Birth injuries can cause lifelong conditions. If your child was harmed due to medical negligence, our Bridgewater cerebral palsy lawyers can help you hold at-fault parties accountable.
At O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble, we’ve served tens of thousands of clients with the dedication and respectful legal representation they deserve. Our Bridgewater birth injury lawyersare here to help with your case, too.
Reach out today to schedule a free consultation with our legal team.
How Can a Birth Injury Cause Cerebral Palsy?
Either physical trauma or a lack of oxygen during the labor and delivery process can cause damage to the part of a baby’s brain that handles movement and muscle tone. When these areas are damaged, the baby can develop cerebral palsy.
There are a variety of birth injuries or acts of medical negligence that can ultimately cause cerebral palsy. These include:
- Failing to monitor fetal distress signals or failing to act quickly when fetal distress is detected.
- Physical trauma caused by misuse of medical tools or over-exerting force.
- Failure to treat infections.
- Delayed emergency c-sections.
If your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after a birth injury, our Bridgewater medical malpractice lawyers can evaluate whether you have a valid claim for compensation.
What Compensation Can Be Recovered in Bridgewater Cerebral Palsy Cases?
Cerebral palsy can have lifelong effects for your child. They may have limited mobility, pain from stiff muscles, balance or coordination problems, and other impairments. These effects may mean they need lifelong medical care or physical therapy, have trouble working, or even need long-term facility-based care and assistance.
Your Bridgewater cerebral palsy attorney will seek compensation that accounts for the full scope of your losses. This can include compensation for:
Economic Losses
These include the financial losses you’ve already experienced, as well as ones you’re expected to face in the future. These can include:
- Medical expenses: Diagnostic tests, medications, doctor and medical specialist appointments.
- Therapy needs: For example, ongoing rehabilitative therapy.
- Assistance and care: For example, in-home nursing care or facility-based care (such as assisted living).
- Loss of future earning capacity: If your child will be unable to work as an adult or will only be able to work in a limited capacity.
- Loss of income: If one parent becomes a full-time caregiver.
- Assistive devices and modifications: Such as wheelchairs or other mobility devices, communication devices, and home or vehicle modifications to increase accessibility.
Non-Economic Losses
These are the more personal losses that your child faces. They can include:
- Emotional distress.
- Loss of enjoyment.
- Reduced quality of life.
- Pain and suffering.
How Our Cerebral Palsy Attorneys in Bridgewater Can Help You
In addition to seeking fair compensation for your losses, we will handle every aspect of your legal case. This can give you peace of mind in the process and time to focus on your child. We will:
- Investigate to determine all liable parties, so we can fight for the maximum compensation for your case.
- File all necessary paperwork, ensuring accuracy and timely filing.
- Handle all communication and negotiation with the other parties involved.
- Represent your case in court when necessary.
You can read more about the compensation we’ve recovered for clients on our verdicts & settlements page. Our goal is not only to recover compensation, but also to ensure you feel supported throughout the legal process.
Affording a Birth Injury Lawyer in Bridgewater
Our attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. What does this mean? Essentially, it means you don’t pay any upfront costs. Instead, our fees are taken as a percentage of your final settlement.
What happens if we are unable to recover compensation for you? You won’t owe us anything.
Who Is At Fault in Cerebral Palsy Cases?
Fault is assigned when a party (or parties) acts negligently and it leads to harm. In birth injury cases, fault can lie with:
- Doctors or midwives: If they didn’t follow standards of medical care or failed to act promptly.
- Nursing staff: If they weren’t properly monitoring fetal or maternal health or failed to act quickly when they noticed signs of distress.
- Hospitals: When poor training or hiring standards contributed to the injury.
Determining who is at fault and proving that medical malpractice occurred requires a thorough investigation.
How Do Our Lawyers Investigate Birth Injuries?
Your lawyer may investigate by interviewing witnesses, consulting with experts, and gathering evidence. Helpful evidence can include:
- Eyewitness statements.
- Medical records.
- Fetal monitoring strips.
- Nurse notes and records.
- Staffing records.
- Diagnostic testing.
- Expert testimony, such as from a medical specialist who can explain what the standards of care should have been.
Your lawyer will build a case for fair compensation based on their investigation and the evidence they find.
Is There a Deadline for a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit in Bridgewater?
In New Jersey, birth injury medical malpractice claims must generally be filed before the child’s 13th birthday. However, in cases involving government hospitals, the deadline could be much shorter.
Regardless, it’s important to get started on your case as soon as possible, as crucial evidence may be much easier to find shortly after the injury occurs.
Contact Our Cerebral Palsy Lawyers in Bridgewater Today
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you believe it may be due to medical malpractice, our legal team at O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble is here to help. We will handle every step of your case and ensure your questions are answered throughout.
Read our testimonials to learn more about how we’ve helped families like yours. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation. We will listen to your story and explain the legal options available to your family.