Four Parts of a Legal Claim If a hospital or doctor results in a birth injury, the affected family deserves an adequate amount of compensation to pay for medical expenses and support their child's future Attorneys and experts collaborate to create a case which meets four legal requirements The lawsuit begins when the plaintiff's lawyer files a summons and complaint with the court The case goes through a period of discovery, where attorneys exchange information, including depositions Statute of Limitations Birth injury lawsuits must be filed in a specific time period, known as the statute of limitations When https//vimeocom/707279148 is over, victims and families may lose their chance to receive financial compensation for damages arising from medical malpractice Medical malpractice is the result of a doctor or nurse failing to perform according to the standards of medical care In many states, this standard includes practicing within the confines of their education and training, as well as experience Medical specialists like obstetricians are held to higher standards due to their unique training and knowledge Lawyers often seek evidence of the quality of medical treatment from experts who can testify on behalf of clients Experts may review the case files or conduct depositions of the key witnesses to prove negligence claims Expert witnesses are also able to distinguish between mistakes and malpractice A mistake, for example is a mistake that any competent and reasonably skilled medical provider could have committed in the circumstances However, the error caused harm The issue of malpractice is more serious matter and requires an intentional act or omission causing harm Most birth injury lawyers will argue both theories to ensure that victims get fair compensation for their injuries A family can start a lawsuit for birth injuries against private parties, like obstetricians or hospitals, for careless actions that cause children's medical issues Families may also bring an action for wrongful death when the severe birth defect results in the death of a child Medical Records It can be difficult to file a claim if you or someone you know suffers from an illness that was born A personal injury and medical malpractice attorney can assist you with gathering the necessary evidence and documentation to increase your chances of winning financial compensation you are owed A successful claim for birth injuries is contingent on establishing four crucial elements that include duty of care; breach of this duty; causation, and damages A skilled lawyer can work with your family to identify these elements on the basis of medical documents and other evidence including expert testimony In a medical malpractice case the doctor is usually accountable for the actions they perform in the course of their employment However, a hospital can also be held vicariously liable for the negligent actions of its employees when they are acting in the course and extent of their duties If your child is injured depending on the severity of the injury, they may need medical and life-care service for the rest of their lives This could mean a lot of costs, such as hospital stays or additional procedures and surgeries medication, in-home carer equipment, as well as other services A lawsuit for birth injuries can take many years to settle However, an experienced legal team can speed up this process by examining all evidence and present it to you as soon as it is possible The majority of birth injury lawyers offer no-cost initial consultations they also offer contingency fee agreements This means that you will not be charged attorney's fees during the litigation process unless you win compensation Expert Witnesses The medical expert witness is a valuable source of information to the judge and jury The expert can analyze the case and determine which elements are clinically important This allows lawyers to focus their arguments on what is important and only focus on the relevant issues The expert can also translate medical and scientific terms into an easy format to understand for the jury For a lawsuit to be successful, there are four parts that must be proved negligence, breach of duty, causation and damages To prove this, New York birth injury lawyers can use the medical documents as well as other evidence They can name as defendants all medical providers who were involved in the treatment and delivery of the baby, including the hospital or the institution where the delivery occurred They may also need to identify the mother as well as any other family members present during the birth Once the lawsuit is filed, the parties will go through a process of filing motions, hearings and discovery The exchange of medical records as well as other records is part of the discovery process The discovery period can take up to one year or more In this time, the parties typically try to come to an agreement If a settlement is not reached the case will proceed to trial This can take a few years, however many cases are settled in much less time Damages The lawsuit process involves building a case to seek financial compensation Your lawyer needs to have the resources needed to construct an impressive case and then take it to trial, if necessary Your lawyer generally advances all court costs and only gets paid attorneys' fees if they are able to recover funds for you Your lawyer will submit an Summons and Complaint in the county court where the accident happened Doctors, hospitals and other medical care become defendants Once the lawsuit is filed, a number of steps occur including discovery This is a stage during which the attorneys exchange documents and information, as well as taking depositions and sworn statements from witnesses Causation is the most important element of a birth injury lawsuit You must prove that a medical professional did not fulfill their obligation and that your child wouldn't be injured if the doctor had not The second major aspect of a legal action for birth injuries is the proof of damages Your lawyer will seek out experts to determine the totality of your losses, from medical bills to lost income to the cost of care for your entire life and emotional distress Your attorney could also try to strengthen your claim by submitting the results of other malpractice cases that have similar injuries Your lawyer will also be able to consider the current law for your particular injury, such as whether the noneconomic damages *** is applicable