Experienced Portland Oregon Birth Injury Lawyers
Portland Birth Injury Lawyers
Find out why we have some of the best Portland birth injury attorneys
Has Your Child Suffered a Birth Injury in Portland, Oregon?
Many families have experienced the suffering that comes with birth injuries in Portland. The experienced birth injury lawyers at Goldberg & Loren are here to help. Our many years of experience have made us familiar with the emotional, physical, and financial burden that birth injuries have on both the affected child and their family.
Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys has a proven track record in handling birth injury cases in Portland and throughout Oregon. We are committed to fighting for your rights and holding the liable parties responsible for their actions.
Don’t wait any longer. Contact Goldberg & Loren today to schedule a consultation with one of our birth injury lawyers. We will thoroughly explain your legal options and will help guide you on the path to justice.
What is a Birth Injury?
A birth injury is any injury that occurs during the labor and delivery process or shortly after birth. Birth injuries can have long-term effects on a child’s life and these defects can range from mild to severe.
A variety of factors can contribute to birth injuries, including medical mistakes, medical negligence, and other complications that occur during the delivery process.
The number of children born with birth injuries in the United States is staggering; about 7 of every 1,000 babies. [1]
Common Types of Birth Injuries
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a serious condition that affects thousands of children each year. It is caused by damage to the brain during infancy or early childhood, typically as a result of oxygen deprivation during the delivery process. As a child grows, it may present in various symptoms, including muscle spasms, difficulty walking, poor coordination, and mental deficits.
This condition can be extremely challenging for the families affected by it due to required ongoing medical care, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and assistive devices like wheelchairs or braces. This can be both emotionally and financially taxing for families, many of whom struggle to provide the care and support their children need.
Brachial Plexus Injury
A brachial plexus injury is a type of birth injury that can occur when the nerves in a baby’s shoulder and arm are damaged during the delivery process. These group of nerves, known as the brachial plexus, control movement and sensation in the arm and hand. When they are injured, a child may experience weakness, numbness, or even paralysis in the affected arm.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to brachial plexus injury during childbirth. One of the most common causes is shoulder dystocia, a complication that occurs when the baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pubic bone during delivery. This can put excessive pressure on the brachial plexus nerves and cause them to stretch or tear.
Treatment for brachial plexus injury will depend on the extent of the damage and may include physical therapy, surgery, or a combination of both.
Oxygen Deprivation & Brain Damage
Oxygen deprivation during childbirth is a significant factor that can lead to permanent brain damage in newborns. Many causes can contribute to oxygen deprivation, including the following:
- Problems with the umbilical cord
- Placental abruption
- Failure to monitor the baby’s oxygen levels during delivery
Oxygen deprivation can cause symptoms such as seizures, poor muscle tone, and delayed development, with worse cases leading to cerebral palsy. Medical professionals may fail to expedite the delivery or perform an emergency cesarean section in order to prevent oxygen deprivation and brain damage.
Spinal Cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries sustained during birth can have a devastating impact on both the infant and the family, resulting in paralysis, bowel or bladder dysfunction, and other long-term complications. Many spinal cord injuries that occur during birth are preventable, and if proper medical care had been provided, these injuries could have been avoided.
When a baby is born, medical professionals may fail to take precautions to prevent spinal cord injuries. This may include using forceps or a vacuum to assist the baby’s passage through the birth canal, or performing a cesarean section if vaginal birth is too risky.
Determining Liability for a Birth Injury Claim
If you believe that your child’s birth injury was caused by the negligence of a healthcare provider, it may be possible to pursue a birth injury claim. Determining liability in these cases can be complicated; working with our experienced birth injury attorneys at Goldberg & Loren will put your mind at ease.
Our attorneys will investigate your child’s birth injury by reviewing medical records, interviewing witnesses, and obtaining opinions from medical experts. They will then determine if the healthcare provider acted within the accepted standard of care and if their actions or inaction led to your child’s birth-related injury.
If it is determined that the healthcare provider was negligent, several parties may be held liable for the preventable injury. This may include the doctor, nurse, hospital, or other medical provider involved in the delivery. In some cases, multiple parties may share liability for the injury.
It is also important to consider the types of damages that may be pursued in a birth injury claim. These may include medical expenses, ongoing care and treatment costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. In cases where the injury is severe, the damages may be significantly higher.
Establishing Breach of Duty
To establish negligence, our birth injury attorney will need to prove that the healthcare provider had a duty to provide a certain level of care to the mother and child. This duty is typically established by the healthcare provider’s professional standards, guidelines, and protocols.
Once the duty has been established, the attorney at Goldberg & Loren will need to show that the healthcare provider breached that duty by failing to provide the standard of care required.
To establish a breach of duty, the attorney may need to call upon medical experts to testify and provide their professional opinions. The medical experts who are called to testify will review your child’s medical records and will explain what steps the healthcare provider should have taken to prevent the injury.
Benefits of Hiring Goldberg & Loren in Portland, OR
There are several benefits to hiring Goldberg & Loren as your Portland birth injury lawyer. Here are some of the key advantages:
- Experience and expertise: Goldberg & Loren has a strong track record of successfully representing families in birth injury cases in Portland and throughout Oregon. We have significant experience and expertise in birth injuries and we will work endlessly to ensure that you are compensated fairly.
- Personalized attention: We at Goldberg & Loren pride ourselves on providing personalized attention to each of our clients. We know how important it is to understand the intricate details or your case and we will work closely with you to achieve your goals.
- Compassionate advocacy: Our legal team at Goldberg & Loren understands the emotional toll that a birth injury can take on a family. We are committed to providing compassionate and supportive care to you throughout the entire process.
- No upfront fees: Goldberg & Loren operates on a contingency fee basis, which means we don’t charge any upfront fees or costs. We only get paid if and when they secure a settlement or jury verdict on your behalf, which means that you can focus on your child’s health without having to worry about paying legal bills.
- Access to medical experts: Goldberg & Loren has access to a network of top medical experts who can provide testimony and support in your case. Medical expertise is critical to understanding and demonstrating causation in birth injury cases.
You can trust our birth injury attorneys to provide you with the skilled and compassionate legal representation you deserve.
Don’t delay in seeking legal representation for your birth injury case. Contact Goldberg & Loren today to schedule your free consultation and take the first step toward securing justice.
Source:
[1] Birth Injury Statistics | Get Key Insights on Birth Injuries. (2023b, November 18). Cerebral Palsy Guide. https://www.cerebralpalsyguide.com/birth-injury/statistics/
Goldberg & Loren
6500 S Macadam Ave #300,
Portland, OR 97239
(971) 339-8080
If your child has suffered a birth injury you maybe entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact us now to see if you have case.
We Represent Those Who've Suffered Birth Injuries in the Following Cities and Communities Near Portland, Oregon.
- Beaverton, OR
- Hillsboro, OR
- Vancouver, WA
- Clackamas County, OR
- Clark County, WA
- Columbia County, OR
- Multnomah County, OR
- Skamania County, WA
- Washington County, OR
- Skamania County, WA
- Yamhill County, OR
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