West Palm Beach Birth Injury Lawyer
At Gary Roberts & Associates, P.A., our practice centers in large part on medical malpractice litigation, including birth injuries. Our West Palm Beach birth injury lawyers devote ourselves to helping the victims and families of victims of medical malpractice obtain the means to receive treatment, achieve justice, and move forward with their lives.
- Brachial Plexus Injury
- Brain Damage From Oxygen Deprivation
- Brain Damage From Reduced Blood Flow
- Cephalohematoma & Birth-Related Head Trauma
- Developmental Delays
- Folic Acid Disorder
- Holoprosencephaly
- Intellectual Disability
- Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)
- Shoulder Dystocia
- Spina Bifida
Our Experience
Our law firm is one of the few in the United States that includes medical malpractice attorneys who are also board certified in neurosurgery, board certified civil trial attorneys, and a registered nurse. Medical malpractice cases involving birth injuries require extensive medical knowledge of procedure, injuries, and their causes. Not only does the unique background of our attorneys ensure a high degree of medical knowledge, but the law firm of Gary Roberts & Associates, P.A. has extensive legal experience handling complex medical cases.
Our firm is routinely consulted on medical malpractice cases in the state of Florida and other states across the country. Gary Roberts, the firm’s senior partner, is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer. He has litigated cases for more than 35 years, pursuing insurance companies, malpractice, and negligence claims for both individuals and business clients alike.
$4 Million Settlement
The law firm of Gary Roberts & Associates, P.A. had the privilege of representing a family whose child had suffered brain damage due to a hospital nursing staff’s negligence during the mother’s labor, causing an obstetrical emergency which ultimately resulted in the child having Cerebral Palsy.
In 2001, after learning of the pregnancy, the parents spoke with their doctor about the possibility of having a vaginal birth after previous cesarean section (VBAC) delivery. The couple’s two other children were born via C-section. In January 2002, the mother was admitted to the hospital overnight under the care of her doctor. She was induced into labor because of a development of hypertension late in her pregnancy. Before the end of his shift, the doctor checked on the mother and was pleased with her progress. He left the hospital for his office, which was just a short distance away, and the day nursing staff came on duty.
At that time, the nursing staff began to administer the medication Pitocin without a doctor’s order to do so, and continued the medication throughout the morning. The medicine is meant to increase and intensify contractions in laboring women, but can be potentially harmful to a mother who already delivered by C-section. A risk already inherent in women who give birth vaginally after having a C-section is that the scar where the C-section occurred can rupture during labor. The medication Pitocin increases this risk even further.
The nursing staff failed to inform the doctor that they administered Pitocin, thereby increasing the risk of rupturing the C-section scar. The mother began bleeding as labor continued, and yet her condition went unnoticed by the nursing staff despite the fact that it was a severe and acute emergency that required immediate attention. Several crucial minutes passed before the doctor was contacted. He immediately rushed the mother into the operating room to perform a C-section. The baby was born, but was not breathing. Although the baby did survive the event thanks to the immeasurable efforts of the doctor and the pediatric staff, the delayed delivery caused the baby to suffer brain damage resulting in Cerebral Palsy.
Today, the baby is unable to speak and unable to walk. He remains the center of his parents’ and his siblings’ lives. He gets around by scooting on his knees and is able to communicate certain things to his older sister, like what he would like to watch on television and when he wants to do so.
After meeting with their physician about the events that occurred leading up to delivery, the parents came to us at Gary Roberts & Associates. They wanted compensation that would serve to help their young son be taken care of and treated for the rest of his life. We were able to reach a settlement with the hospital and had the funds placed in a guardianship that will guarantee that the baby will be cared for the rest of his life.
Contact an Experienced West Palm Beach Birth Injury Lawyer
At Gary Roberts & Associates, P.A., we understand the medial complexities of a birth injury case and are prepared to work with our clients and their families in getting them the compensation they need to care for their loved one. Do not settle for a lawyer who doesn’t understand medical practice. Our West Palm Beach birth injury lawyers have over 35 years of experience in handling medical malpractice cases and take pride in being there for our clients when they need us.
Feel free to contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our attorneys to discuss the circumstances of your specific matter. We are happy to offer you a free, confidential initial consultation, as well as accommodate your schedule by offering evening and weekend appointments upon request. In addition, we are capable of conversing with clients who speak Spanish. Our office is located in West Palm Beach, Florida.
