For every 1,000 babies born every day at least 27 are
victims of birth trauma. Birth injuries occur more often than most people
believe and sometimes the injuries occur because of the negligence of
doctors, nurses or the hospital. Mothers have a deep respect for the
doctor and nurses who helped bring their baby into the world. Because of
this a very sad and tragic result is that often the mother blames herself
for the birth injury. She just cannot perceive the doctor might be
negligent. Most doctors, nurses and hospitals are excellent but when
malpractice is involved in a birth injury the baby and parents must be
adequately compensated. And beyond compensation, it is important that
responsibility be appropriately assigned so the mother does not suffer
needless emotional stress. Common birth injuries are cerebral palsy,
temporary paralysis, brain damage, a fractured collar bone, seizure
disorders, and specific disorders such as Erb's Palsy, Klumpke's Palsy,
and Brachial Plexus Palsy. Other common birth injuries include: bruising
and forceps marks; damage to the iris of one or both eyes; swelling of the
baby's scalp, usually because of vacuum extraction; bleeding within a
bone; damage to the baby's facial nerves; fractured bones, often during
breech delivery; brain injury, including seizure disorders and mental
impairment. As an attorney and registered nurse with experience in the
medical field I have a special interest in birth trauma. My nursing
background offers real advantages because I understand the law, understand
medicine, and understand how the law has affected the medical profession.
When a doctor or nurse fails a patient, it's important to key in on the
issues quickly for the benefit of her client.Medical error does cause
birth injuries or can increase their severity or permanence. Medical
errors include: failing to anticipate birth complications, such as a
twisted umbilical cord; failure to respond appropriately to bleeding;
failure to respond to fetal distress; delay in ordering a cesarean section
when medically necessary; misuse of forceps or a vacuum extractor during
delivery; or poor care after the birth. Birth trauma is an injury to the
child during the delivery and a number of problems can occur during the
birth of a child. If the doctor or nurse fails to respond quickly, the
child can suffer permanent brain injury, Cerebral Palsy, nerve injury or
even death. With a thorough evaluation of your labor and delivery, our
trained experts can pinpoint exactly when and if the birth or brain injury
was due to negligence. Then our birth injury attorneys can move forward
and come up with a settlement that is fair based on the extent of your
child's injury and the emotional damage. Although we can't take away the
pain that your child's birth injury caused, we can help relieve your
financial burden. Statutes of limitation limit the length of time you have
to file a lawsuit. In the state of Michigan, depending on the nature of
your case, the time limits may be from one to 15 years after the incident.
Failure to file a lawsuit within that time period may result in justice
forever being denied. Anyone who believes their baby is a victim of birth
trauma because of negligence should let Cochran, Foley & Associates fight
for their rights by calling 800-322-5543 and asking for Terry Cochran or
Lynn Foley or visiting www.cochranfoley.com.Cochran and Foley will provide
a free consultation, either on the telephone, over the Internet, in person
and sometimes at your home or in the hospital room. The client will be
charged a contingency fee which means that the attorney will only be paid
a fee if a recovery is made. The Law Offices of Cochran, Foley &
Associates, P.C. is dedicated to representing individuals and families who
have suffered catastrophic losses as a result of injuries, disabilities
and death. The firm does not represent insurance companies or corporations
but instead bases its practice upon representing individuals and families.
In 2006 Cochran, Foley won a medical malpractice verdict in the amount of
$15.8 Million for a client whose son had Cerebral Palsey as a result of an
error during the final stages of labor. Click here to read more:
http://www.cochranfoley.com/cerbral_palsey_settlement.html