Was your baby injured during childbirth because a healthcare provider failed to take appropriate action? Preventable medical errors during labor or delivery can have lasting effects—sometimes altering a child’s entire future while placing enormous strain on the families that love them.
Trying to cope with the trauma associated with birth injuries is never easy, but you don’t have to manage your circumstances in silence. Instead, let a Florida birth injury lawyer take on your case and hold the negligent parties accountable for what they did to your baby.
Birth Injury Lawyers Group has been helping families get justice since 2003, recovering more than $750 million in that time. As your birth injury lawyer in Clearwater, we’ll fight for your family’s right to compensation while you focus on your child’s healing and care.
What Counts as a Birth Injury in Florida?
The term “birth injury” covers a wide range of harm that can happen before, during, or shortly after childbirth. Some conditions are minor and temporary, while others lead to permanent disabilities that require lifelong care.
In legal terms, a birth injury can be considered medical malpractice when the healthcare provider fails to meet the accepted standard of care. This means they acted—or failed to act—in a way another competent medical professional would have acted under similar circumstances.
These are more specific examples of birth-related injuries:
- Oxygen deprivation leading to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) or cerebral palsy
- Shoulder dystocia and Erb’s palsy caused by excessive force during delivery
- Fractures or nerve damage from improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors
- Brain bleeds resulting from trauma during labor or delivery
- Kernicterus, a type of brain damage from untreated jaundice
- Delayed cesarean sections during fetal distress
Each of these injuries carries its own set of medical, emotional, and financial challenges. When a mistake could have been avoided, families have the right to hold medical professionals accountable under Florida law with the help of Clearwater birth injury attorneys.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Where Medical Negligence Often Begins
Negligence can take many forms, and it doesn’t always happen at the point of delivery. Sometimes, the groundwork for a birth injury starts during pregnancy. Florida hospitals and obstetricians alike are expected to recognize high risk factors early. These include—but are not limited to—preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or abnormal fetal growth.
Failing to properly monitor and treat these conditions can lead to serious complications later on. Furthermore, negligence could also occur in the delivery room, and it can take the following forms:
- Misreading or ignoring fetal monitoring strips
- Administering incorrect doses of Pitocin or anesthesia
- Using excessive traction or pressure during delivery
- Failing to perform an emergency C-section when the baby is in distress
Even small lapses in judgment can have lasting consequences. In order to prove that any of these errors took place, your Clearwater birth injury lawyer will need to conduct a detailed review of hospital protocols, patient charts, and witness statements.
Clearwater Birth Injury Lawyer Near Me (800) 222-9529
The Financial Reality of Birth Injuries
Few parents are prepared for the lifetime costs associated with a serious birth injury. Some families in Clearwater find themselves juggling medical bills while also trying to afford physical therapy, special education, and mobility equipment. This can cause a lot of stress over time.
In fact, studies estimate that caring for a child with severe cerebral palsy or brain damage can cost millions of dollars over a lifetime. Here’s what these expenses often include:
- Hospitalizations and surgeries
- Occupational, speech, and physical therapy
- In-home nursing care
- Wheelchairs, lifts, and home modifications
- Medications and assistive technology
- Specialized schooling or educational services
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
How Florida Law Defines and Handles Medical Malpractice
Under Florida Statutes § 766.102, healthcare providers must offer a level of care consistent with what other competent professionals would provide under similar circumstances. When that standard is breached and a patient is injured, it can form the basis of a malpractice claim.
Birth injury cases are considered a very complicated type of malpractice because they often involve multiple defendants, from obstetricians and nurses to anesthesiologists and hospital administrators.
Our Clearwater birth injury lawyers understand the unique challenges of pursuing these claims, especially under Florida’s strict legal standards. Before filing a lawsuit, state laws require families to go through a pre-suit investigation process, which includes these steps:
- A detailed review of the medical records
- An affidavit from a qualified medical expert confirming that negligence likely occurred
- Notification to the healthcare providers being accused
"Our Birth Injury Lawyers have recovered over $750+ Million on behalf of our clients."
Call Our Clearwater Birth Injury Law Firm For Help From Attorneys Who Can Pursue Accountability in Your Case
A preventable birth injury can change everything in an instant—your child’s health, your family’s future, and your sense of trust in the medical system. If negligence played a role in your baby’s injury, you may be eligible to pursue compensation and hold those responsible accountable.
The Clearwater birth injury attorneys at Birth Injury Lawyers Group are here to guide your family through this process with care and determination. We’ll handle every aspect of your case so you can focus on what matters above all: your child’s well-being and recovery. Call us for help.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."