Atlanta Forceps Injury Lawyer
Did your baby sustain brain damage after a medical professional misused forceps during your labor and delivery process at a hospital in Atlanta? If so, you might be able to recover the compensation you require to pay for your child’s ongoing care costs by filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.
To do so, however, you will need to call and hire an experienced Atlanta forceps injury lawyer, like those at Hasner Law PC. Our skilled attorneys will review every detail of your birth injury case and pursue all negligent parties to obtain financial compensation on your behalf. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.
How Our Atlanta Law Firm Can Assist with Your Forceps Injury Case
Working with an Atlanta personal injury lawyer from Hasner Law PC is an excellent way to protect your baby’s health and prospects for the future in the aftermath of their forceps injury. Here’s what our knowledgeable legal team will do to assist you with your situation:
- Analyze the specifics of your child’s case and assess the damages
- Take care of your medical malpractice lawsuit’s paperwork load
- Communicate with the defendant’s legal team on your behalf
- Search for evidence that might help your child’s case
- Walk you through your potential legal options
- Investigate the cause of your child’s forceps injury
- Provide you with honest answers to your legal questions
- Put together an effective legal strategy for your child’s lawsuit
- Identify the party that is liable for your child’s forceps injury
- Help you understand how the Georgia legal system functions
- Consult with medical experts about your child’s case
- Offer you sound legal advice and guidance as necessary
- Negotiate a settlement deal with the defendant’s insurer
- Argue on your behalf in court, if required
Would you like to have our experienced Atlanta birth injury attorneys help you fight for the compensation your family deserves? Then please do not hesitate to reach out and set up a free consultation with a member of our team. We have been holding negligent medical professionals accountable for their actions for years, and we are ready to stand up for you.
When Do Atlanta Hospitals Perform Forceps Deliveries?
Forceps deliveries are much riskier than the standard childbirth process. As such, hospitals in Atlanta typically perform them only if:
- The baby’s life is in jeopardy
- The mother’s life is in jeopardy
- The baby cannot exit the birth canal
- The labor is not progressing
- The baby has an irregular heartbeat
- The mother has health issues that prevent her from pushing, or
- The baby’s head is facing in the wrong direction
If hospital staff cannot birth the baby using forceps, they may instead opt to use vacuum extractors. Should that option fail, the mother will probably need to have a Cesarean section.
Did your child sustain an injury as a result of a botched forceps delivery or Cesarean section? If so, please reach out to the experienced Atlanta birth injury lawyers at Hasner Law PC as soon as you can. We might be able to use our knowledge of Georgia law to help you recover damages.
Common Causes of Forceps Injuries in Atlanta Hospitals
There are many things that can go wrong during childbirth. However, a forceps injury should not be one of those things. A short sampling of a few of the most common causes of forceps injuries in Atlanta hospitals would include:
- Using the tool before engaging the head (high forceps delivery)
- Using the device while the baby is in the breech position
- Failing to get a firm grasp on the child’s head
- Using the tool before the mother’s cervix is dilated
- Using the device while the baby is in a transverse lie
- Ordering a forceps birth when a C-section is necessary
No matter who or what caused your baby to sustain an injury during their forceps delivery, you can rely on the skilled attorneys at Hasner Law PC to help you pursue compensation. We have worked on countless medical malpractice cases like yours over the years, so we know what it takes to win. Contact our law office in Atlanta, GA, today to learn more about our services.
Common Injuries Caused By the Improper Use of Forceps in Atlanta
The misuse of forceps during the delivery process can leave babies with a wide range of injuries, including:
Cerebral Palsy
When a doctor or nurse misuses forceps and places too much pressure on a baby’s brain, they can develop cerebral palsy. This injury may also occur if the child suffers from a lack of oxygen during the birthing process.
Infants who have cerebral palsy typically experience symptoms like:
- Lack of balance
- Involuntary movements
- Stuttering
- Muscle rigidity
Doctors typically treat cerebral palsy using a combination of occupational therapy, surgery, and medication.
Spinal Cord Injuries
If the misuse of forceps causes damage to a baby’s back, they may suffer a spinal cord injury. Kids who sustain injuries of this nature tend to endure a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Loss of bowel control
- Loss of bladder control
- Spasms
- Breathing issues
- Mobility problems
Babies who sustain spinal cord injuries during forceps deliveries can also end up paralyzed. Depending on the nature of the damage, their paralysis may be partial or total.
Skull Fractures
Applying an excessive amount of force on a baby’s head during a forceps delivery frequently results in skull fractures. Kids who damage their skulls in this way may experience symptoms like:
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Confusion
- Bleeding
Most skull fractures heal by themselves over time. However, doctors may provide the baby with antibiotics to prevent infections.
Intracranial Bleeding
It is not at all unusual for babies to experience bleeding in their brain as a result of a botched forceps delivery.
A brief list of the symptoms most commonly associated with these types of injuries would include:
- Headaches
- Vomiting
- Numbness
- Loss of vision
Did your child sustain spinal cord damage or a brain injury as a result of a botched forceps delivery at an Atlanta hospital? If so, please call Hasner Law PC as soon as possible. Our experienced litigators are ready, willing, and able to help you fight for the compensation your family deserves.
Damages Available in Atlanta Forceps Injury Lawsuits
The amount of compensation doled out to the families of kids who sustain injuries during forceps deliveries can vary quite a lot from case to case. In most instances, courts and insurers look at the following factors to decide how much money victims ought to receive:
- The cost of the baby’s initial medical treatment
- The fees associated with the baby’s ongoing healthcare needs
- The amount of time the baby’s parent missed from work
- The impact the injury will have on the baby’s future earning capacity
- The mental anguish the family endured because of the baby’s injury
- The effect the baby’s injury will have on their overall quality of life
Typically, babies who suffer injuries that leave them with long-term health challenges or permanent disabilities receive the most sizable settlements.
When the experienced attorneys at Hasner Law PC represent kids with birth injuries, we almost always pursue damages for their:
- Medical expenses
- Ongoing care costs
- (Parent’s) lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Unfortunately, it is not at all unusual for babies to lose their lives during a botched forceps delivery. When this nightmare scenario occurs, our legal team helps grieving parents file wrongful death lawsuits. When we do so, we typically demand compensation for their funeral expenses and loss of consortium.
Would you like to have a skilled personal injury attorney from Hasner Law PC evaluate your damages and help you fight for the compensation your family deserves? Then please fill out our brief contact form and schedule a free consultation at our law office in Atlanta, GA. We know what it takes to win malpractice cases of this nature.
Statute of Limitations for Forceps Injury Claims in the State of Georgia
The statute of limitations for most medical malpractice cases in the Peach State is two years. The two-year clock usually begins on the date of the victim’s botched procedure.
However, Georgia law makes an exception to this regulation when infants suffer injuries at the hands of negligent medical professionals. Instead of beginning their two-year filing window on the date of their procedure, the state starts the timer on their fifth birthday.
Of course, parents do not need to wait until their child turns five to begin the process of fighting for damages. They have the legal authority to file suit against the at-fault party at any point before their son or daughter’s seventh birthday.
Do you need some help filing a forceps injury lawsuit before your statute of limitations expires? If so, please contact the experienced attorneys at Hasner Law PC as soon as possible. We might be able to expedite your filing process.
Your Experienced Atlanta Birth Injury Lawyer
When you need an Atlanta forceps injury lawyer to help you battle for the compensation your baby deserves, you can always count on Hasner Law PC. Our legal team has the industry experience and statutory knowledge required to handle even the most complex medical malpractice cases. To set up a free consultation with one of our legal professionals, all you have to do is give us a call or contact us online.
