Childbirth is a much safer medical procedure today than it’s ever been before. While serious and even fatal birth injuries used to be common, today only a handful of live births involve a serious injury. However, birth injuries still happen each day. When an injury occurs because of a medical mistake, our Rhode Island birth injury lawyers help the child’s family find answers.
- 40+ years experience helping birth injury victims.
- Specialists in Rhode Island birth injury cases.
- Families we’ve represented have recovered millions.
We can help your family get the support your child needs for living with a birth injury.
At Birth Injury Advocate, we understand the troubles your family may be facing following your child’s birth injury. We’re proud to represent families like yours and fight for the financial support you need and deserve.
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While birth injuries may be rare, they still affect tens of thousands of American families each year. Roughly 7 in every 1,000 births in the U.S. involve a birth injury. If we apply this to Rhode Island’s birth rate, approximately 77 newborns suffer birth injuries in the state each year. While some of these injuries may occur due to unavoidable complications, many others only happen because of medical negligence.
In the aftermath of a serious birth injury, most parents wonder how the injury could have been avoided and how they’ll make sure their child gets all of the support he or she needs. If you suspect that your child’s injury was the result of a medical professional’s negligence, our Rhode Island birth injury lawyers can help you seek answers and financial support.
Medical Malpractice In Birth Injury Cases
If you’re considering filing a birth injury malpractice lawsuit, it’s important to find an experienced Rhode Island birth injury lawyer who can help you determine if medical negligence caused your child’s injury. A resourceful lawyer can work closely with a qualified medical expert to analyze the legal and medical details of your case.
What Is Medical Negligence?
If a medical expert reviews the evidence and determines that your physician violated the accepted medical standard of care, he or she may be considered negligent. To put it more simply, if the medical expert who reviews your case determines that your child’s injury could have been prevented by better medical care, your family would likely have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit based on medical negligence.
Some of the most common forms of medical negligence we’ve seen in birth injury malpractice lawsuits include:
- Failing to order a c-section which could have prevented a birth injury
- A delayed c-section resulting in preventable birth complications
- Using excessive force during a difficult delivery, resulting in brachial plexus nerve damage
- Mistakes while using forceps, vacuum extractors, and other assisted delivery tools
- Failure to identify and treat maternal health problems, like high blood pressure or infections
- Failure to identify and treat signs of fetal distress, such as oxygen deprivation
Common Birth Injuries & Complications
Medical mistakes during pregnancy, labor, and delivery can result in permanent and debilitating injuries for the child. Some of the most common and severe birth injuries caused by medical negligence include:
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Cerebral palsy
- Erb’s palsy and other brachial plexus injuries
- Traumatic brain damage
- Wrongful death
Regardless of which birth injury your child is suffering from, a birth injury malpractice lawsuit can help your family secure financial compensation if your healthcare provider was at fault for allowing your child’s injury to occur.
Rhode Island Medical Malpractice Laws
Each state sets their own laws regarding medical malpractice lawsuits. If your child suffered a birth injury in Rhode Island and you suspect medical negligence is the cause, you’re likely wondering how Rhode Island malpractice laws could apply to your case. We’ve provided a basic summary of some of these laws below, but we recommend learning more about your legal rights by speaking with an experienced Rhode Island birth injury malpractice lawyer.
Deadlines For Filing A Malpractice Lawsuit In Rhode Island
Each state has a law on the books known as the statute of limitations, which sets deadlines for filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. Depending on the circumstances of the case, one of three or four separate deadlines may apply to your case. It’s extremely important to make sure you file your lawsuit within the applicable deadline. If you’re considering taking legal action, we suggest discussing your options with an experienced lawyer as soon as possible.
Are Damages Capped In Rhode Island Malpractice Cases?
In many states, there is a limit to the amount of financial compensation you can recover in a malpractice lawsuit. Rhode Island is not one of these states. Your maximum compensation is uncapped and will be determined either by a jury or through settlement negotiations with insurance companies.
Expert Witness Requirements
Unlike many other states, Rhode Island has no requirement for filing a certificate or affidavit of merit prior to filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. However, if you want a medical expert to testify on your behalf, that expert must work in the same field as the healthcare provider you’re bringing the lawsuit against.
Do You Need A Lawyer To File A Birth Injury Lawsuit?
Medical malpractice lawsuits are some of the most complicated forms of personal injury claims. In order to secure a settlement or court victory, it’s usually necessary to have legal guidance from a lawyer with experience in Rhode Island birth injury malpractice cases. At Birth Injury Advocate, our local and experienced lawyers understand what it takes to build a successful case and win in the courtroom or in settlement negotiations.
We can help you explore your family’s legal options in a free consultation, and will represent you through each step of the litigation process. We work on a contingency-fee basis, which means you pay us nothing until the end of your case and only if we help you secure compensation. Get in touch with us today to begin planning for your child’s future.