Florida Birth Injury Lawyer
Our birth injury attorneys have secured millions in birth injury settlements for our clients. Call us today to receive your free case evaluation.
Written and edited by our team of expert legal content writers and reviewed and approved by Daniel Harwin
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Table of Contents
- Common Types of Birth Injury
- Signs and Symptoms Your Child is Dealing With Birth Injuries
- Florida’s Laws Surrounding Birth Injury Lawsuits
- Compensation and Damages Available in Florida Birth Injury Lawsuits
- Process of Filing a Birth Injury Lawsuit in Florida
- Resources for Families Dealing with Birth Injuries in Florida
- Contact FHVG Legal for a Free Birth Injury Case Evaluation
A birth injury is defined as any injury to a child or fetus immediately before, during, or just after the birthing process. Serious birth injuries often come with effects that last a lifetime and can even be fatal. There are many causes and types of injury, but many serious injuries directly result from negligence on behalf of doctors, hospitals, or other care providers. Through commonly used fetal heart monitoring devices, doctors, nurses, and midwives can and should be able to recognize when a baby is in distress and take immediate action.
If you or your child was injured during or immediately after labor and delivery, you may be eligible for compensation from the responsible medical providers. When you work with a Florida birth injury attorney from Freedland Harwin Valori Gander, PL, we can help you navigate your birth injury case. Our legal team has more than 20 years of experience fighting to protect the rights of victims of medical malpractice in Florida.
We are dedicated to going up against large health care companies, major insurance providers, multiple defendants, and prominent doctors to get you the compensation you deserve after a birth injury impacts your family. Call or contact our birth injury lawyers in Florida today to learn more about your legal options and how we can help.
Common Types of Birth Injury
The two most common types of birth injury are hypoxic (lack of oxygen) brain injury and brachial plexus injury.
Hypoxic brain injury is also known as Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). The stresses of labor can often result in a baby not getting enough oxygen during labor and delivery. This can happen when labor is too long, contractions are too strong, contractions are too frequent, or when there is inadequate resting time between contractions. Using Pitocin or Oxytocin to induce or augment labor can cause this situation or worsen it.
The results can be devastating if doctors and nurses don’t take immediate action when the baby is distressed. If the baby’s brain does not get enough oxygen, permanent brain damage can result. Babies with HIE are often transferred for cooling therapy if available in the area. Still, babies with HIE often have severe deficits, including cerebral palsy. Children with cerebral palsy may need a lifetime of full-time care.
Brachial plexus injury is another common birth injury. It results when a baby’s shoulder gets stuck in the birth canal, a condition known as shoulder dystocia. If properly handled, the doctor can usually deliver the baby without injury. If the doctor, nurse, or midwife applies too much force during the delivery, it can cause the nerves to stretch and be permanently injured. A medical mistake can lead to a brachial plexus injury resulting in numbness, weakness, or partial or total loss of use of the arm. Brachial plexus injury is also known as Erb’s Palsy.
Birth injuries can be caused by a medical provider’s action or inaction during the birth. A failure to recognize the signs of fetal distress, or a delay in taking the appropriate actions, is one of the most common ways birth injuries occur. Also, failing to recognize the signs of complications during the pregnancy that warrant delivering the baby via C-section often causes needless brain damage to babies before they are born.
Pediatric malpractice can further contribute to birth injuries, causing long-term health effects for the child.
Other Sources and Causes of Birth Injury
Doctors or nurses may also cause injuries due to the improper use of delivery tools during labor. Using forceps too aggressively or improperly using extraction devices can injure vulnerable babies during delivery. In addition, using an obstetrical device such as a vacuum too many times can cause a traumatic injury to the baby’s head. In some tragic cases, birth injuries might be linked to stillbirth or miscarriage, adding to the emotional and legal complexities families face during childbirth.
Related: Georgia couple seeking justice after baby’s death due to hospital’s negligence
Signs and Symptoms Your Child is Dealing With Birth Injuries
Some signs that your baby may have suffered an injury during birth may not be immediately obvious.
Delayed development, cerebral palsy, shoulder dystocia, a lack of muscle coordination, muscle spasms, and diminished depth perception may take time to become apparent, but such injuries may be the result of birth trauma. These injuries are often severe and may cause your child difficulties throughout life.
