Experienced Ohio Birth Injury Attorneys
The birth of a child is meant to be a time of joy, hope, and new beginnings. But when a preventable birth injury occurs, it is devastating. You may find yourself asking, "Why did this happen to my child?" or "How will we manage the emotional and financial burden?"
These emotions are real and valid, and it’s important to know you don't have to face them alone. At O'Connor, Acciani & Levy, we recognize the anguish families experience when their child suffers a birth injury.
These cases are deeply personal, but our goal is to help families like yours find answers and pursue justice. An experienced Ohio birth injury lawyer can be the advocate you need to stand up to negligence and secure compensation for your family’s future.
Call us today for a free consultation. This conversation is the first step toward understanding your options and securing the resources you and your child deserve.
Why Choose Our Ohio Birth Injury Lawyers?
When your family’s future feels uncertain due to the lasting impact of a birth injury, the right legal team can provide clarity, guidance, and determination. At O'Connor, Acciani & Levy, we are committed to standing by your side throughout every step of this process. We understand the emotional and financial toll that birth injuries can create, and our team of Ohio birth injury lawyers are here to help.
How Our Knowledgeable Ohio Birth Injury Lawyers Can Support You
- Proven Results: We’ve handled cases where families faced uncertain futures, successfully obtaining compensation that made a tangible difference in their lives. While past results don’t guarantee outcomes, our approach is thorough and tireless.
- Personalized Care: Every birth injury case is different, and every family has unique needs. Our legal team works closely with you to understand your story and craft a strategy tailored to achieving the best possible outcome.
- A Reliable Network: Birth injury cases often require detailed evidence. We collaborate with medical professionals, investigators, and industry experts to uncover the truth behind your child’s injuries.
- Commitment to Communication: We know this process can feel overwhelming. That’s why we keep you informed and involved, so your questions are answered and your voice is heard.
The right legal team is not just about pursuing compensation but also about providing the support and advocacy your family needs to move forward. That’s where our Ohio birth injury attorneys come in.
Eligibility for Ohio Birth Injury Compensation
Birth injuries can occur due to a range of medical errors and negligent actions. Families may be entitled to compensation if it can be proven that medical professionals failed to meet the accepted standard of care during pregnancy, labor, or delivery.
Some common factors that may indicate negligence include:
Improper Monitoring
Vigilant monitoring of the baby’s and mother’s vital signs is crucial during labor and delivery. Neglecting to monitor or respond to changes in heart rate, oxygen levels, or blood pressure can lead to severe consequences, like oxygen deprivation.
For example, a baby’s fluctuating heart rate might indicate distress, signaling the need for an intervention such as an emergency C-section. When medical staff fail to identify or act on these warning signs in time, it can result in injuries such as brain damage or cerebral palsy.
Errors in Instrument Use
Delivery tools like forceps or vacuum extractors are designed to assist during challenging labors. However, improper use of these instruments can cause significant trauma to the infant.
For instance, applying too much pressure while using forceps might lead to skull fractures or facial nerve injuries. If the vacuum extractor is misapplied, it can cause brain bleeds or scalp injuries. These tools require precision and skill, and any misuse can lead to long-term health complications for the baby.
Delayed Emergency Procedures
When complications arise during labor, quick decision-making can make the difference between a safe delivery and a traumatic outcome. For example, prolonged labor or signs of fetal distress may require an emergency cesarean section.
If doctors hesitate or fail to act promptly, the baby can experience oxygen deprivation or other injuries. Delays in conducting necessary procedures not only put the baby at risk but can also endanger the mother’s well-being, leading to preventable medical emergencies.
Medication Errors
The administration of medications during labor, such as Pitocin to induce contractions or epidurals for pain relief, requires precision. Errors can include:
- Giving the wrong dose
- Administering medication at the wrong time
- Failing to monitor the mother’s reaction
For example, an overdose of labor-inducing medication can result in overly strong contractions, which may reduce oxygen supply to the baby. Mismanaged anesthesia can lead to complications for both the mother and the child, such as reduced oxygen levels or even neurological damage.
Identifying Birth Injury Negligence
Not all medical outcomes are due to negligence, but when a healthcare provider fails to follow established protocols or makes preventable mistakes, those actions may warrant legal accountability.
Families may struggle to uncover whether negligence occurred when hospitals and insurance companies attempt to shift blame or downplay errors. Partnering with an experienced Ohio birth injury lawyer ensures your case is thoroughly reviewed, relevant evidence is gathered, and the responsible parties are held accountable.
Each of these scenarios highlights the importance of legal representation in understanding and addressing the impact of medical negligence. By pursuing birth injury compensation, your family can alleviate some of the financial and emotional burdens caused by these avoidable tragedies.
What Ohio Birth Injury Compensation Can Cover
Compensation for birth injuries aims to ease the financial and emotional burden families face in the wake of medical negligence. It’s about more than covering immediate costs, it’s intended to ensure long-term stability and access to resources for your child’s care and well-being.
Here’s a closer look at what compensation may include:
Medical Expenses
Birth injuries often require extensive medical treatment, beginning with emergency neonatal care and continuing into childhood or beyond. Compensation can address costs such as hospital stays, surgeries, medications, and follow-up appointments.
For example, if your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, they may require ongoing treatments like physical therapy, speech therapy, or regular checkups with neurological or orthopedic specialists.
