right to claim any compensation at all.
Need Help with Your Claim? Call Our Birth Injury Lawyer in West Palm Beach
If you or your child has been the victim of medical negligence and are now suffering from serious injuries, our West Palm Beach birth injury lawyer can help. At Freidin Brown, P.A., our skilled attorney knows how to prove medical negligence by presenting evidence that will strengthen your case so you claim the full damages you are entitled to. Call us now or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