Florida’s Laws Surrounding Birth Injury Lawsuits
Florida law provides that an action for medical malpractice resulting in birth injury must be brought within 2 years from the time the incident occurred or should have been discovered with the exercise of due diligence.
In no case may an action be brought more than the later of 4 years or the child’s eighth birthday, even if the incident was not reasonably discovered before that time.
What to Know About NICA and Birth Injury Compensation in Florida
Florida’s NICA (The Florida Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Association) was created by a law in Florida that could potentially prevent you from suing doctors, hospitals, and nurses. In our experience, the amounts paid by the NICA program are a small fraction of what you might recover from a successful birth injury lawsuit and also a fraction of the real cost of properly caring for a disabled child. Even if you signed a NICA waiver, it may be possible for you to bring a lawsuit. We have experience bypassing NICA if the doctor or hospital did not give the appropriate notice under Florida law. Our experienced lawyers at Freedland Harwin Valori Gander, PL can advise you competently on that issue and help you protect your child’s rights.
The attorneys of Freedland Harwin Valori Gander, PL have the knowledge to help you determine whether you have a case and navigate the NICA process. In almost every case, the best advice is to seek professional consultation on a birth injury claim as soon as you suspect a birth injury.
Compensation and Damages Available in Florida Birth Injury Lawsuits
In the aftermath of a birth injury, families often face emotional, physical, and financial challenges that can be overwhelming. Pursuing a birth injury lawsuit in Florida allows families to seek compensation for the damages incurred due to medical negligence during the birthing process. Understanding the types of compensation and damages available is crucial for families navigating this complex legal journey.
Medical Expenses
Birth injuries can lead to extensive medical treatments, surgeries, therapy sessions, and ongoing medical care. Compensation sought in a birth injury lawsuit can cover past, current, and future medical expenses related to the injury, ensuring that the child receives the necessary medical attention and treatments required for their well-being.
Pain and Suffering
The pain and suffering endured by the child and their family due to the birth injury is a significant consideration in these lawsuits. This category of damages seeks to compensate for physical pain, emotional distress, and the overall reduction in the quality of life experienced due to the injury.
Loss of Future Earnings
If a birth injury results in long-term or permanent disabilities, the child may face limitations that impact their ability to pursue certain career paths. Compensation may be sought for the potential loss of future earnings and career opportunities that the child would have otherwise enjoyed if not for the injury.
Emotional Distress
Birth injuries can lead to emotional trauma for both the child and their family. Emotional distress damages aim to compensate for the injury’s psychological toll, including anxiety, depression, and the strain placed on familial relationships.
Additional Expenses
Families often incur various additional expenses due to a birth injury, such as modifications to their home to accommodate the child’s needs, specialized equipment, and ongoing caregiving expenses. Compensation can help offset these costs and ensure the child receives the necessary support and accommodations.
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ALL FIELDS REQUIRED
CASE RESULTS
$24.5 Million
MEDICAL MALPRACTICE
JURY VERDICT
Damages Jury Verdict on behalf of the family of a 34-year-old woman who bled to death during childbirth. With the assistance of top experts, we were able to demonstrate that doctors did not follow proper safety protocols, forcing the defendants to admit liability shortly before trial.
$12.2 Million
PHARMACEUTICAL LIABILITY
SETTLEMENT
A settlement won on behalf of the family of a 47 year old woman whose death resulted from the use of a dangerous pharmaceutical drug. We proved the manufacturer knew of the dangerous side effects & did not provide proper warning.
$10 Million
BIRTH INJURY
SETTLEMENT
A settlement on behalf of a child who suffered a brain injury as a result of oxygen deprivation during birth. Through years of tactical and technical litigation, we were able to prove that the nurses and physicians both failed to intervene and prevent the brain injury.
$1.2 Million
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT
SETTLEMENT
A settlement on behalf of a middle-aged man who was read ended by a waste management truck.
$1.5 Million
NURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE
SETTLEMENT
A settlement on behalf of the family of an elderly man who died as a result of being neglected and uncared for by a nursing home.
TESTIMONIALS
I met Dan when I was in therapy and he came and right away it felt like a family member visiting you, a connection, like a brother. He’s been on both sides of the fence. He’s represented the hospitals and the doctors, and then he jumped over to the other side. It is a fantastic group, it was like Bell Belichick leading the team. They changed my life and still check on me. I recommend FHV to anybody and they thank me.