These expenses pile up quickly, but compensation helps cover these vital medical needs.
Rehabilitation, Therapy, and Special Education
Children with birth injuries often need structured rehabilitation programs and specialized therapies to help them develop necessary skills or regain mobility. For instance, a child with a brachial plexus injury may undergo occupational therapy to restore function in their arms or hands.
Similarly, children with learning delays caused by brain trauma might need special education services or tutoring to thrive academically. Compensation ensures that your child has access to the resources needed to overcome developmental challenges and reach their full potential.
Home and Vehicle Modifications
Severe birth injuries may require changes to your daily living environment to support your child’s needs. Compensation can cover accessibility modifications, such as ramps, widened doorways, or an adjustable bed for your home.
It may also help pay for modified vehicles equipped with lifts, ramps, or other adaptations to make transportation safer and more efficient. These updates are essential for maintaining your family’s quality of life but often come with a high price tag.
Loss of Income
Caring for a child with a birth injury frequently means one or both parents may need to leave work or reduce hours to focus on caregiving. This loss of income can significantly strain a household, especially when coupled with mounting medical costs.
Compensation helps families recover lost wages, allowing parents the financial stability to prioritize their child’s care without sacrificing their livelihood. For example, a stay-at-home parent who oversees multiple therapy appointments or doctor visits each week can be supported through this compensation.
Pain, Suffering, and Emotional Distress
The emotional turmoil of a birth injury leaves an impact on the entire family. While these damages are more difficult to quantify than medical bills, they are no less important.
Compensation can provide some acknowledgment of the sleepless nights, anxiety, and heartache parents endure while navigating their child’s diagnosis and care. Families also contend with the uncertainty of their child’s future, which can amplify emotional stress.
This form of compensation aims to address the intangible, yet very real, suffering families experience.
Tailored to Your Unique Needs
Every family’s circumstances are different, and each birth injury case involves its own challenges and priorities. That’s why determining the full scope of compensation begins with exploring your options.
An Ohio birth injury lawyer can help uncover hidden damages, calculate future costs, and ensure that your claim reflects the true impact of the injury on your child, your family, and your future.
Taking action to secure compensation may feel overwhelming, but it’s an essential step toward providing your child with the resources and support they need for a brighter tomorrow.
Common Birth Injuries in Ohio
Birth injuries can range from mild to severe, with lasting consequences for the
child and their family. Some of the most common birth injuries involve both
physical and neurological damage. These can include:
- Cerebral Palsy: Often caused by oxygen deprivation during labor or delivery. It can lead to physical impairments, developmental delays, and lifelong care needs.
- Brachial Plexus Injury: This nerve damage, often caused during difficult deliveries, can result in limited or altered movement in the child’s shoulder, arm, or hand.
- Fractures: Improper delivery techniques can lead to broken bones, such as a fractured clavicle, which may require significant recovery time.
- Brain Trauma: Prolonged labor or misused tools may result in serious brain injuries, affecting memory, behavior, or motor function as the child grows.
- Facial Paralysis: Temporary or permanent facial nerve damage may occur due to physical trauma during birth.
The financial and emotional toll of these injuries is immense. Medical care and therapies can cost thousands—or even tens of thousands—of dollars annually. A trusted legal advocate can help ensure you are compensated fairly for these challenges.
How an Experienced Ohio Birth Injury Lawyer Can Help
Pursuing a birth injury claim isn’t just about filing paperwork—it’s about holding
negligent parties accountable and securing a stable future for your child. Here’s
how an attorney can help you through this process:
- Investigation: Collecting medical records, interviewing witnesses, and consulting with expert professionals to build a strong case.
- Negotiation: Dealing with insurance adjusters on your behalf to ensure you receive fair consideration for your claim.
- Litigation: If necessary, presenting your case before a judge and jury to fight for the compensation you deserve.
- Filing Deadlines: Ensuring your claim is timely filed under Ohio’s medical malpractice statutes.
You should be focused on caring for your child and healing as a family—not navigating legal challenges alone.
Ohio Birth Injury Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long do I have to file a claim in Ohio?
Ohio law sets time limits on medical malpractice cases, typically one year from when you first discover the injury. There may be exceptions, but contacting us early ensures we can protect your rights.
2. What’s the difference between a birth defect and a birth injury?
A birth defect usually develops during pregnancy due to genetics or outside factors, while a birth injury results from harm caused during the labor or delivery process.
3. Will a lawsuit cause more stress for my family?
We handle the legal side of things so you can focus on your family. Our team handles the paperwork, negotiations, and court proceedings on your behalf.
4. What happens if the medical staff denies responsibility?
Medical staff or their insurers may dispute claims to protect themselves. That’s why having an Ohio birth injury lawyer to build evidence and counter their arguments is critical.
5. Is there any risk for me if I pursue a claim?
Our birth injury law firm works on contingency, which means you won’t pay a legal fee unless we recover compensation for you.
Talk to an Ohio Birth Injury Attorney Today
The impact of a birth injury on your child’s life—and your family’s future—cannot be overstated. But you don’t have to face these challenges alone. O'Connor, Acciani & Levy is here to help you secure the compensation and justice your family deserves.
Take the first step toward relief. Call us today for your free consultation. Together, we’ll fight for a better future.
