When a family faces the heart-wrenching reality of a birth injury resulting in conditions like cerebral palsy or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), finding the right support for their child becomes their top priority.
At Brown Trial Firm, experienced Las Vegas birth injury attorney Laura Brown stands ready to help families navigate this difficult journey. Specializing in the complexities of Las Vegas birth injury law, Laura offers compassionate, comprehensive legal representation aimed at securing the justice and compensation your family deserves.
With a deep commitment to each family’s unique case, Laura leverages her extensive knowledge and resources to advocate for the best interests of your child, ensuring that you’ll have the financial support you need to focus on their well-being and future.
How do I know if a medical mistake caused my child’s cerebral palsy or HIE?
To determine if a medical mistake caused your child’s cerebral palsy or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), it’s essential to be aware of signs indicating potential medical errors during pregnancy, labor and delivery.
Below are some common red flags parents should look out for:
- Inadequate monitoring. Failure to properly monitor the fetal heart rate and maternal health indicators could suggest negligence. Signs include not responding to fetal distress or not detecting conditions like preeclampsia, infections or excessive bleeding.
- Delayed interventions. Look for delays in performing necessary medical interventions such as cesarean sections (C-sections) when complications arise, indicating a possible lapse in meeting the standard of care.
- Improper use of birth-assisting tools. Excessive or incorrect use of tools like forceps or vacuum extractors, leading to physical trauma for you or your baby, could be a sign of a medical error.
- Poor management of maternal conditions. Inadequate treatment or monitoring of maternal health issues (e.g., gestational diabetes or hypertension) that contribute to risks for the baby could point to medical mistakes.
- Lack of response to reduced fetal movement. If concerns about reduced fetal movement were noted but not adequately addressed, it could indicate a failure in care.
- Documentation discrepancies. Inconsistencies or omissions in medical records regarding the handling of pregnancy and delivery complications may also signal errors.
These signs can help families identify potential medical mistakes. However, proving that these errors directly caused cerebral palsy or HIE requires a detailed medical and legal review by a qualified birth injury attorney.
Fetal intolerance to labor
Understand the signs that may have indicated your baby was under distress during your labor and delivery.
How can a Las Vegas cerebral palsy attorney help determine if my child’s birth injury is medical malpractice?
A Las Vegas cerebral palsy attorney can be instrumental in determining whether your child’s birth injury resulted from medical malpractice by undertaking a comprehensive approach that includes the following:
- Reviewing medical records. An experienced attorney will meticulously review all relevant medical records related to your pregnancy, labor, delivery and the postnatal period. This review helps identify any deviations from standard medical practices or failures to respond appropriately to complications.
- Consulting medical experts. Attorneys typically work with medical experts in fields like obstetrics, neonatology and pediatric neurology to analyze the care you received. These experts can offer critical insights into whether the medical team’s actions or omissions fell below the accepted standard of care and directly contributed to your child’s condition.
- Evaluating the standard of care. By understanding the standard of care expected in similar medical situations, an attorney can pinpoint instances where the care provided was inadequate. This involves comparing your case to accepted medical guidelines and practices for preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions leading to cerebral palsy and HIE.
- Identifying causation. Establishing a direct link between the health care provider’s negligence and your child’s injury is crucial for a medical malpractice claim. A cerebral palsy attorney will work to demonstrate how specific medical errors during pregnancy, labor or delivery caused or significantly contributed to your child’s condition.
- Assessing damages. Besides establishing liability, your attorney will also evaluate the full extent of damages, including medical costs, future care needs, and non-economic damages like pain and suffering, to ensure any potential claim covers the comprehensive impact of the injury on your child’s life.
By leveraging their legal and medical knowledge, a cerebral palsy attorney in Las Vegas can provide a clear assessment of your case, advise you on the feasibility of pursuing a medical negligence claim, and guide you through the complex legal process to seek justice and compensation for your child.
How can a Las Vegas cerebral palsy and HIE attorney improve my chances of a successful birth injury lawsuit?
A Las Vegas cerebral palsy and HIE attorney can significantly improve your chances of success in a birth injury lawsuit through their specialized knowledge, experience and resources. They can meticulously gather and analyze evidence, employ expert witnesses to testify on the intricacies of your case, and articulate the extent of the negligence and its impact on your child’s life.
Furthermore, an experienced attorney understands the strategies employed by defense teams and can effectively counteract them, ensuring your case is presented compellingly. Their negotiation skills can also be pivotal in securing a fair settlement out of court, and if necessary, they are prepared to take your case to trial.
By advocating passionately on your behalf, a birth injury attorney ensures that your rights are protected and works diligently to secure the compensation needed for your child’s ongoing care and quality of life.
What type of compensation can I expect from a cerebral palsy lawsuit?
In a cerebral palsy lawsuit, the compensation awarded aims to address the comprehensive needs of the affected child and their family, reflecting the lifelong impact of the condition. While the exact amount and types of compensation can vary significantly based on the specifics of each case, generally, families may be entitled to the following:
- Rehabilitation costs. Compensation often includes the expenses for ongoing physical, occupational and speech therapy, which are crucial for managing cerebral palsy symptoms and improving quality of life.
- Home and vehicle modifications. To accommodate mobility and accessibility needs, families may need to modify their homes or vehicles. Compensation can include the costs of such modifications.
- Pain and suffering. This non-economic damage compensates for the physical pain and emotional distress experienced by the child and their family due to cerebral palsy.
- Loss of earning capacity. As cerebral palsy can affect an individual’s ability to work in the future, compensation may account for the child’s reduced earning capacity.
- Medical expenses. This covers both past and future medical costs associated with cerebral palsy, including hospital stays, surgeries, medications and any specialized medical equipment or assistive devices needed.
- Special education needs. Children with cerebral palsy may require special education services, therapies and accommodations. Compensation can cover these educational expenses to ensure the child receives the appropriate support.
- Caregiver costs. Some families may require the assistance of full-time caregivers. Compensation can include the cost of hiring caregivers to help manage the child’s daily needs.
With the help of a birth injury attorney, families can develop a comprehensive life care plan that outlines all the future costs associated with managing cerebral palsy over the individual’s lifetime to ensure families get the full compensation they need to care for their child.
Cerebral palsy resources for Las Vegas families
Nevada Early Intervention Services
Nevada Early Intervention Services offers programs for infants and toddlers aged birth to three years with disabilities or developmental delays. Services are family-centered and designed to promote development in key areas such as cognitive, physical, and social-emotional growth.
- Address: 1161 S Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
- Phone: (702) 486-7670
Easter Seals
Easter Seals provides services, therapies, and support for children and adults with disabilities, including cerebral palsy. Their programs aim to empower individuals to achieve their personal goals and live full, satisfying lives.
- Address: 6200 W Oakey Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89146
- Phone: (702) 870-7050
Get help from an experienced Las Vegas birth injury attorney
If you’re grappling with questions of whether or not your child’s cerebral palsy, HIE or any birth injury resulted from medical negligence in Las Vegas, reaching out for professional legal support is a vital step.
At Brown Trial Firm, knowledgeable Las Vegas birth injury attorney Laura Brown offers families free consultations where she listens to their stories, addresses all their concerns, and provides an accurate assessment of the legalities of their case.
Understanding the path to justice may feel overwhelming, but your family doesn’t have to face it alone. Laura brings not only her legal expertise but also a deep commitment to supporting families through these challenging times. She’s here to help you understand your legal options and guide you toward the best possible outcome for your child and family.
Get started today by scheduling your free consultation.
