Washington Birth Injury Attorneys
Justice for Children Harmed by Medical Malpractice in Washington
When a child is born, it brings hope and joy to a family. This miraculous event is a cause for celebration.
When an obstetrician or another member of the delivery team is negligent, it can result in death or devastating injuries for the child. Birth injuries such as cerebral palsy can have a huge impact on a child’s development.
Most birth injuries are caused by human error, such as a miscommunication between a nurse and the obstetrician regarding the patient’s condition or the failure of an obstetrician to respond quickly enough to changing circumstances.
There is no acceptable excuse for errors that endanger the health of a child. Doctors, nurses, and hospital administrators are highly trained professionals. Hospitals must have systems in place to eliminate communication errors, and obstetricians have to be prepared for any contingency that may arise.
At Leventhal Puga Braley P.C., we take a special interest in birth injury litigation. Four of our attorneys are members of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group.
If your child was the victim of preventable birth injuries, speak with our Washington birth injury attorneys today by calling (877) 433-3906.
Negligent Behavior Causes Birth Injuries
The most common cause of birth injuries is negligent behavior by doctors, nurses, administrators, or hospital staff. Negligence is defined as failure to act or actions that are below the standard of care.
Negligent actions committed in the delivery become medical malpractice when the harmful behavior deviates from the standards of care in the medical profession. To prove that malpractice has occurred, a Washington medical malpractice attorney must convince a jury that the medical practitioner’s negligent actions would not have been committed by a reasonable professional.
Medical errors that lead to birth injuries include:
- Poor decisions made by an obstetrician
- Misuse of forceps
- Misuse of vacuum extractors
- Failure to perform a necessary C-section
- Waiting too long to perform a C-section
- Lack of communication between nurses, doctors, and staff
- Inadequate screening for risk factors during pregnancy
- Failure to accurately read the baby’s vital signs
- Misdiagnosis or lack of treatment for a maternal infection
- Failure to monitor and react to signs of fetal distress
- Failure to perform proper birthing maneuvers
- Mishandling the infant’s head or neck when removing the child from the birth canal
Types of Birth Injuries
Many types of birth injuries cause lifelong harm. For example, oxygen deprivation and cerebral palsy can drastically impair the child’s physical, intellectual, and psychological development.
Injuries such as brachial plexus and spinal injuries can lead to serious physical disabilities requiring inventions that may include surgery, physical therapy, and a lifetime of dependence on medical devices.
Over the course of a lifetime, the cost of caring for a child with birth injuries can be astronomical.
Additional birth injuries that result from medical negligence include:
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Caput succedaneum
- Cephalohematoma (brain bleeding)
- Nerve damage and facial paralysis
- Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy
- Jaundice and kernicterus
- Impaired vision
- Damaged hearing
- Epidural injury
- Bone fractures
- Shoulder dystocia
- Infant nerve injury
Our Washington Birth Injury Lawyers Are on Your Side
At Leventhal Puga Braley P.C., we’ve devoted a significant portion of our practice to litigating medical malpractice that results in birth injuries. Our award-winning trial attorneys have won record-breaking settlements for clients throughout the country, and we are dedicated to fighting for people who were harmed by the careless actions of others.
There’s a three-year statute of limitations on medical malpractice cases in the State of Washington, so it’s important to get the process started as soon as possible.
We never charge upfront fees at Leventhal Puga Braley P.C., and you won’t owe us anything unless we win your case. Call (877) 433-3906 to learn more today.
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303-759-9945 
877-433-3906