Catonsville Birth Injury Attorney

You spent over nine months anxiously preparing for your baby to arrive. You’ve already put an abundance of love into your child even before the baby is born. You’ve changed your entire lifestyle for your child. Babies are fragile and you want your doctor to be as careful and protective of your baby as you are.

Unfortunately, negligent doctors and medical malpractice can cause your child to have mild to severe, long- or short-term injuries. You deserve the most effective care for your child during and after birth. Our team of Catonsville birth injury attorneys is eager to fight for this right.

Our team of Catonsville birth injury lawyers is passionate about your right to competent and attentive care. Collectively, we have over 137 years of experience. We know the best practices for negotiating with healthcare attorneys and will fight your case in court with tenacity. Our team is meticulous with evidence, compassionate about our cases, and will ensure that legal proceedings go as smoothly as possible. It’s important to us that your voice is heard.

Get in touch with a birth injury lawyer serving Catonsville, (410) 698-1717 for a free case evaluation.

Restoring Lives and Justice for People in Catonsville

The consequences of medical malpractice can cause you and your family immense emotional pain. Treatment for these injuries can also be costly. Medical malpractice can be life-altering for you and your child. Depending on the type of injuries your child has endured, you may be entitled to legal compensation.

Common Types of Birth Injuries

Many different variables can cause complications in the birthing process. However, a doctor should be attentive to these potential complications and the hospitals should have procedures put in place. A birth injury is an impairment of your baby’s bodily functions that occurred during the birth. From Merck Manual, some birthing complications include:

• A weight estimated over 11 lbs. (10 lbs. if the mother has diabetes)
• The fetus lying in an abnormal position
• A head larger than average for an infant
• Low birth weight and prematurity
• Not enough amniotic fluid around the fetus

Maternal complications may include:

Birth Asphyxia

A StatPearls report describes birth asphyxia as a decrease of blood flow or oxygen to vital organs in the infant or fetus. Depending on the severity, birth asphyxia can affect the muscle, liver, heart, and brain. In severe cases, birth asphyxia can cause brain damage and other long-term diseases such as retardation and epilepsy. Even mild cases can cause mental health disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), schizophrenia, and other functional psychotic syndromes.

Cerebral and Erb’s Palsy

Both cerebral and Erb’s palsy involve paralysis which affects muscle usage and movement. Erb’s palsy is a more common childbirth defect as cerebral palsy can occur any time before, during, or a year after the birth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines cerebral palsy as a dysfunction caused by abnormal brain development.

Unlike cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy is caused by an injury of the nerves that contribute to upper body movement, paralyzing an infant’s arms. Often this occurs because a doctor has poor technique during a difficult delivery. In most cases, Erb’s palsy either goes away on its own or is corrected with surgery. Cerebral palsy on the other hand can have more permanent long-term effects.

Spinal Injuries

While spinal injuries are rare, they often can’t be treated. This usually occurs when a baby is overstretched during delivery. Spinal injuries cause paralysis from the place of the injury downward. A spinal injury could be fatal if it starts in the high neck causing respiratory collapse.

When Is a Physician Responsible for Birth Injuries?

There may be medical malpractice if your physician or healthcare professional did any of the following actions during your child’s birth: 

• When medical tools, such as forceps or vacuum extractors, are used incorrectly, causing your baby harm.
• When your current or past medical history indicated that the physician should’ve performed a cesarean delivery and the resulting natural birth caused harm to you or your child.
• The doctor wasn’t fully attentive during the delivery and didn’t use their resources to the best of their abilities to deliver a healthy baby.

Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a with a birth injury lawyer serving Catonsville.

Can I Sue a Hospital for My Infant’s Birth Injury?

You can sue a hospital for birth injuries when a physician employed by the hospital negligently gives care that causes the infant’s injury.

 To make a successful claim you or your attorney must prove that:

• The physician was supposed to provide you with medical care or treatment
• The physician breached their responsibility to provide you treatment by not abiding by the standards of medical professionalism
• The physician’s breach of duty lead to the injury of your infant
• Your child’s injuries resulted in both economical and noneconomical damages 

Every doctor has a duty to their patients in deciding what medical issues they can care for, deciding what treatment is best for them, and responsibly administering that treatment.

Medical Malpractice in Catonsville

When you sue for medical malpractice in Catonsville, you or your Catonsville birth injury attorney must file the lawsuit within the earlier of five years from when the injury occurred or three years from the discovery of the injury (Maryland Courts & Judicial Proceedings Code section 5-109).  

Hiring Brown & Barron for Birthing Injuries

Our track record speaks for itself with our collective cases resulting in multi-million-dollar settlements. Our attorneys can help reduce tedious paperwork, gather crucial evidence, and effectively communicate your case to an arbiter, judge, or jury. Our team is well versed in Maryland law and medical malpractice. They know how to tell your story with empathy, compassion, and irrefutable facts.

 If you have suffered from negligent medical care, receive a free consultation with Brown & Barron, and we’ll help you decide if you have a case.