Compensation for a birth injury will depend on the severity of losses in Connecticut

New Haven, CT – A birth injury is a broad term for various problems that can occur from the time a mother goes into labor until shortly after the child is born. This is obviously a sensitive time for both of them, and there are a number of different things that can go wrong if the doctor and other healthcare professionals assisting with the procedure make any mistakes. Possible injuries can include giving the wrong medicine, lack of blood flow to the child, and physical damage caused by tools that are used to extract the baby.  

There is overlap with birth injuries and the field of medical malpractice, but the issue in question must be related specifically to the process of delivering a child and care that happens in the timeframe before or afterward. 

Estimating damages after an injury

Damages are an important part of any civil case. This is the amount that the victim can recover based on losses such as the need for additional medical treatment, missed time from work, and losing the ability to function as normal. Damages are meant to compensate the victim and allow them to try to return to their life before the accident 

Some birth injuries turn into permanent defects that will affect the child’s quality of life and opportunities. In these situations, the losses are significant enough that they can be quantified into a very large amount of damages. Minor injuries that will heal within weeks or months after the accident will generally result in much smaller amounts of damages available to the victim. 

Specifics about the potential amount of damages available in any case should also be reviewed with a lawyer. There is a greater potential for larger damages when the injury is serious, but each case needs to be reviewed on an individual basis. 

Proving medical negligence

In civil cases that involve medical procedures, there usually needs to be some kind of evidence or testimony about the relevant standard of care that is specific to the issue in question. A breach of the standard duty of care is the first element of any negligence case. Sometimes other doctors with the same specialty may be called as expert witnesses to give their opinion regarding the proper course of treatment. An expert witness is different from other witnesses because they are allowed to talk about certain things that are normally excluded under the state’s rules of evidence. 

Starting the process to bring a lawsuit against a negligent doctor

USAttorneys.com is a directory that contains lawyers who can assist with birth injuries or any other type of situation. Potential clients in New Haven or other parts of Connecticut can use the site to find a local lawyer based on their location and practice area.