Every year, thousands of newborn babies suffer severe birth injuries as a result of medical malpractice or negligence in the delivery room.  The Birth Injury Lawyers at Gilman Law, LLP have helped countless Florida families obtain compensation for preventable birth injuries, including:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Erb’s Palsy (Brachial Plexus Injuries)
• Facial Paralysis
• Brain Swelling
• Brain Damage
• Skull Fractures
• Hematomas
• Shoulder Dystocia
• Hemorrhages

Because we understand how emotionally, physically, and financially stressful life can be when a baby is injured at birth, you can be assured that the Birth Injury Lawyers at Gilman Law will do everything legally possible to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.  If your child was hurt at birth, our Birth Injury Lawyers may be able to help you obtain compensation to cover the cost of your child’s medical treatment, medications and rehabilitative therapy.  We may also be able to recover damages for loss of enjoyment and lost earning potential on behalf of your baby.  Finally, our Birth Injury Lawyer can assist you in accessing whatever public benefits, including Social Security Disability Insurance, your child might be eligible for.

Birth Injuries and Birth Defects

Each year approximately 27 out of 1,000 live births result in birth injuries.  Birth injuries, such as Erb’s palsy and cerebral palsy, can result in an uncertain future with physical, emotional and financial challenges for the family.  Sadly, many of these tragedies are avoidable, as birth injuries are often the result of medical malpractice or negligence on the part of doctors, midwives, nurses, and other health care professionals.

Common Reasons for Birth Injuries

Our Florida medical negligence attorneys can help families determine if a birth injury was preventable, and if medical negligence or malpractice on the part of a doctor or hospital was responsible for the injury.  Some factors that can contribute to preventable birth injuries include:

• Delaying or failing to perform a needed Cesarean section
• Use of excessive force during the delivery
• Miscalculation in the size of the baby.
• Oxygen deprivation when the umbilical cord is compressed or twisted in the birth process
• Mechanical trauma when the baby assumes an unusual position at the time of birth (buttocks rather than head first, for example) or when the baby is too large to easily pass through the birth canal easily.

Complications can arise when a child gets an infection during delivery or has birth asphyxia (a lack of oxygen during delivery). These complications can be the fault of negligence on the part of the hospital staff, doctors or nurses. Doctors can make mistakes during the pre-natal period, use instruments improperly during delivery, or wait too long to perform a caesarian section. A variety of brain injuries can result from malpractice in the delivery room, including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism, learning disabilities and epilepsy. Orthopedic problems and scarring can also occur. These injuries can lead to a life of pain, frustration, economic hardship and emotional distress.

If you are thinking about pursuing legal action for a birth injury your child sustained as a result of medical malpractice or negligence, you need to be aware that such lawsuits are subject to a Statute of Limitations established by Florida state law. For that reason, it is important to contact one of the experienced Birth Injury Attorneys at Gilman Law as soon as possible so that any important deadlines do not expire and prevent a recovery.

Legal Help for Victims of Birth Injuries

The Ft. Myers, Naples Personal Injury Law Firm of Gilman Law LLP is a full service personal injury and and medical malpractice law firm. Our Ft. Myers Personal Injury Attorneys are committed to helping victims obtain fair compensation for their injuries.  We offer free legal consultations to Florida families whose children have suffered preventable birth injuries.  For your free evaluation of your birth injury case, please contact our Ft. Myers, Naples Birth Injury Attorneys: