Gloucester City Birth Injury Lawyer

Why Choose Us?

Many things can happen during childbirth. If something goes wrong, you may be overwhelmed by the needs of your child and uncertain about what you should do next. If you believe your child was injured due to the negligence or carelessness of the doctor or other medical personnel, you need the assistance of skilled legal professionals. We invite you to consult with the Wapner Newman birth injury lawyers in Gloucester City, New Jersey. Here are three reasons why:

We Get Results

At Wapner Newman, we have been representing injured children and their parents since 1978.  Our experienced birth injury lawyers have earned a reputation for excellence in the legal community. We have received many awards from our peers and accolades from satisfied clients.

We have a proven track record of achieving fair and just compensation for our clients, including a $227 million personal injury settlement, a $45 million verdict for abuse, and over $60 million in combined birth injury settlements. Our attorneys will take the toughest cases for our clients and pursue them zealously to get the compensation and justice they deserve.

We Care About Our Clients

Every legal case is unique. At Wapner Newman, we assign your case to one of the principal partners, so you receive the personal attention you deserve. Our legal team will provide updates throughout your case, answering questions during the entire legal process. The relationships we build with our clients last long after the case is closed. And we are proud of the difference we’ve made in their lives.

Knowledge Matters

Traumatic birth injuries are complex, and they require expert knowledge to properly litigate. Not every personal injury or medical malpractice attorney is qualified to successfully represent families who are going through the traumatic experience of a child with a birth injury. Our clients need attorneys who are both experienced in the courtroom and compassionate in the office.

The birth injury attorneys at Wapner Newman are seasoned litigators with extensive experience in traumatic birth injury cases. We have won major victories for clients, including several of the largest settlements in New Jersey.

Our team of Gloucester City birth injury attorneys at Wapner Newman have the resources and expertise to handle the most difficult child injury cases. When you choose us, you can be confident that you will receive expert representation from attorneys who will zealously advocate for you in negotiation and litigation.

Contact a birth injury lawyer in Gloucester City to get started on seeking justice for your family. Call 215-569-0900 today.

How We Can Help

If your child has suffered a birth-related injury, you have too much to worry about without trying to determine the cause of your baby’s injury. At Wapner Newman, we will start by gathering your child’s medical records, and then review your case to determine whether it was caused by negligence, and what type of case can be filed.

There are many symptoms of birth-related trauma. They can include facial bruising, skull or spinal deformities, difficulty breathing, and arm and leg injuries. Later signs can include seizures, partial paralysis, light sensitivity, and developmental delays. These conditions may have other causes besides malpractice or negligence, so it is essential to seek the counsel of an experienced birth injury lawyer in Gloucester City to develop a legal plan to help get treatment and compensation for your child’s birth injuries.

These conditions may be associated with birth trauma or birth injuries:

Nerve damage related to improper delivery or improper positioning in the birth canal, including:

• Cerebral palsy
• Erb’s palsy
• Laryngeal nerve palsy
• Klumpke’s palsy
• Facial nerve palsy
• Nerve damage.

Oxygen depletion injuries:

• Hypoxia (oxygen deprivation)
• Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

Bone fractures and injuries due to forcible delivery:

• Collarbone fracture
• Shoulder dystocia
• Brachial plexus injury
• Umbilical cord injuries
• Skull fracture
• Spinal cord injuries
• Spastic quadriplegia
• Vacuum extraction injuries
• Cephalohematoma (bleeding in the skull)
• Perinatal stroke
• Horner syndrome
• Long-term disabilities.

Pre-birth Misdiagnoses and Maternal Injuries:

• Intrauterine growth restriction
• Infections
• Preeclampsia
• Genetic abnormalities misdiagnosed in utero
• Spina bifida
• Chorioamnionitis
• Placental abruption
• Wrongful death
• Stillbirth.

Your doctor or healthcare provider is responsible for ensuring you understand all potential risks and outcomes of procedures used in your delivery before the birth date. Part of establishing a case of medical malpractice is showing you were not sufficiently informed of all hazards beforehand. This is known as a lack of “informed consent” and is an element of negligence.

Proving Negligence

Negligence occurs when a doctor’s conduct falls below the standard of care to avoid an injury. Doctors have a heightened duty of care toward their patients, to prevent injury and avoid situations that may cause injury or death. Not all birth injuries are due to a doctor’s or healthcare provider’s negligence. However, if you suspect improper behavior, you should contact an attorney immediately.

Some examples of negligence that could result in birth injuries include:

• Improper training in using equipment or procedures
• Inexperience in handling difficult deliveries
• Poor communication in informing parents about possible negative outcomes and alternatives to treatment
• Failure to perform prepartum tests that would notify the doctor of potential risks
• Failure to properly interpret the fetal monitor during delivery
• Delay in performing a C-section during the delivery when the fetus or mother is in distress.

Your attorney will review the medical records and consult with other medical professionals to determine if negligence was involved in your child’s birth injury. We will advise you on the best steps to take going forward.

Birth injury cases can be complicated, and it may be difficult to understand the long-term impact of different types of injuries your baby may have sustained. Our team of Gloucester City birth injury attorneys at Wapner Newman can answer any other questions you may have. We will discuss the legal options you have and what compensation we might pursue in your case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some symptoms of a birth injury?

Some of the immediate symptoms of a birth injury or traumatic birth include:

• Low Apgar scores (appearance, pulse, “grimace” or reflexes, activity, respiration)
• Inability to nurse or take a bottle (latch reflex)
• Labored breathing
• Inability to move arms or legs
• Seizures
• Inability to swallow
• Vomiting
• Light sensitivity
• Spasms.

What are some birth injury symptoms for toddlers?

Infants and toddlers (below two years of age) who suffered a birth injury may begin to display these conditions:

• Speech difficulties
• Sleep problems
• Inability to gain weight
• Feeding problems
• Cognitive delays
• Lack of coordination.

Trauma from a birth injury can have a significant impact on a child’s development and well-being. If your child is displaying any of these symptoms, it is important to seek the guidance of a birth injury attorney in Gloucester City right away.

What compensation can I recover?

There are no guarantees in any legal case. However, people seeking compensation for birth injuries can typically receive two types of damages: economic damages and non-economic damages.

Economic damages (or special damages) are intended to reimburse for quantifiable financial losses related to the birth injury. This can include medical bills, diagnostic testing, surgery, and therapy. Moreover, some children may need rehabilitative therapy lasting for many years and require compensation for the cost of future care.

Non-economic damages (or general damages) are meant to compensate the baby and their families for intangible losses such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. The mother may suffer psychological birth trauma (PBT), a type of post-traumatic stress, and be unable to bond with her infant or develop a fear of childbirth. This may also be a type of damage that can be compensated.

Punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the doctor or hospital for their negligence. Punitive damages are only awarded if there is some evidence of malice or when the conduct goes beyond mere negligence to wanton disregard for human life.

Get Help From Our Birth Injury Attorneys in Gloucester City, NJ

If your child has suffered a birth injury, you may have questions about your legal rights and options. The experienced attorneys at Wapner Newman can help answer your questions, provide guidance and advise you of your rights.

Birth injury cases are complex, and it is important to have knowledgeable legal counsel on your side. Our Gloucester City birth injury lawyers have successfully represented many clients in birth injury cases, and we can help you understand the potential for a positive outcome in your case.

Contact us today by calling 215-569-0900 or using our contact form to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced birth injury lawyers in Gloucester City.