Connecticut Birth Injury Attorneys

Experienced, Nationally Recognized Birth Malpractice Lawyers in Connecticut

Birth injuries can be among the most severe and catastrophic of all injuries. For over 65 years, RisCassi & Davis, P.C. has represented families affected by these injuries. Our birth injury lawyers in Connecticut are ready, right now, to help your family.

What You’ll Get When Working with RisCassi & Davis:

• A legal team that is nationally recognized for our work on birth injury cases
• A lead attorney who will be your attorney – someone who’ll work closely with you at all times and fight hard to help you recover your losses
• Tough, effective representation
• Unsurpassed attention to detail
• Guaranteed responsiveness

To learn more, call our team at (860) 245-2412 today and schedule your free initial consultation.

What Is a Birth Injury?

The National Vital Statistics Report defines a birth injury as "an impairment of the neonate's body function or structure due to an adverse event that occurred at birth."

In other words, any harm to an infant or mother during labor or delivery can be considered a birth injury. 

The most common types of birth injuries are:

• Brachial plexus injuries
• Failure to respond to fetal distress
• Erb's palsy
• Cerebral palsy
• Cephalohematoma
• Bruises and broken bones
• Caput succedaneum

When is a Birth Injury the Result of Malpractice?

A birth injury can be among the most severe and catastrophic of all injuries. Although not all birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice, RisCassi & Davis has successfully settled or tried to verdict many birth defect cases.

While some birth defects may be inherited or otherwise unavoidable, others may be the result of medical malpractice by a hospital or doctor. Examples of malpractice include:

• A physician or nurse may fail to properly react to signs of distress on a fetal heart monitor
• An obstetrical doctor may allow labor to become too prolonged despite evidence of stress to the baby and not commence a caesarian section in a timely manner
• An obstetrician may not take proper measurements in response to diagnostic information obtained from ultrasound imaging or other prenatal tests
• There may be evidence that the pregnancy or birth could be expected to be a difficult one, which should have been managed by a specialist in maternal-fetal medicine

How Long Do You Have to Sue for a Birth Injury?

Most birth injury claims must be brought within 2 years of the date of the incident. However, injuries or complications in infants can sometimes be difficult to detect, and therefore may not present until the child is a toddler or perhaps later.

Most states allow for a "discovery of harm" rule, which allows for the statute of limitations to be extended in cases where the injury could not reasonably be discovered within 2 years. In cases like this, the clock will begin running on the date when you should have reasonably known that your child had a birth injury.

The state of Connecticut imposes an absolute deadline of 3 years for all medical malpractice claims, regardless of when the victim discovered their injury. Because of the short timeline, it's extremely important that you reach out to an attorney if you suspect your child may have suffered a birth injury.

What To Expect When Working With Our Birth Injury Attorneys 

Our firm has assessed thousands of potential birth trauma cases.

Reviewing a potential birth trauma case may involve consulting medical experts, including:

• Obstetricians
• Pediatricians
• Neonatologists
• Cardiologists
• Pediatric neurologists
• Neurosurgeons

These reviews are necessary in order to obtain legally-required opinions as to whether 

• (a) the potential defendant departed from the standard of care for his or her medical specialty; and 
• (b) whether any such malpractice was a cause of the child’s condition.

Because these cases often require the engagement of multiple experts (an obstetrician, as to the standard of care, and a pediatrician or other physician regarding the harm caused by any negligence in the delivery or prenatal care), it would be wise to consult an attorney as soon as possible. Additionally, Connecticut’s relatively short statute of limitations makes early contact with a lawyer a necessity.

Please contact our birth injury attorneys in Connecticut today if we can help you with your case. You may call our office at (860) 245-2412 or fill out our contact form. Remember, there are never legal fees of any kind unless we are successful on your behalf.