Meridian Birth Injury Lawyers

Meridian Birth Injury Lawyers

Strong advocacy for newborns and parents when medical malpractice harms your baby

The anticipation of a new child is one of life’s sweetest joys. Parents dream of the life their baby will lead and all the pleasures they and their baby will bring each other. That’s why it’s devastating to learn that your child was born with a birth injury. It’s even more devastating to learn that your child’s injury was preventable. At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., our medical malpractice lawyers hold gynecologists, obstetricians, and other healthcare providers accountable when they fail to monitor, diagnose, anticipate, or treat any health conditions that occur during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. Our Meridian birth injury lawyers have more than 40 years of experience fighting for personal injury victims in Mississippi.

  • In one case, we obtained a $2.4 million jury verdict for OB/GYN malpractice when a physician’s malpractice failed to provide competent medical care for our client, who suffered a uterine rupture during childbirth – putting her life and her child’s life at risk.
  • In another birth injury case, we obtained a $1.9 million medical malpractice settlement for our client whose child was born with arm and shoulder injuries due to the inappropriate use of forceps and also suffered permanent brain injuries due to negligent medical care.
  • In a third case, we obtained a birth injury settlement for more than $500,000 when a baby suffered shoulder dystocia and a brachial plexus injury due to an improper vacuum delivery.

How can we help?

What types of birth injury cases do your Meridian medical malpractice lawyers handle?

At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., we represent parents and newborns when birth injuries occur in Meridian. Some of the many types of birth injuries we handle include:

  • Cerebral palsy. This birth injury occurs when a baby’s brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen during delivery. Cerebral palsy causes physical, cognitive, and developmental injuries that make it hard for newborns to control muscles, move, and swallow. Possible complications include brain damage, spasms, and paralysis.
  • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). This birth injury can happen if your baby doesn’t get the oxygen and blood your baby needs. HIE can be fatal. Surviving newborns may have brain damage.
  • Brachial plexus injury. Brachial plexus injuries damage a newborn’s hand, wrist, arm, and shoulder. They can happen when obstetricians improperly use forceps or vacuum extractors to help deliver a baby who is stuck in the mother’s birth canal – or if the obstetrician fails to perform a timely C-section. Our Meridian birth injury lawyers handle both types of brachial plexus injuries:
    • Erb’s palsy. This brachial plexus injury affects a newborn’s arm and shoulder.
    • Klumpke’s palsy. This brachial plexus injury affects a newborn’s wrist and hand.

At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., we also handle the following types of birth injuries and maternal injuries:

  • Cesarean (C-section) negligence, including delaying a C-section
  • Cognitive and developmental disabilities
  • Facial paralysis
  • Fetal lacerations
  • Horner’s syndrome
  • Hemorrhages
  • Infant meningitis
  • Infections and sepsis
  • Kernicterus
  • Preeclampsia
  • Shoulder dystocia
  • Skull fracture
  • Spinal cord damage
  • Stillbirths

Our Meridian wrongful death lawyers demand compensation on behalf of the family members when a baby or mother dies in childbirth.

Why do birth injuries happen during pregnancy, labor, and delivery in Meridian?

At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., we work with obstetricians, gynecologists, anesthesiologists, hospital administrators, and other medical professionals to show why your medical providers should be held accountable for your child’s injuries or the injuries of the mother.

Some of the reasons birth injuries occur in Meridian include:

  • Failing to anticipate the risks of birth injuries due to the mother’s health or the baby’s vital signs
  • Failing to warn mothers who have risk factors such as smoking or high blood pressure
  • Failing to use forceps or vacuum extractors properly
  • Delaying the use of a C-section or failing to conduct a C-section properly
  • Failing to diagnose and treat infections
  • Prescribing improper medications including antibiotics, failing to consider dangerous interactions and side effects, and failing to consider other issues
  • Failing to recognize fetal distress
  • Failing to manage umbilical complications
  • Not obtaining informed consent
  • Negligent postpartum care of the child and mother
  • Failing to comply with acceptable pregnancy and birth injury standards
  • Understaffing
  • Poor communication

How do you hold medical professionals accountable for birth injuries in Meridian?

Our Meridian birth injury lawyers file birth injury claims against all responsible parties. The defendants may include:

  • Gynecologists
  • Obstetricians (the birth delivery doctors)
  • Anesthesiologists
  • Nurses
  • Hospitals
  • Midwives
  • Pharmacists
  • Paramedics
  • Other healthcare providers

At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., we work to hold medical care providers liable for birth injuries in the following ways:

  • Our medical malpractice lawyers work with obstetricians and other doctors who can explain what should have happened during pregnancy, delivery, and post-delivery – and why your healthcare providers failed to comply with acceptable medical standards.
  • We use the discovery process to question the health care providers - in writing and in person. We also use the discovery process to obtain written and computerized records of your medical care throughout each stage – pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum care.
  • Our team works with your doctors to assess your child’s current injuries, the medical care they’ll need, and all the ways their injuries are affecting (and will continue affecting) every aspect of their life.
  • We anticipate and counter the arguments of the defendants, their lawyers, and their expert witnesses.
  • At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., we negotiate reasonable and just settlements.
  • Our attorneys argue your case before a judge and jury if there is no settlement.

What damages can my child receive for birth injuries in Meridian, MS?

Our Meridian birth injury lawyers fight to protect your child’s future. In addition to pregnancy and delivery experts, our lawyers work with neonatologists, pediatricians, orthopedists, family doctors, and other physicians- along with life planners - to address all of your child’s financial, emotional, developmental, and cognitive needs and challenges. We also work to protect the mother’s future.

Our team demands compensation for all the current and future damages (of the child and mother) including:

  • Medical bills
  • Physical pain
  • Emotional suffering
  • Loss of function
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Inability to enjoy life’s pleasures
  • The cost to parents to care for their child because they need to stop working

If your child was born stillborn or died after the delivery, our Meridian birth injury lawyers file a wrongful death action against the responsible healthcare professionals.

Do you have a Meridian birth injury lawyer near me?

Yes. Our Meridian office is located at Regions Bank Building, Suite 205, 406 22nd Avenue. We also consult with clients by phone and through online video. If your child’s injuries prevent you from coming to our office, we can make alternate arrangements.

Our lawyers are prepared to answer your questions, explain your rights, and fight for all the compensation you deserve.

Contact our accomplished Meridian Mississippi birth injury lawyers now

We understand your hurt and anxiety. Every day, you worry about your bills and your child’s health. At Merkel & Cocke, P.A., we have the experience and working relationships with physicians and life planners to help you and your newborn. We work with clients throughout Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Please call us today or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We’re ready to fight for your child’s future today.