When something goes wrong during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, it can be difficult to know whether it was an unavoidable complication or whether the medical care played a part. A birth injury lawyer in Athens can review what happened and help you understand whether there may be grounds for a claim.
At Birth Injury Lawyers Group, we work with families dealing with serious birth-related injuries. Our Georgia birth injury lawyers can review the care provided before, during, and immediately after delivery.
The firm was founded in 2003 after Robert Goldwater’s own family experienced serious complications following the premature birth of his triplets. Their conditions were not caused by malpractice, but the experience led him to create a resource for other families looking for answers.
How a Birth Injury Lawyer in Athens Can Help
The first step is usually finding out what happened medically. We can obtain and review the records from the pregnancy and delivery and compare them with what you were told at the time.
Depending on the circumstances, the records may include fetal heart rate tracings, nursing notes, medication records, delivery notes, imaging, and neonatal or NICU records.
Birth Injury Lawyers Group can also arrange for the medical care to be reviewed by qualified professionals when an opinion about the standard of care or cause of the injury is needed.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
When Can a Birth Injury Lead to a Malpractice Claim?
A difficult delivery or serious diagnosis does not automatically mean someone was negligent. Complications can occur even when doctors and nurses provide appropriate care.
A malpractice claim generally requires evidence that a healthcare provider failed to meet the applicable standard of care and that this failure caused or contributed to an injury.
The important question is therefore not simply whether something went wrong. Birth Injury Lawyers Group looks at what happened, what the medical team knew at the time, and whether different care should reasonably have been provided.
Athens Birth Injury Lawyer Near Me (800) 222-9529
What Medical Records Can Matter?
The delivery record can contain information that is difficult to piece together from memory alone. Fetal monitoring records may show changes in the baby’s heart rate, while nursing and physician notes can help establish when concerns were noticed and what happened next.
Medication records, operative notes, imaging, laboratory results, and newborn records may also become relevant. The Georgia Composite Medical Board explains that patients are generally entitled to copies of their medical records under most circumstances.
An Athens birth injury lawyer can review those records together rather than treating one test result or one entry in the chart as the answer to what caused the injury.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
Does a Diagnosis Prove Medical Negligence?
No. Conditions such as cerebral palsy, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), Erb’s palsy, and brain injuries can have different causes.
For example, cerebral palsy is not proof that a baby was deprived of oxygen during delivery, and Erb’s palsy does not automatically establish that excessive force was used. The medical history and circumstances of the birth still need to be reviewed.
Birth Injury Lawyers Group looks at the diagnosis alongside the pregnancy, delivery, and newborn records before deciding whether there is evidence that medical care contributed to the condition.
"Our Birth Injury Lawyers have recovered over $750+ Million on behalf of our clients."
What Does Georgia Require Before a Malpractice Case Is Filed?
Georgia generally requires a medical malpractice complaint to be accompanied by an affidavit from a qualified professional. The affidavit must identify at least one negligent act or omission and explain the factual basis for it.
That requirement makes the medical review an important part of preparing a case. The records need to be examined before specific allegations are made in court.
There are limited procedural exceptions to the timing of the affidavit requirement, so the filing requirements should be checked for the particular case.
What Compensation May Be Available?
If medical negligence caused a child’s injury, a claim may include the cost of treatment and other losses connected with the harm.
For a child who is expected to need continuing care, future therapy, medical treatment, equipment, or assistance may also need to be considered. Those future needs usually have to be supported by medical and financial evidence.
The losses that can be claimed depend on the circumstances and on whether the claim belongs to the child or a parent. Birth Injury Lawyers Group can identify which losses apply rather than assuming every family can claim the same things.
How Long Do You Have to File in Georgia?
Georgia generally gives two years to bring a medical malpractice action, but birth injury claims involving young children have additional rules.
When the malpractice claim belongs to a child who was under five when the alleged negligence occurred, Georgia law generally gives the child two years from their fifth birthday to bring the claim. The law also contains an outside statute of repose.
That does not mean every claim arising from the birth automatically has the same deadline. A parent’s separate claim, for example, can be treated differently. A birth injury lawyer serving Athens can check the dates that apply before relying on the child’s extended period.
What Happens Once a Claim Is Being Investigated?
A legal review does not begin with an assumption that malpractice occurred. Birth Injury Lawyers Group first needs enough information to understand the delivery and the child’s condition.
If the medical review supports a claim, the next steps may include identifying the providers or facilities involved, documenting the child’s losses, and preparing the required court filings.
Some cases resolve without a trial, while others do not. We can explain those decisions as they arise rather than predicting at the start how the case will end.
Talk to a Birth Injury Lawyer in Athens
You do not need to understand the fetal monitoring records or know exactly what caused your child’s condition before asking for advice. Start with what happened during the pregnancy or delivery and whatever medical paperwork you already have.
Birth Injury Lawyers Group can review the information, identify records that may still be needed, and explain whether there is a reason to investigate the care further.
We offer free case evaluations and handle birth injury claims on a contingency fee basis. Contact Birth Injury Lawyers Group to speak with a birth injury lawyer in Athens about what happened and what your family’s options may be.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."