Birth Injuries

Seattle Birth Injury Attorneys

Relentlessly Seeking Justice for Parents & Families in Washington State

The birth of a baby can be a magical but stressful time for families. While most children are born healthy and happy, medical errors during pregnancy and childbirth can lead to serious birth injuries for newborns and mothers alike. If you or your baby suffered harm due to medical malpractice or negligence in Seattle, our birth injury attorneys can fight tirelessly to hold the liable healthcare provider or entity accountable.

At Bishop Legal, we understand the devastation and heartbreak that comes with an unexpected birth injury. Our goal is to alleviate stress and financial hardships by recovering a comprehensive settlement for your child’s current and future care needs. We are always trial-ready and approach every case with the personalized care, compassion, and commitment it deserves.

As a member of the prestigious Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, our firm includes some of the best lawyers in the country. Our nationally acclaimed attorneys have a reputation for securing multi-million-dollar settlements and record-breaking verdicts in Washington State, giving you peace of mind that your family’s future is in trusted hands.

Don’t face this battle alone—put over 30 years of experience on your side by partnering with our highly skilled advocates at Bishop Legal.

When Can Medical Negligence Lead to Birth Injuries?

Birth injuries can have devastating consequences for newborns and their families. While injuries during childbirth can occur due to nonpreventable reasons, liability can arise when appropriate monitoring, diagnosis, treatment, and procedures are not performed.

Common errors resulting in birth injuries during labor or delivery include:

Failure to respond to bleeding
Failure to respond to fetal distress
Delaying medically necessary C-sections
Misuse of forceps or vacuum during delivery
Failure to anticipate maternal health or birth complications with known risk factors
Failure to respond to umbilical cord entrapment
Administering inappropriate dosages of Pitocin or other labor-inducing drug

If your child suffered a birth injury in Seattle, our firm can fight to hold the negligent doctor or facility accountable. Call (206) 260-3316 to schedule a free consultation.

Can't thank this firm enough for helping me and my family with our accident.
“Roberto helped me with my daughter's case, Victoria, and was able to get a good settlement for her. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone looking for a personal injury attorney.”

- Priscilla A.
If you need a firm to represent you I would choose Bishop Legal!
“I had the great opportunity of working with Maria and my experience with bishop legal went amazing! They are great to work with, great communication skills, always friendly, and most importantly they make you feel important and part of the case. Hopefully I don’t get into another car crash but if I do I know where to go and I’m definitely going to recommend them to my friends and family. Thank you so much to Maria and Abogado Raymundo. Ps. They also speak Spanish and were able to accommodate my dad when we went with me and make him feel part of the case.”

- Merver
They got a great positive outcome for me in the end.
“The people here are great! They took care of everything for me and were always super helpful with any questions or concerns I had. I highly recommend them for your legal needs! Thanks, Bishop Law!”

- Lisa W.
My experience with Bishop Legal has been incredible.
“Communication was kept in a good pace. They help me understand how the process works and explain to me any legal questions I had. I would highly recommend to family & friends.”

- Yadira T.

Common Birth Injuries Resulting from Negligence

While not every birth injury is preventable, negligence during childbirth can result in severe harm to newborns. Common birth injuries resulting from negligence include:

Cerebral palsy. This condition occurs due to oxygen deprivation or trauma during childbirth, leading to potential long-term motor and developmental challenges.
Brachial plexus injuries. These result from excessive pulling on a baby’s shoulders during delivery, leading to weakness or permanent nerve damage in the arms.
Fractures. Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors can cause fractures, especially to the clavicle.
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). A lack of oxygen during labor and delivery can cause severe brain damage and other cognitive impairments.
Facial nerve damage. Excessive pressure during delivery can damage facial nerves, leading to temporary or permanent facial paralysis.
Shoulder dystocia. This occurs when a baby’s shoulder gets stuck behind the mother's pubic bone during delivery, resulting in nerve damage and other injuries.

What Damages Are Recoverable in a Birth Injury Claim?

