Baltimore Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

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Contact a Baltimore cerebral palsy lawyer to help your child and family affected by medical malpractice and birth injuries. Cerebral palsy lawyers represent parents of children born with cerebral palsy and resulting disabilities as they take legal action against the Baltimore doctors and hospitals responsible.

How Does Medical Negligence Cause Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a set of neurological conditions that cause disabilities related to movement and muscles. It results from brain damage incurred during fetal development, labor and delivery, or less commonly, in infancy.

Your child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis could have resulted from medical malpractice. Medical malpractice is inadequate and negligent care by a medical professional.

Doctors, nurses, and midwives have been found negligent in causing cerebral palsy in several ways. These are a few examples of mistakes that could potentially be considered malpractice:

• Your doctor didn’t provide the usual standard of care during your pregnancy, resulting in complications.
• A nurse noticed fetal distress during labor but delayed calling in a doctor.
• Your doctor knew about complications or risk factors but did not perform a C-section.
• The doctor or midwife delivering your baby used too much force and fractured the skull.
• When born, your baby had jaundice, but your doctor downplayed the importance and delayed treating it.

Why Do I Need a Baltimore Cerebral Palsy Lawyer?

In some cerebral palsy cases, a doctor or other professional could not have done anything differently. It’s not always possible to determine the cause of the underlying brain damage. Sometimes, there are no risk factors for complications, but they occur anyway.

If your child received a diagnosis of cerebral palsy after birth, talk to a local lawyer experienced in birth injuries and medical malpractice. They can clarify the situation and help you determine if medical malpractice played a role.

If they believe you have a case for malpractice, a Baltimore lawyer can help you take on the hospital or medical center responsible.

They will file a lawsuit, negotiate a fair settlement, and take the defendants to court if necessary. A lawyer can help you recover damages to provide the lifelong care your child needs.

How to Find the Right Baltimore Lawyer for Your Family

The choice of lawyer to represent your family is essential. Check local listings and advertisements for firms that handle medical malpractice cases. Narrow those down to lawyers with specific experience in birth injuries.

You can also check with local organizations for disabled people and cerebral palsy treatment facilities. They might be able to refer you to trusted lawyers who handle these cases.

It is essential that the lawyer you choose has the relevant experience. Birth injury cases are complicated and often difficult to prove. Your lawyer should have confirmed wins for similar clients and a network of experts who can find the evidence needed to make your case.

How Much Compensation Can My Child Get for Cerebral Palsy?

Compensation amounts in cerebral palsy and birth injury cases vary depending on individual factors. Your lawyer has the experience and expertise necessary to maximize your compensation, but there are no guarantees.

Several examples of wins for families in Baltimore show what the right lawyer can do for your child. Every case is different, but these highlight the benefits of hiring a cerebral palsy lawyer:

• $21 Million for Loss of Oxygen. Jaylan Norfleet was born at MedStar Harbor Hospital in 2012. Shantiah Norfleet was admitted with high blood pressure and at risk for complications. On the second day of labor, monitors detected that Jaylan was not receiving adequate oxygen, but the doctor delayed beginning a c-section for several hours. When he was born, Jaylan had the umbilical cord around his neck. The delay in surgery led to significant oxygen loss, brain damage, and severe cerebral palsy.[1]
• $55 Million for Delayed C-Section. A Baltimore jury awarded this large verdict to a family against John Hopkins in 2012. Rebecca Fielding encountered complications during a home birth with a midwife. Sent to the hospital, her baby Enzo was stuck, and she couldn’t deliver him without assistance. Doctors ordered a c-section but delayed performing it for two hours. Enzo now has cerebral palsy and disabilities that require lifelong care.[2]
• $229 Million for Brain Injury. Erica Byrom was admitted to John Hopkins Bayview with preeclampsia and other complications in 2015. Her baby Zubida was born with severe disabilities from cerebral palsy. Her lawyers argued that doctors did not give her enough information about the risks and potential outcomes, which led her to choose not to have a c-section. Had she undergone surgery, her child would likely not be so disabled. The jury award was a big win, but unfortunately, the hospital appealed, and a court overturned the verdict.[3]

Baltimore Treatment and Resources for Cerebral Palsy

Baltimore is home to two medical centers with world-class pediatric care, specialists, and multidisciplinary teams that treat cerebral palsy.

Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurology

Johns Hopkins in Baltimore has a department dedicated to pediatric neurology and neurosurgery. They treat a variety of conditions in children, including cerebral palsy. A multidisciplinary team will evaluate your child and recommend treatments.

The specialists here can perform some of the most advanced surgeries for cerebral palsy. They also offer other non-surgical treatments, like medications and therapeutic electrical stimulation.[4]

601 N. Caroline St.

Fifth Floor

Baltimore, MD 21287

(410) 955-4259

Kennedy Krieger Institute

The Kennedy Krieger Institute is a premier location for treating children with neurological conditions and developmental disabilities. The facility aims to improve patients’ quality of life by using a variety of treatments, therapies, interventions, and devices.

In addition to treatment, the Institute conducts research and offers community resources and a school recognized as a “Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.”[5]

707 North Broadway

Baltimore, MD 21205

(443) 923-9200

A Baltimore cerebral palsy lawyer is an important ally if your child was born in the area and diagnosed with this childhood disability. They can help you take legal action, hold hospitals accountable, and recover damages.