Trauma in Labor, Delivery or NICU Causing Birth Injury
While most medical malpractice cases are complex, birth injury cases can be especially difficult because effects on the child many not be apparent for weeks, months, or even until the child enters school or early education classes.
Attorney Thomas Donahue is well aware of the challenges of birth injury cases. For the past decade, he has focused on pursuing these claims for injured children in California courts.
A birth injury case in California involves many important questions that must be answered in order to aggressively pursue justice and recovery:
- What is the precise nature of the injury to the child?
- At what stage of birth did the injury occur?
- What actions (or inaction) on the part of OB/GYN, neo-natal nurse or other physician resulted in the birth injury?
- Was the hospital private or government-owned?
- At what age did the birth injury become apparent?
- What are the long-term costs associated with the injury (special educational needs, physical therapy, long-term care, etc.)?
When your baby was injured because of negligence during labor, delivery or in a neo-natal intensive care unit (NICU) or pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), the lawyers at Donahue & Horrow, L.L.P., will work to get real answers. If a doctor or hospital was negligent, we will fight for justice. Contact us today.
Experienced Lawyer Handling California Birth Injury Cases
Thomas Donahue has handled cases involving children injured at all stages of the birth process. He understands parents' concerns for their children. He has also seen the progress and results that is possible for some children when they receive treatment and rehabilitation after a birth injury. He wants to obtain the compensation that is necessary so that his clients' children can have the best outcome possible for their conditions.
He has handled birth injury cases involving injuries to children causing cerebral palsy and Erb's palsy. He has also handled cases involving failure to monitor babies and children in a NICU or PICU.
Law and Limitations that Apply to California Birth Injury Cases
While some parts of a birth injury claim are handled exactly like other medical malpractice claims, certain laws and limitations apply only to cases involving birth injury or injuries to minors. For example, cases involving children have priority on a trial calendar. That is, birth injury malpractice cases may receive a trial date within nine months of filing, instead of languishing for two years for a trial date like other cases.
Claims involving birth injury do not have to be filed until the child's eighth birthday in most cases. This allows claims for injuries that may not have been apparent until a child entered school. Unfortunately, some claims, such as claims against a government-run hospital, have much shorter deadlines so it is important to contact an experienced birth injury attorney if you suspect that your child has a birth injury.
The Los Angeles area law firm of Donahue & Horrow, L.L.P., handles birth injury cases throughout California. The initial consultation will be at no cost. All cases are billed on a contingency fee basis — there will be no cost to you unless or until we recover compensation in the form of an insurance settlement or trial award.