LARRY
I met Dan about a year ago. He never made me feel that it was about the money. When he spoke with me he was asking how Bill (my brother) was and if he was doing better. He made me feel like family and always asked if I was alright. That means a lot. Everyday is something new and I challenge for my brother. I would recommend [FHV] to everybody because I really believe that they’re helping from their hearts… from a really good place.
BILL
For anyone to represent anyone for 5 years and take the time to do it, not once just “get it out of the way” and “get it done with”. It was about what was best for Hunter and our family. It was about the case and the people.
ASHLEY
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Process of Filing a Birth Injury Lawsuit in Florida
Step 1: Contact an Experienced Birth Injury Attorney
When considering filing a birth injury lawsuit in Florida, the first crucial step is to contact an experienced birth injury attorney. These legal professionals specialize in navigating the complexities of medical malpractice cases, ensuring your rights are protected. During your initial consultation, the attorney will listen to your case details, evaluate the circumstances, and determine the viability of your claim. This initial discussion sets the foundation for the legal process ahead.
Step 2: Medical Background and Record Review
Once you’ve engaged a birth injury attorney, the legal team will initiate a comprehensive review of the medical background and records pertaining to the birth. This step involves obtaining all relevant medical records, including prenatal care, labor and delivery notes, and postnatal assessments. These records are meticulously analyzed to identify any potential negligence, deviations from standard medical practices, or failures to provide adequate care.
Step 3: Expert Witnesses' Role in the Lawsuit
Expert witnesses are pivotal in strengthening a birth injury lawsuit in Florida. These individuals are typically medical professionals with specialized knowledge in obstetrics, neonatology, or relevant medical fields. Expert witnesses provide unbiased assessments of the care provided during the birth process, offering insights into whether the health care providers adhered to acceptable medical standards. Their testimony helps establish a link between medical negligence and the resulting birth injury, bolstering the credibility of your case.
Step 4: Going to Trial or Getting a Settlement Offer
After thorough review and preparation, your birth injury attorney will guide you through the decision of either pursuing a trial or negotiating a settlement offer. If a settlement offer is presented by the defendant—often health care providers or their insurers—the attorney will assess whether the offer adequately compensates you for the damages incurred. If the defendant refuses to offer a fair settlement, your attorney will be prepared to proceed to trial. During the trial, evidence will be presented, including expert witnesses’ testimony, medical records, and other pertinent documentation. Ultimately, the court will render a decision based on the presented evidence.
Filing a birth injury lawsuit in Florida is a multifaceted process that demands the expertise of skilled legal professionals. Through meticulous medical record analysis, expert witness engagement, and sound legal strategy, a birth injury attorney will advocate for your rights and pursue the compensation you deserve for the harm caused by medical negligence. Whether reaching a settlement or going to trial, your birth injury attorney’s dedication ensures your voice is heard and your child’s future well-being is protected.
Resources for Families Dealing with Birth Injuries in Florida
Among numerous online support forums and Facebook (Meta) groups, there are organizations that seek to assist families who are dealing with birth injuries. Visit the sites below for more information.
- March of Dimes – The March of Dimes website offers support, information, and resources for mothers and families, particularly focusing on issues like premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality. Their platform provides locational-based resources to assist individuals in finding the help they need in their area.
- Postpartum Support International (PSI) – Postpartum Support International (PSI) offers a range of assistance resources for postpartum depression and anxiety, special situations, birth defects and loss/grief. The resources include online support meetings, helplines, access to experts, and resources for specific communities.
- Birth Defect Research for Children – Birthdefects.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention of birth defects and disorders of developmental and genetic origin. It provides support resources, education, and research information to families affected by these conditions and professionals in the field.
Contact FHVG Legal for a Free Birth Injury Case Evaluation
Our experienced lawyers at Freedland Harwin Valori Gander, PL, can explain your legal options, provide skilled representation, and help you protect your child’s rights. Our Florida birth injury lawyers have the knowledge to help you determine whether you have a case and navigate the NICA process. In almost every case, the best advice is to seek a professional consult on a birth injury claim as soon as you suspect a birth injury. Contact Freedland Harwin Valori Gander today. All of our consultations are free, anytime – anywhere.