Birth Injury Settlements

Life After a Birth Injury

Many new parents find it difficult to even consider filing a birth injury lawsuit. They now have a little baby’s life in their hands, perhaps a child with special needs due to his or her birth injury, and the parents just want to begin their lives with their new baby. They may be exhausted after the emotional and physical trauma the mother and/or child experienced during childbirth.

A Settlement Can Help

A settlement from a birth injury lawsuit can help. The injuries the mother and/or child suffered will certainly lead to expensive medical costs—in fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that medically caring for a child with cerebral palsy costs more than 10 times as much as medically caring for a child without a disorder. A settlement can cover those expenses.

Birth Injury Settlements

One Kansas woman received a $4.72 million settlement after her daughter was born permanently injured due to the negligence of the physicians and nurses during childbirth.

Some settlements are paid out over a period of time to help with future medical expenses. A family in Hawaii received a $9 million settlement after their son developed cerebral palsy due to a brain injury that happened during birth. The mother was at risk for uterine rupture and the medical staff failed to notify her doctor in charge of the pregnancy. The defendant paid $5 million immediately, but the remaining $4 million was set aside to be paid throughout the remainder of the child’s life.

Trials Aren’t Necessary

Filing a birth injury complaint doesn’t necessarily mean going to trial. In fact, most birth injury cases reach settlement agreements and never have to see a trial.