You want the best for your child, so it can be heartbreaking when your child sustains an injury during birth. If you believe your child was injured as a result of medical malpractice, you should consider hiring a birth injury lawyer. Here are four steps you should take to deal with your baby's birth injury:

1. Hire a birth injury lawyer

The first thing you need to do if you suspect you've been the victim of medical malpractice is to hire a qualified attorney. At an initial consultation, a birth lawyer can assess your situation and let you know if they think you have a case, based on the facts presented to them. 

2. Gather all the records pertaining to your pregnancy and birth.

When ascertaining whether or not your baby's injury was due to malpractice, your lawyer will need access to all your records. Birth injuries can be caused by poor prenatal care. For instance, if your doctor didn't perform all the necessary tests to safeguard your baby's health, they could be at fault. In order to prove malpractice, your records have to show that your doctor didn't perform all of the usual steps of care that should be given to an expectant mother.

3. Consult with a different doctor.

During the course of your birth injury lawyer's investigation, they may bring in another doctor as an expert consultant. The doctor may examine you and your child to take stock of the severity of injury. Common birth injuries include brain damage, dislocated shoulders, fractured bones, and hypoxia. The testimony of another doctor can strengthen your case if you have to go to court.

4. Sue for damages.

If your birth injury lawyer thinks you have a good case for malpractice, you can sue for damages. If your baby was badly injured, it's likely that you've had to pay for their medical care. Your lawyer will mention this during a trial, and it will factor into the amount that your lawyers asks for from the defense. Ideally, you will be reimbursed for the cost of medical care needed as a result of the birth injury to both you and your child. You may also receive additional monetary compensation for your child's suffering and emotional distress.

Finding out that your child sustained a birth injury due to inadequate care can be heartbreaking. Luckily, there are birth injury lawyers who can help you make it right. These are just a few steps you should take if you think you and your child have been victims of medical malpractice.

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