Detroit Birth Injury Lawyer

GOODMAN ACKER. GOOD DECISION.

It is heart wrenching when your child suffers a birth injury due to negligent care by a hospital, doctor, or another healthcare professional. You deserve justice and compensation to ensure your child has the resources they need to thrive. The legal team at Goodman Acker understands the impact these injuries can have on your entire family. Our Detroit birth injury lawyer will fight aggressively to ensure that the negligent party is held accountable and that you and your child get access to the care and compensation you deserve.

Detroit Birth Injury Guide

• What Can Goodman Acker Do for You?
• Common Types of Birth Injuries
• What Is the Difference Between Medical Malpractice and Medical Negligence?
• Commonly Asked Questions in Michigan Birth Injury Cases
• Discuss Your Case with Our Trusted Detroit Birth Injury Attorneys

Why Should You Choose Goodman Acker?

Our attorneys at Goodman Acker have over 150 years of experience helping people recover damages when others harm them. Founding partner Barry Goodman formed his desire to help others at a young age after his father was hurt on the job and did not get the justice he deserved. He graduated with honors from the Stetson University College of Law and committed his legal practice and other aspects of his life to fighting for justice. He is the former president of the Michigan Association for Justice, a board member of the Anti-Defamation League, and has served as the chair of the Negligence Section of the State Bar of Michigan.

Our partners and the rest of our team are committed to getting justice, which shows in their results. We have secured personal injury settlements and verdicts in the millions of dollars because we are not afraid to take on the deep pockets of businesses and insurance companies.

Contact our team online or by phone at 248-286-8100 to schedule a free consultation today with our dedicated and seasoned Detroit personal injury attorneys.

What Can Goodman Acker Do for You?

It is a traumatic time for your family when your child is born with birth injuries. You will be on an emotional roller-coaster, seeking answers and dealing with rising medical bills. It is hard to focus on what to do about it when you are busy dealing with everything else, especially if you are caring for your other children or facing complications at work.

You need compassionate, caring attorneys to help lift that burden. Our Detroit birth injury lawyers understand that you are going through a challenging time and that your relationship with your attorney has to be a partnership.

You and your family deserve an individual assessment of your case, and a team of lawyers dedicated to answering all of your questions and guiding you through each and every step of the negotiation or legal processes. We will investigate your case thoroughly, collecting medical records and hiring experts where necessary.

We understand the tactics that insurance companies use to make claims go away, and we will not let them take advantage of your pain to make you drop your case or accept less than you deserve.

“Your staff was so welcoming and helpful that by the end of our appointment, our questions were answered, and we felt comfortable knowing that your agency would walk us through the legal maze ahead of us. I am grateful that through this process, anytime I had a question or concern, that you and your staff were quick to respond, making this process so much easier.” – Client testimonial.

Common Types of Birth Injuries

When a birth injury occurs, an infant is at serious risk of suffering permanent damage for the rest of their life. No matter what the injury, the outcome, and the steps that follow, can be emotionally taxing and extraordinarily complex.

Some of the most common birth injuries include the following:

Erb’s Palsy

Erb’s Palsy is a weakening or paralysis of the arm that occurs due to a direct injury to the brachial plexus. A brachial plexus is a group of nerve fibers that run from the spine, through the neck and armpit area, and down the arm. When the brachial plexus nerves are injured, it will affect the movement of the infant’s upper arm and the rotation of the lower arm.

Erb’s Palsy will occur when a baby’s shoulders become stuck on the mother’s pelvic bone. This can happen during a difficult delivery, or when the doctor or nurse must deliver the baby quickly and exert force to pull the baby from the birth canal. In most scenarios, Erb’s Palsy can be avoided. When a doctor fails to take the necessary precautions to avoid an Erb’s Palsy injury, abnormally pulls the infant, or uses too much force when using forceps there may be cause for medical malpractice.

Cerebral Palsy

This condition is often the result of damage to the motor control centers of the infant’s developing brain. Individuals with cerebral palsy suffer a physical disability, which can include limitations in posture, movement, sensation, and depth perception. In addition, this condition can cause bone and joint deformities, tremors, trouble with fine motor coordination, balancing issues, and difficulty walking.

Brachial Plexus Injuries

Brachial plexus injuries involve damage to the network of nerves that transmit signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. These injuries can vary in severity, ranging from minor nerve damage to complete paralysis of the arm. A common cause of brachial plexus injuries in newborns is shoulder dystocia, a complication that occurs during delivery when the baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone.

When faced with shoulder dystocia, medical providers must act swiftly, yet cautiously, to avoid placing too much pressure on the baby’s delicate nerves. If a doctor or nurse applies excessive force, improperly uses delivery instruments, or fails to recognize and manage the signs of shoulder dystocia, it can lead to unnecessary injury. Many brachial plexus injuries are preventable, and if negligence played a role in your child’s condition, you may have grounds to seek justice for the harm caused.

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)

Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is a serious condition in which a baby’s brain suffers damage due to a lack of oxygen and blood flow during labor or delivery. This form of brain damage can have lifelong consequences, such as developmental delays, problems with movement or cognition, and other physical and neurological challenges.

HIE can result from a variety of complications, including umbilical cord issues, prolonged labor, or inadequate monitoring of the baby’s oxygen levels during delivery. If a healthcare provider fails to respond to signs of fetal distress, delays ordering an emergency C-section, or mishandles complications, this lack of action can have devastating impacts. While each case is unique, parents deserve answers if substandard care contributed to their child’s brain damage. Legal action can help ensure accountability and provide the resources your child may need for ongoing care.

