Your birth plan has been chosen meticulously, with special consideration given to the hospital and doctor. When an expecting mother goes into delivery, there is a certain expectation of care to be provided by their healthcare professional. When that care is broken, it puts both the mother and child at risk of serious injury.
There is nothing worse than a child or their mother sustaining a serious injury during birth. One of the most common types of birth injuries is associated with errors made with forceps and vacuum extractors. The Houston forceps injury lawyers at Davis & Davis has decades of experience representing children and their parents who’ve sustained significant birth injuries, and we are here to put that experience to work for you. Contact a Houston, Texas forceps injuries lawyer from Davis & Davis today to schedule your free initial consultation with our competent and compassionate legal team.
Forceps Injuries Lawyer in Houston, Texas | Here to Help You
Even with meticulous preparation and planning, problems can arise during labor and delivery. Labor may be prolonged, the baby’s position may be irregular and require immediate attention, or heart rate and oxygen issues can necessitate a fast and efficient delivery. The two tools that are most commonly used to assist these fast deliveries are typically forceps and vacuum extractors. These tools must be used with the utmost care and precision. Failure to do so can result in head trauma, cerebral palsy, hematoma or other brain injuries.
In the case of forceps, they must be placed correctly on each side of the baby’s head near the ears and cheeks. With each contraction, the doctor guides the baby’s head downward, out of the birth canal. When used properly, an infant can be delivered normally. If incorrectly used, however, the damage can be permanent.
Reckless or improper handling of these medical tools can result in:
Common Injuries Associated With Forceps Errors
In our decades of work, we have dealt with too many of these tragedies. We believe it is our duty to do everything to stop them while compensating those injured. We are prepared to work on cases where incorrect forceps tong placement has resulted in:
- Brain bleeds and hemorrhages
- Facial bone distortions
- Shoulder dystocia and Erb’s palsy
- Brain swelling
- Brain damage
- Seizures
- Epilepsy
- Ischemia
Similarly, the misuse of forceps or a vacuum extraction device can also cause pain and injury to the delivering mother. If either the mother or child has been harmed in the process by a careless healthcare professional, your family is owed compensation for the damages.
How a Houston Forceps Injuries Lawyer Can Help
Don’t try to navigate the aftermath of your accident alone. Birth injuries are very serious and can require long-lasting attention and recovery efforts. While you concentrate on healing and raising your newborn child, our team of dedicated Houston, Texas forceps injuries attorneys will get to work on the following important aspects of your case:
Establishing Liability
In order to determine the at-fault party, your Houston forceps injuries attorney will gather and analyze all relevant evidence. With this information, you can demonstrate that your healthcare professional owed you a standard of care and breached it, directly resulting in your or your child’s birth injury. By establishing negligence has occurred, you are able to hold the liable party accountable for their recklessness and file a claim with their insurance.
Filing a Claim
Texas currently has a two-year statute of limitations for filing personal injury claims. When you have a forceps injuries attorney in Houston on your side, you don’t have to worry about a dismissed claim due to inadequate documentation or a missed deadline. Our Houston, Texas forceps injuries lawyers will handle all of the filing and communication for you, including all negotiations and the final settlement offer. If worthy compensation can not be agreed upon, we are even prepared to take your case to court.
What Damages Are You Entitled to After Your Birth Injury?
At Davis & Davis, our Houston, Texas forceps injuries lawyers deeply understand the impact a birth injury can have on your family’s life. Birth injuries can take a real emotional toll, as well as a financial one. As a result of this, our Houston, TX forceps injuries attorneys are here to fight tirelessly for you to recover the maximum compensation for your experience, which may include the following costs:
- Past, present, and future medical bills
- Lost wages due to the inability to work
- Prescribed medication
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Permanent or temporary disability
- Any required devices, such as wheelchairs
- Reduced quality of life
It’s important to note that Texas currently has a cap on non-economic damages, which includes your intangible losses, such as pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, and emotional distress. For medical malpractice cases involving healthcare professionals or a single institution, the damage cap is $250,000. If your claim involves multiple healthcare institutions, you may claim up to $500,000 in non-economic damages.
Speak to a Dedicated Forceps Injury Attorney in Houston, TX Today
When a healthcare professional commits a preventable mistake during birth, the consequences can be long-lasting, emotionally taxing, and expensive. Nobody should have to suffer needlessly at the hands of a reckless doctor. The Houston forceps injuries attorneys at Davis & Davis possess the compassion and knowledge necessary to handle the sensitivity of forceps injury cases and are prepared to take your case head-on.
If you or your child suffered brain injuries during delivery, contact us today for a free consultation by calling (888) 522-9444 or using our online contact form. We are on your side, and we will be through each step of the process. Davis & Davis proudly accepts referrals from Texas attorneys and law firms nationwide.
