Medical errors during childbirth can transform a moment of joy into years of hardship. For Woodlawn families, a birth injury means watching your child struggle through preventable pain while facing staggering medical costs.
A birth injury attorney from Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. stands ready to fight for the compensation your family deserves.
Our attorneys have recovered over $1 billion for Maryland families harmed by medical negligence. We handle every aspect of your legal claim while you focus on what truly matters: your child’s health and your family’s wellbeing.
Birth Injuries: When Medical Care Falls Short
Birth injuries occur when healthcare providers make preventable mistakes during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. These errors can cause permanent harm ranging from nerve damage to life-altering brain injuries requiring lifelong care.
For Woodlawn residents who deliver at Northwest Hospital or other Baltimore County facilities, birth injuries create extraordinary financial pressure. Treatment often requires specialized therapies and equipment costing millions over a child’s lifetime.
Our lawyers build strong cases by connecting medical mistakes directly to your child’s condition, securing funds for immediate treatment and future care needs.
Most Common Birth Injuries in Baltimore County
The most common birth injuries we’ve seen in Woodlawn are the following:
Brain Injuries and Cerebral Palsy
Oxygen deprivation during birth can cause permanent brain damage, leading to cerebral palsy. This condition affects approximately 1 in 345 children according to the latest data, limiting movement, coordination, and sometimes intellectual function.
These injuries typically result from:
- Unrecognized fetal distress signals
- Delayed cesarean sections
- Mismanaged maternal conditions like preeclampsia
Children with these injuries require extensive therapy, adaptive equipment, and sometimes round-the-clock care. The financial impact is immediate and ongoing, with lifetime costs frequently exceeding $1 million.
Nerve Damage and Brachial Plexus Injuries
When excessive force is applied during delivery, particularly during shoulder dystocia, nerves controlling arm movement can tear or stretch. These injuries, including Erb’s palsy, affect 1-2 babies per 1,000 births.
Depending on the severity, these injuries may:
- Resolve naturally over months
- Require surgical intervention
- Cause permanent weakness or paralysis
Even with treatment, many children experience permanent limitations affecting everyday activities and future independence.
Fractures and Physical Injuries
Difficult deliveries can result in broken bones, particularly clavicle (collarbone) fractures. While many heal completely, some cause permanent damage or disfigurement when improperly diagnosed or treated.
Maternal Injuries
Mothers also suffer preventable harm during childbirth. Hemorrhage, unrecognized preeclampsia, and infection mismanagement threaten maternal health and safety.
How Medical Negligence Causes Birth Injuries in Woodlawn
Our experience with Baltimore County birth injury cases reveals several recurring patterns of negligence:
Missed Warning Signs During Monitoring
Electronic fetal monitoring tracks the baby’s heart rate and maternal contractions during labor. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), specific heart rate patterns indicate distress requiring immediate intervention.
When Woodlawn medical providers:
- Misinterpret monitoring data
- Fail to communicate concerning patterns
- Leave mothers unmonitored for extended periods
Babies can experience preventable oxygen deprivation, causing permanent brain damage within minutes.
Delayed Emergency Actions
When complications arise, timely cesarean sections prevent injury. At Woodlawn-area hospitals, delays often result from:
- Understaffing during evenings and weekends
- Communication failures between medical team members
- Reluctance to perform surgery despite clear indicators
These delays allow dangerous conditions to progress, causing preventable harm to both mothers and babies.
Delivery Tool Errors
Forceps and vacuum extractors assist difficult deliveries but require proper training and technique. Misuse can cause:
- Skull fractures
- Brain hemorrhages
- Facial nerve damage
- Permanent disabilities
When Baltimore County practitioners use excessive force or improper techniques with these instruments, they fall below accepted standards of care.
Medication Mistakes
Labor and delivery medications require precise dosing and monitoring. Pitocin (oxytocin) errors can cause uterine hyperstimulation, reducing oxygen to the baby. Anesthesia administration mistakes risk maternal hypotension, affecting placental blood flow.
