The birth of a child should be a joyous occasion, but for some families in Georgia, it can become a tragedy when they learn their newborn has suffered brain damage. It can leave them scrambling for answers about what happened. A Georgia brain damage lawyer can find them for you.
The Birth Injury Lawyers Group is here to support you and fight for your family’s rights. Brain damage in newborns can have devastating, lifelong consequences. If you suspect that a medical error caused your child’s brain damage, you may be entitled to compensation to help cover the costs of care and support for your baby.
Our team of experienced Georgia birth injury lawyers is committed to helping families like yours get the justice and financial support they need. Call us now to learn how we can help you and your baby move forward through a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Understanding Brain Damage in Newborns
Brain damage in newborns can occur due to various factors, including:
- Oxygen deprivation (hypoxia or anoxia)
- Physical trauma during birth
- Infections
- Maternal health issues
- Premature birth
These factors can lead to different types of brain damage, such as:
- Cerebral palsy: A group of disorders affecting movement and muscle tone
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): Brain damage caused by lack of oxygen and blood flow
- Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL): Damage to the brain’s white matter
If your baby’s brain damage was caused by malpractice, then our birth injury lawyers can help you get compensation. You can get answers about what happened to your baby with our help.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Proving Medical Negligence in Infant Brain Damage Cases
Establishing medical negligence in a brain damage case requires a thorough understanding of medical and legal standards. Winning a medical malpractice claim requires our lawyers to prove four things:
- Establishing the standard of care: We demonstrate what a competent medical professional should have done in the same situation.
- Showing a breach of duty: We prove that the healthcare provider failed to meet this standard of care.
- Proving causation: We establish a direct link between the medical negligence and your child’s brain damage.
- Documenting damages: We carefully document all the ways in which your child and family have been affected by the injury.
If our Georgia brain damage lawyers suspect your child’s injury was caused by brain damage, we will work with our medical experts to see if they agree. If they do, then we can proceed with a case against your healthcare providers.
Georgia Brain Damage Lawyer Near Me 1-800-222-9529
Signs and Symptoms of Neonatal Brain Injuries
Recognizing the signs of brain damage in your newborn early is key to helping your child get medical attention as soon as possible. Early intervention is the best way to reduce the damage. Be aware of these potential indicators:
- Seizures: Your baby may experience sudden, uncontrolled movements or twitching.
- Lethargy: Your newborn might be unusually sleepy or difficult to wake.
- Feeding difficulties: You may notice your baby has trouble sucking or swallowing.
- Abnormal eye movements: Look for rapid eye movements or a fixed gaze.
- Changes in muscle tone: Your baby may seem unusually stiff or floppy.
- Developmental delays: As your child grows, you might notice delays in reaching important milestones.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
Types of Compensation Available for Brain Damage Victims
The compensation your family may need for a newborn brain damage case can be substantial, given the potential for long-term care requirements. Here are some common damages in brain damage cases:
- Medical expenses: This includes current and future costs for treatments, therapies, and medications.
- Specialized equipment: Your child may need adaptive devices or home modifications.
- Educational support: Special education services may be necessary as your child grows.
- Lost wages: If you need to reduce work hours or leave your job to care for your child, this loss should be compensated.
- Pain and suffering: The emotional toll on your family is also considered.
- Life care costs: This covers the lifelong care your child may need.
- Loss of quality of life: Compensation for the impact on your child’s ability to enjoy life fully.
The costs of your child’s injury may be far more than you think. Never accept a settlement for a malpractice claim without first speaking with a lawyer. Our Georgia brain damage lawyers will fight to ensure your compensation will cover your child’s care needs far into the future.
"Our Birth Injury Lawyers have recovered over $750+ Million on behalf of our clients."
Georgia’s Statute of Limitations for Brain Damage Cases
The statute of limitations sets a deadline for filing a lawsuit, and failing to meet this deadline can result in losing your right to seek compensation. In Georgia, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases, including those involving birth injuries, is generally two years from the date of injury.
However, there are important exceptions and considerations for cases involving minors:
- Tolling for minors: For children under the age of seven, the statute of limitations is tolled (paused) until their seventh birthday. This means that for brain damage cases in newborns, you typically have until your child’s ninth birthday to file a lawsuit.
- Foreign object exception: If the injury was caused by a foreign object left in the body, you have one year from the date the object is discovered to file a claim, regardless of how much time has passed since the original procedure.
- Fraud or concealment: If the healthcare provider fraudulently concealed the malpractice, the statute of limitations may be extended.
Building a strong case for medical negligence takes time. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you consult with a Georgia brain damage lawyer as soon as possible after you suspect that your child has suffered a birth injury.
Contact Our Georgia Brain Damage Lawyers Today
If your family is grappling with the costs of caring for your baby’s brain damage, our firm can help. If malpractice was the cause of your child’s injury, we can help you claim compensation through a lawsuit.
Contact our brain damage attorneys in Georgia today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll listen to your story, answer your questions, and help you understand your legal options. Our firm works on contingency, so you will pay no lawyer fees unless you win your case with our help.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."