For many parents, contacting an attorney who specializes in medical malpractice and birth injuries is among the last things on their minds after a difficult delivery. Months afterward, the ability to focus on a lawsuit can be incredibly difficult while still learning how to provide care for their newborn’s special needs.
In this entry, we’ll talk about why taking the time to contact a birth injury and medical malpractice lawyer soon is a crucial step in getting the ball rolling so that your child has the necessary care and treatment.
What can a medical malpractice attorney do for me?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 29 of every 1,000 infants in the U.S. experience some form of birth injury. While some birth injuries happen for unknown reasons, others are triggered by mistakes made by medical personnel in the delivery room.
A medical malpractice lawyer who specializes in birth injuries can help you find the truth behind your child’s injury.
To do that, the lawyer will complete an intense investigation that will include:
- Examining all medical records of your child, including the pregnancy, labor, delivery and the postpartum
- Consulting with independent medical experts (neonatologists, nurses, neurologists, life-care planners, etc.)
- Identifying and establishing the cause and time of the birth injury
When should I contact a medical malpractice attorney about my child’s birth injury?
There’s no doubt about it: if your child experienced a birth injury, time is of the essence. That’s because there are deadlines in place for filing birth injury cases.
Specifically, there are two types of deadlines: notice requirements and statutes of limitations.
- Notice requirements are required when one of the medical providers shown to be negligent is a government entity, such as a government-owned hospital. Some notice requirements must be filed within 180 days following the injury.
- Statutes of limitations, which differ from state to state, outline exactly how long you have to file a lawsuit. While most require that a suit be filed within two or three years after the injury, some only have a one-year window.
If Your Child Experienced a Birth Injury, Call The Fitzgerald Law Firm
Gathering and examining the necessary information about your child’s birth injury case takes time. That’s why contacting us as soon as you can is so important.
Although our offices are in New York, we’ve secured compensation for families throughout the country, and can do the same for you.
The first consultation is always free, so call The Fitzgerald Law Firm at 800-323-9900.