Birth Injury Lawyer Kennewick WA

Kennewick Birth Injury Lawyers

Strong advocacy for families in WA living with the effects of birth injuries and trauma

Mothers and fathers dream of the life their child will lead every day of the pregnancy and once their child is born. They want their newborn to smile, learn, play, mature, and lead a healthy, happy life. When a doctor says, “Your newborn will never lead a full life,” a parent’s world is turned upside down. Catastrophic birth injuries such as cerebral palsy mean a lifetime of medical expenses, a lifetime of wishing your child had better doctors, a lifetime of trauma caring for your newborn.

At Telaré Law, our Kennewick birth injury lawyers understand how devastating the news that your newborn has a deformity, a neurological disorder, or another type of permanent injury is. We work with a network of birth injury doctors who explain why your doctors committed medical malpractice, what medical care your child will need for the rest of his/her life, and all the ways your child’s life will be different because of the birth injuries.

Our trial lawyers have the experience and confidence to take on the doctors, hospitals, and their insurance companies. We’ve obtained numerous strong trial verdicts. Many of our settlement recoveries are so high insurance companies ask us to keep the amount of the recoveries private.

What is a birth injury?

A birth injury is a physical injury that occurs during labor and delivery. They can affect the baby, the mother, or both. Some birth injuries are minor and will heal on their own in a matter of days or weeks. Others can last a lifetime. All of them should be preventable, so birth injuries are almost always the result of negligence.

Birth trauma and birth defects

Birth injuries are different from birth trauma, which can occur during the pregnancy, labor, or post-partum periods. Birth trauma can include physical harms, such as excessive perineal tearing, forcing a “husband” stitch, or failing to recognize and address preeclampsia or hemorrhage; they can also be psychological, ranging from distress or fear to undiagnosed post-partum depression.

These injuries are different from birth defects, which are congenital malformations of the fetus. In most cases, birth defects are genetic; there is simply nothing that can be done. In other cases, they are the result of medical negligence, such as failure to advise expectant mothers on the need for folic acid to reduce the risk of neural tube defects or prescribing a medication with a known risk of birth defects, such as certain anti-anxiety or depression medications.

What types of birth injury cases do your Kennewick injury lawyers handle?

Our lawyers handle birth injury cases that cause permanent harm. We represent the parents of newborns who have catastrophic life-changing injuries. At Telaré Law, our Kennewick birth injury lawyers handle claims involving:

  • Cerebral palsy. According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy affects the newborn’s movement, muscle tone, and posture. The symptoms include impaired movement, exaggerated reflexes, limb spasticity, trunk spasticity, difficulty walking, difficulty swallowing, and involuntary movements. Complications include learning disabilities, difficulty talking, seizures, bladder and bowel disorders, and mental health disorders. Cerebral palsy can cause paralysis and brain disorders. The treatments focus on managing the symptoms. Birth doctors must anticipate the possibility of cerebral palsy which is often caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. Newborns with cerebral palsy require a lifetime of medical care.
  • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). This birth injury is brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. HIE can cause cerebral palsy and damage to other organs.
  • Brachial plexus injury. This birth injury occurs when the nerves that run through the spinal cord, neck, and arms are damaged. The improper use of forceps, vacuum extractions, and excessive stretching are common causes.
    • Erb’s palsy. This is a form of brachial plexus injury that affects the nerves in the upper arm. It may be caused by the baby being stuck inside the birth canal or unnecessary pulling during the delivery.
    • Klumpke’s palsy. This is another type of brachial plexus injury that affects the hand, forehand, and wrist.
  • Kernicterus. This disorder is due to a high level of bilirubin in the newborn’s blood. It’s usually caused when the birth doctors fail to diagnose or treat jaundice.
  • Fetal death. In the most tragic cases, the baby’s life cannot be saved. When your newborn tragically dies before his/her life has even started, we file a wrongful death claim on behalf of the parents.

Our lawyers are skilled at showing birth injury healthcare providers failed to protect your newborn. We are seasoned child injury lawyers, and we are here to help.

What are the causes of labor and delivery negligence?

Our Kennewick birth injury lawyers work with you, our investigators, independent physicians, and through the discovery process to determine why your newborn’s life will never match your original dreams. We work to show that obstetricians, hospitals, nurses, and other pregnancy and birth delivery healthcare providers failed to:

  • Anticipate the possible complications that could cause birth injuries
  • Respond to emergencies
  • Use forceps and vacuum extractors correctly
  • Diagnose your newborn’s condition
  • Monitor the baby and the mother during the delivery and immediately after the delivery
  • Treat infections
  • Recognize fetal distress
  • Handle complications such as umbilical cord complications and other complications
  • Perform a Cesarean when required
  • Monitor the medications of the newborn and mother

Other medical errors including allowing the delivery to continue for too long and using more force than necessary.

Who is liable for a birth injury in Kennewick?

There is rarely only one party responsible for a birth injury. After all, expectant mothers often have teams of medical professionals helping them throughout their pregnancy, as well as during labor and delivery. At Telaré Law, our Kennewick birth injury lawyers file claims against every healthcare provider who acted negligently, including:

  • The birth delivery physicians
  • The doctors responsible for pre-delivery of the mother and post-delivery care of the newborn
  • Hospitals
  • Anesthesiologists
  • Midwives
  • Doulas
  • Paramedics
  • Other healthcare providers

How much is my child’s birth injury lawsuit worth?

Damages in birth injury cases include:

  • All medical bills for the rest of your child’s life
  • Your child’s lifetime of physical pain and suffering
  • The loss of function for each part of your child’s body
  • Any scarring or disfigurement
  • The loss of developmental and cognitive abilities

In most birth injury cases, the funds are placed in an annuity or trust to ensure your child’s medical bills are paid, and that there are funds to compensate him/her for all other needs.

We understand fully that no amount of money will ever compensate you and your child. We are respected for our ability to prove liability when doctors commit malpractice. Our lawyers thoroughly review all the expenses you’ll need to pay to provide for your child’s care. We demand compensation for the difference between your child’s life and the life of a healthy child.

Do you have a birth injury lawyer near me?

Telaré Law meets parents and children at our office in Kennewick at 819 South Auburn St. We also have an office in Richland. We make a point of getting to know your child like you and your child are our family.

Call an experienced Kennewick birth injury lawyer to get started

Experience matters. Reputation matters. You need lawyers who have the answers to questions. You need attorneys who aren’t afraid to tell hospitals and doctors that they must be held accountable for their negligence. At Telaré Law, our Kennewick birth injury lawyers thoroughly prepare your case for trial. We inform the jury why medical malpractice occurred, and why you deserve the maximum amount of compensation Washington state allows.

To speak with a compassionate trial lawyer, call us at 509-737-8500 or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We handle birth injury cases on a contingency fee basis. Our lawyers represent families who live in Kennewick, Richland, Pasco, Walla Walla, Pullman, Othello, Moses Lake, Ritzville, and all Southeast Washington.