While no amount of compensation can erase the trauma and pain caused by a birth injury, seeking justice can offer families a sense of closure and ease the financial burden of medical debt, ongoing care, and other significant expenses. Some potentially recoverable damages in a birth injury claim include:

Medical costs. This includes all past and future medical bills related to the birth injury, such as hospital stays, surgeries, medications, and assistive devices.
Lost wages. If a parent has to take time off work to care for their child or recover from childbirth complications, they may be entitled to compensation for lost wages.
Pain and suffering. This refers to the physical pain and emotional suffering caused by the birth injury, as well as any impacts on the child’s quality of life.
Wrongful death. If a birth injury results in a fatality, the surviving family members may be entitled to seek justice and compensation in a wrongful death claim.

At Bishop Legal, we understand the immense physical, emotional, and financial burdens that come with a birth injury. Our attorneys can assess every avenue for financial recovery to maximize the amount of compensation available to you, freeing you and your loved ones to focus on healing.

Who Is Liable for a Birth Injury?

A birth injury can leave parents wondering who is responsible. The answer can vary depending on the circumstances of the birth and the cause of the injury. Our lawyers are well-versed in these legal intricacies to carefully examine the evidence, determine potentially liable parties, and build a compelling case on your behalf.

Some potentially liable parties include:

Medical Professionals

Doctors, nurses, midwives, and other medical professionals may be liable for birth injuries if they fail to provide an acceptable standard of care, such as failing to screen for pre-existing conditions or properly monitor the newborn during labor and delivery.

Hospitals & Healthcare Facilities

Hospitals and healthcare facilities may be responsible if their policies or procedures contributed to the birth injury. For example, if a hospital lacks adequate staffing or equipment to handle an emergency during childbirth, they may be liable for damages.

Pharmaceutical Companies

Drug companies can also bear responsibility for birth injuries if their products cause harm to the mother or baby, such as supplying medications during pregnancy that were not adequately tested for potential side effects on fetal development.

Proving Liability in a Birth Injury Lawsuit

To recover compensation in a birth injury lawsuit, the plaintiff must prove the following elements:

Duty of care. The provider or facility (defendant) had a duty to provide competent medical treatment in accordance with the accepted standard of care.
Breach of duty. The defendant deviated from the accepted standard of care, such as failing to respond to placental abruption or cord prolapse during childbirth.
Causation. The defendant’s deviation is the proximate cause of the birth injury.
Damages. The breach resulted in compensatory harm (damages) to the plaintiff or their child.

Proving liability after medical negligence can be incredibly challenging and requires skilled guidance from a qualified lawyer. From collecting medical records to consulting relevant experts, our attorneys know what to look for in these cases to build a compelling argument on your behalf. We never hesitate to stand up to powerful healthcare companies and insurers in our pursuit of justice.

How Long Do I Have to File a Birth Injury Claim in Seattle?

The statute of limitations for birth injury claims in Washington is generally three years from the date of the injury. Failure to file within the statute of limitations can prohibit you from recovering damages, making it crucial to consult a skilled birth injury lawyer as soon as possible. However, some exceptions may apply in certain cases.

For example, if the injury was not apparent at birth and the statute of limitations expires, state law allows a one-year extension from the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered. There is also a statute of repose that restricts claims from being filed more than eight years after the act or omission.

No matter your legal circumstances, Bishop Legal is here to provide the compassionate counsel you deserve. Our lawyers have a deep understanding of these legal nuances to help you complete the necessary requirements and file a claim within the appropriate legal deadline.

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Why Choose Bishop Legal?

Some reasons to partner with our experienced advocates include:

Proven results. Our attorneys have winning results in complex, high-damage birth injury cases. With our impressive record of multi-million-dollar settlements, you can trust us to pursue the best possible outcome in your case.
Trial readiness. We have a proven track record in complex litigation to protect your rights in and out of the courtroom. We prepare every case for trial and never shy away from a fight if necessary to achieve the just result you deserve.
Vast professional network. From investigating your case to consulting medical experts, our firm has a vast network of professional contacts and resources to give your case the time and care it deserves.
Contingency fees. After a wrongful injury, the last thing you need is additional stress. At Bishop Legal, we offer free case evaluations and contingency fees, meaning you won’t owe us a penny until we recover a settlement.

If your child was harmed during labor or delivery in Seattle, we can work diligently to hold the negligent provider accountable. Contact us online to discuss your case. Pay nothing until we win a settlement.

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