According to the International Medication Safety Network, medication errors in neonatal care occur from:
- Confusing adult and pediatric formulations
- Calculation errors when determining weight-based dosages
- Poor communication during shift changes
These preventable errors directly threaten both maternal and infant health.
Maryland Birth Injury Laws That Matter in Woodlawn
Filing Deadlines: Act Promptly
Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 5-109 establishes strict deadlines for birth injury claims:
- Standard Limitation: The earlier of five years from when the injury occurred or three years from when it was discovered
- Minor Extension: Children under 11 have until their 11th birthday to file claims
- Wrongful Death: Three years from the date of death for fatal birth injuries
Missing these deadlines permanently bars compensation regardless of how clear the negligence. Early consultation protects your legal rights.
Expert Certificate Requirement
Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-2A-04 requires a certificate from a qualified medical expert stating:
- The provider violated the standard of care
- This violation directly caused the specific injury
- The expert has relevant clinical experience within five years
This certificate must be filed within 90 days of initiating your claim, a technical requirement that demands legal expertise to satisfy properly.
Compensation Limits
Maryland Courts and Judicial Proceedings § 3-2A-09 caps non-economic damages (pain and suffering) at approximately $905,000 for 2025 cases. This cap increases slightly each year.
Importantly, Maryland places no limit on economic damages, allowing recovery of all medical expenses, care costs, and lost earnings related to the birth injury.
Compensation for Woodlawn Birth Injury Victims
Current and Future Medical Costs
Birth injuries require extensive medical intervention:
- Immediate NICU and specialized care
- Surgeries and hospital stays
- Ongoing physician specialists
- Medications and medical equipment
For Woodlawn families, proximity to Baltimore specialists often means access to excellent care, but at significant expense. Your attorney must secure funds covering both current bills and projected future needs.
Life Care Requirements
Children with permanent disabilities require:
- Home modifications for accessibility
- Specialized educational support
- Professional caregiving services
- Adaptive equipment and technology
A thorough life care plan developed by medical and economic experts ensures compensation reflects these lifelong necessities.
Income and Earning Impacts
Birth injuries affect family finances when:
- Parents reduce work hours to provide care
- Children face reduced future earning capacity
- Families relocate for specialized services
Economic experts calculate these losses based on Baltimore County employment data and the specific limitations imposed by your child’s condition.
Pain and Suffering
Maryland law recognizes the physical pain and emotional trauma that birth injuries cause:
- Physical discomfort from injuries and treatments
- Emotional distress from limitations and differences
- Missed childhood experiences and milestones
- Family stress and relationship impacts
While capped by state law, these damages acknowledge the human cost of preventable medical errors.
How Woodlawn Birth Injury Attorneys Fight for Your Family
Our attorneys provide thorough representation throughout your case:
In-Depth Investigation
We examine every aspect of your child’s injury by:
- Reviewing prenatal, labor, delivery, and neonatal medical records
- Analyzing fetal monitoring strips for warning signs
- Consulting with specialist physicians to identify standard of care violations
- Building clear connections between negligence and specific injuries
This meticulous approach creates compelling evidence of liability.
Managing Legal Requirements
We handle all technical aspects of your claim:
- Filing properly with the Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office
- Securing qualified expert certificates within the required timeframes
- Responding to defense motions and procedural challenges
- Preventing technical dismissals that could end your case
Our familiarity with Baltimore County courts provides valuable procedural advantages.
Effective Negotiation and Trial Preparation
Most claims resolve through settlement negotiations, where our attorneys:
- Present comprehensive evidence of negligence
- Document full economic and non-economic damages
- Counterinsurance defense strategies
- Refuse inadequate offers that fail to meet your child’s needs
When settlement offers fall short, our trial attorneys present compelling cases to Baltimore County juries, translating complex medical evidence into clear explanations of negligence and harm.
Protect Your Child’s Future Today
The moments following a birth injury are pivotal for your family’s future. Every day without legal action risks evidence disappearing, memories fading, and deadlines approaching.
We offer free consultations for Woodlawn families affected by birth injuries. Our team will review your case, answer your questions, and outline your legal options without any obligation.
Contact our team today. Your child deserves justice and the resources to thrive despite their preventable injuries.