Intracranial Hemorrhages

Intracranial hemorrhages, commonly referred to as brain bleeds, occur when blood vessels within the brain rupture and bleed into the surrounding tissues. This condition can cause significant pressure on the infant’s developing brain, potentially leading to seizures, developmental delays, and other long-term disabilities. Newborns are particularly vulnerable to brain bleeds during a traumatic or mismanaged birth process.

Intracranial hemorrhages can stem from the improper use of delivery tools such as forceps or vacuum extractors, failure to monitor signs of fetal distress, or other preventable mistakes during labor and delivery. When medical professionals fail to uphold the standard of care necessary to safely deliver a child, the consequences can be life-altering. Seeking legal counsel can help you understand what happened and whether your child’s injury was avoidable. You may be entitled to compensation to support your child’s future needs.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries in newborns are rare but can result in devastating lifelong impacts, including limited mobility, loss of bodily function, and developmental delays. These injuries occur when the delicate spinal cord is damaged, severed, or compressed, often due to trauma during a difficult delivery. The effects of a spinal cord injury can range from partial to complete paralysis, depending on the severity of the damage and where it occurred along the spine.

Trauma during delivery, such as improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors, excessive pulling or twisting of the baby’s body, or failure to respond appropriately to complications, can contribute to these injuries. When medical professionals do not exercise the necessary care to protect the baby’s spine during delivery, the outcome can be life-altering for the entire family.

If your child was harmed during the birth process due to the doctor or hospital’s negligence, contact Goodman Acker immediately at 248-286-8100 for a free consultation.

What Is the Difference Between Medical Malpractice and Medical Negligence?

While both medical malpractice and medical negligence involve substandard care, they have distinct legal definitions that can impact your birth injury claim.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor should have been aware of the consequences of their inactions or actions.

Malpractice law in Michigan is guided by the Revised Judicature Act of 1961, Chapter 600. The law is complex, includes notification requirements, and describes the proof you need to make a medical malpractice case. You must show that the doctor acted in a way that other doctors would not.

Medical Negligence

Medical negligence happens when a doctor or other healthcare professional present during your child’s birth makes a mistake that leads to your child’s injury.

Negligence claims are also covered in Chapter 600. In some negligence cases, people have to establish that there was a legal duty of care on behalf of the party that caused harm. However, there is an implied relationship under the law between medical professionals and patients. Under negligence law, you must show that the doctor breached that duty and that a reasonable person would not have acted that way.

The Impact on Birth Injury Lawsuits

It can be difficult to decide what type of claim to make when your child has a birth injury. The threshold for proving malpractice is higher than for negligence since malpractice claims depend on proving that the doctor knew their actions could cause harm.

Our experienced Detroit birth injury attorneys can help you decide which type of claim to pursue, and whether to hold the doctor, other health professionals, the hospital, or others liable. We will also advise you regarding the types of damages you should pursue.

Was My Child’s Birth Injury a Result of Medical Negligence?

Determining whether medical negligence occurred during the labor and delivery process can be challenging but crucial for understanding your child’s birth injury. Not all birth injuries are a result of medical negligence. However, some of the most common forms of negligence seen by our attorneys which have resulted in serious birth trauma include:

• Improper forceps use during delivery
• Improper vacuum use during delivery
• Delay in ordering a Caesarian Section (C-Section)
• Failure to identify and treat hypoxia
• Failure to perform specialized tests during pregnancy
• Failure to effectively use the labor-inducing drug Pitocin
• Failure to diagnose or treat infections, umbilical cord entrapment, or premature ruptures of the membranes
• And other causes.

A birth injury can have a significant impact on your child’s life. We have experienced attorneys knowledgeable in handling these types of claims and lawsuits who will investigate your claim to determine whether or not medical malpractice has occurred. Call our office today to learn your rights and determine whether your infant’s injuries are the result of medical malpractice.

Compensation Available in a Birth Injury Lawsuit

As a parent, watching your child face the challenges of a birth injury is heartbreaking. Pursuing compensation through a birth injury lawsuit isn’t about financial gain—it’s about holding responsible parties accountable and ensuring your child has access to the resources they need to lead a fulfilling life. Birth injuries often come with significant medical expenses, and for some families, the costs of care can feel overwhelming.

Compensation can help cover immediate medical expenses, such as surgeries or therapy, as well as future medical expenses that may arise as your child grows. This is especially vital if your child has permanent disabilities that require lifelong care, medical equipment, or assistance. By seeking justice, you’re taking an important step to secure your child’s future and provide the best possible outcomes for their health and well-being. Know that you are not alone, and support is available to help you through this difficult process.

Commonly Asked Questions in Michigan Birth Injury Cases

Discuss Your Case with Our Trusted Detroit Birth Injury Attorneys

The period following a birth injury is a very traumatic time, and navigating the legal system can be a daunting task. You do not have to do it alone. You can count on our birth injury attorneys at Goodman Acker to answer any questions you have about your case and treat every family member with the compassion you deserve.

Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case and legal options: 248-286-8100.

Goodman Acker P.C. – Headquarters

Two Towne Square SUITE 444,
Southfield, MI 48076
248-286-8100

LEGALLY REVIEWED BY BARRY J. GOODMAN

Barry J. Goodman has devoted his professional life to keeping courthouse doors open for victims seeking justice. Always a tireless advocate for his own clients, Goodman sees his responsibility as a Detroit personal injury attorney in a broader sense as well. [ Attorney Bio ]