Welcoming a new baby should be one of the most joyous occasions a family can experience. Tragically, medical mishandling can result in your child suffering grievous injuries during birth. If your family has been affected by this form of negligence, consult a compassionate medical malpractice attorney to determine whether you have recourse against the healthcare personnel who caused the injury.
A Buffalo birth injury lawyer at Richmond Vona, LLC can explain how to document the losses you have experienced. With our assistance, you can pursue a settlement that provides appropriate compensation for your child’s suffering.
Birth Trauma Can Cause Significant Injuries
Births do not always proceed smoothly, but advanced medical technology and best practices allow most mothers and babies to come through the process healthy and without serious injury. In some cases, however, physicians and other medical professionals do not provide the quality care a mother has the right to expect.
When a doctor or other member of the birth team makes a mistake, the baby might suffer. Common examples of birth injuries include:
- Bone fractures
- Facial paralysis, which could require surgical correction
- Brachial palsy, damage to the child’s arm that could limit sensation, strength, and movement
- Erb’s palsy, a common form of brachial palsy that affects movement in the shoulder and elbow and may require surgical correction if physical therapy is ineffective
- Klumke’s palsy, another type of brachial palsy that affects the muscles of the forearm and hand and can cause permanent paralysis and a misshapen hand
- Jaundice that leads to kernicterus, a buildup of bilirubin in the brain that can cause hearing loss, seizures, and brain damage if untreated
- Cephalohematoma, a collection of blood between the brain and skull that sometimes requires surgical correction and can cause brain damage if untreated
- Cerebral palsy, which usually results from a lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain during birth and can lead to permanent physical and developmental disabilities
Some birth injuries result from a doctor’s failure to diagnose a condition like preeclampsia or infection in the mother or child. Others occur because the medical team did not react quickly enough to signs of fetal distress or due to the misuse of forceps or vacuum extraction devices. Consulting a Buffalo attorney who is experienced in birth injury cases can help a parent determine whether medical error might have had a role in their child’s injury.
Timeframe for Birth Injury Claims
New York’s statute of limitations describes a specific timeframe in which people must take legal action. In many cases, medical malpractice lawsuits must be filed within two and one half years from the date of the error or the date the injured person discovered the malpractice. However, the law establishes a different timeframe for children who suffer birth injuries. New York Civil Practice Law and Rules § 208 requires a lawsuit seeking damages for injuries allegedly caused during delivery to be filed within ten years of the child’s birth.
Some birth injuries are apparent immediately, but many are not. Injuries impacting neurological development often take years to become evident and may only be diagnosed when the child misses a series of developmental milestones. The ten-year timeframe ensures that the parent can hold the medical team responsible for the full impact of the event. A trusted Buffalo birth injury attorney can help families meet important filing deadlines.
Trust a Buffalo Birth Injury Attorney to Help You Seek Damages
If you or your partner had a difficult labor and delivery, your child might have suffered a birth injury. Sometimes the injury is readily apparent, but in other cases, it might take years to receive an appropriate diagnosis.
A Buffalo birth injury lawyer is here to support you during this difficult time and can help you seek damages from the negligent medical professionals who harmed your child. Call Richmond Vona, LLC, for a free consultation to begin reviewing the details of your experience.
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John Richmond has been extremely helpful on several occasions with matters we presented to him. I was very impressed with the exceptional diligence and professionalism he exhibited in successfully handling those issues. He took into consideration my thoughts and reasons behind the items I felt needed to be addressed. He went out of his way to make meeting with us a very convenient and pleasant experience. When our son required assistance with a custody issue we again went to Mr. Richmond. As it was an issue that was outside the scope of his expertise he did not hesitate to recommend another attorney in the field which was needed. That attorney was also exceptional and that case was also successfully resolved and for that recommendation we truly thank him. We will, beyond any doubt, utilize his firm and services for any matters that may arise in the future. I do not hesitate to highly recommend Mr. Richmond and his firm.
My experience with Richmond Vona was exceptional. Keith and John gave my case all the attention required to bring about a successful result. They were a calming and confident presence during a very difficult time in my life. I was never treated like a number, but more like family. They were in constant communication with me to make sure that everything I was going through was taken care of. I appreciate all of the support I received from Keith and John. I am proud to be part of the Richmond Vona family, and would highly recommend them to anyone
Let me be honest, I’ve been skeptical of attorneys in the past…. but Keith Vona and Richmond Vona, LLC changed that. They are professional, caring, thorough and trustworthy. They assisted me and my family with a challenging mesothelioma case. Challenging why, because my father passed before he could testify. Keith remained in contact, updated us regularly and I believe went above and beyond normal due diligence. I would highly recommend Richmond Vona, LLC. Thank you for all you have done for our family!!
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