As you deal with the reality of perinatal brain injuries, you’re likely facing significant concerns about your child’s future. If your child suffered a brain injury during pregnancy, childbirth, or shortly after birth, we understand that medical negligence can have long-term consequences on your child’s development and quality of life.
Now, you’re likely seeking guidance on what’s next. At Anidjar & Levine, our Florida perinatal brain injury lawyers believe you deserve knowledgeable representation. Our experienced Florida medical malpractice lawyer team is dedicated to helping families like yours.
Causes of Perinatal Brain Injuries
While you’re expecting, your baby’s brain is equally vulnerable to injuries, just like other organs. During pregnancy, your baby’s brain development can be affected by various factors that can increase the risk of perinatal brain injuries. Common causes include:
- Delivery complications: Difficulties during delivery, such as umbilical cord compression or fetal distress, can lead to brain injuries.
- Infections: Infections, such as meningitis or encephalitis, can cause brain injuries in newborns.
- Missed diagnosis: If you or your baby had a health condition that doctors failed to diagnose, it could lead to a perinatal brain injury.
Our Florida personal injury lawyer can help you determine the cause of your baby’s perinatal brain injury.
Valuable Evidence To Collect in a Florida Medical Malpractice Case
If your child suffered a brain injury at or around the time of birth, and you believe medical negligence played a role, you’ll need strong evidence to support your claim. Here’s what to collect:
Medical Records
Your child’s medical records are the foundation of any malpractice claim. These documents should include prenatal checkups, labor and delivery notes, and postnatal care. They can help identify whether the healthcare provider followed appropriate procedures or missed signs of complications, such as oxygen deprivation or abnormal heart rates.
Detailed records also show the timeline of medical decisions, including when interventions like C-sections were performed and whether they were delayed. An experienced Florida perinatal brain injury lawyer can review these records to determine if there were any clear departures from the standard of care.
Fetal Monitoring Strips
Fetal heart rate monitoring strips are important in understanding how well the baby is being monitored during labor. These strips may indicate if the baby was in distress and whether the medical team took appropriate action in response. Unexplained gaps, ignored warning signs, or delayed responses can all point to negligence.
These records can be technical and difficult to interpret without medical expertise. A qualified medical expert can analyze the strips and help determine whether medical staff acted appropriately when signs of fetal distress first appeared.
Long-Term Effects of Perinatal Brain Injuries
Perinatal brain injuries can have a profound impact on children’s future development and the quality of life they’ll lead. You may face long-term effects that affect your child’s cognitive development, making it difficult to learn new skills or process information.
Emotional challenges may also arise, making it hard for them to regulate their emotions, leading to anxiety, depression, or mood swings. Your child may struggle with communication, social interactions, and building relationships. As you grow, you may experience difficulties with coordination and balance or have delayed motor skills.
Your daily life may be affected, making everyday tasks a challenge. It’s important to understand the potential long-term effects of perinatal brain injuries to better prepare for the future and seek the necessary support and resources.
Damages in a Florida Perinatal Brain Injury Case
Your pursuit of justice involves seeking compensation for the harm inflicted on your child. In a perinatal brain injury case, damages refer to the monetary compensation awarded to you and your child for the economic and non-economic losses resulting from the injury.
The economic impact of the injury, such as medical expenses, lost income, and future care costs, is a significant factor in determining compensation. Other compensation factors include the extent of the injury, the impact on your child’s quality of life, and the degree of fault or negligence.
When calculating damages, you’ll need to take into account both past and future expenses, as well as the intangible costs of pain and suffering and emotional distress. By understanding the types of damages that can be claimed, you can better go through the legal process and advocate for the maximum compensation your child merits.
Choosing the Right Florida Perinatal Brain Injury Attorney
When choosing a Florida perinatal brain injury attorney, you’ll want to look for someone with medical knowledge who can effectively communicate medical information to a jury. You’ll also want an attorney who’s not afraid to take your case to trial and aggressively advocate on your behalf. Here’s what to know:
Medical Knowledge
Choosing a perinatal brain injury lawyer who possesses medical knowledge is important for the success of your case. You need an attorney who understands the challenges of neonatal complications and can identify instances of medical negligence. This experience will help your lawyer:
- Interpret medical records to identify potential causes of perinatal brain injury, including fetal distress and umbilical cord compression.
- Consult with medical experts to gather evidence and build a strong case against negligent healthcare providers.
- Develop a compelling legal strategy that takes into account the latest medical research and guidelines, increasing your chances of securing fair compensation for your child’s injuries.
Aggressive Trial Advocacy
As you go through the challenges of a perinatal brain injury case, it’s important to have an attorney who is not only knowledgeable about medical nuances but also a fierce advocate in the courtroom.
You need a lawyer who can develop and execute effective trial strategies, leveraging their experience in courtroom techniques to secure the desired outcome for you and your child. A skilled trial attorney will anticipate the opposition’s tactics, prepare compelling arguments, and deliver persuasive testimony.
By choosing a perinatal brain injury lawyer with a proven track record of aggressive trial advocacy, you can rest assured that your case is in capable hands.
Contact Our Florida Perinatal Brain Injury Lawyer
You’ve just taken the first step towards seeking justice for your child’s perinatal brain injury. Anidjar & Levine can help you through the legal proceedings, increasing the chances that you receive the compensation your family needs. Our experienced team will work closely with you to build a strong case, and we will fight to secure the desired outcome for your child.
Contact us today for a free consultation.
We Can Help.
