Mississippi Birth Injury Lawyers

Certain Mississippi hospitals, such as the University of Mississippi Medical Center, are qualified to care for high-risk and premature infants. Even so, medical staff can make mistakes. For children with highly sensitive health issues, these mistakes can translate into severe complications and lasting neurological issues. If you or a loved one had a birth injury in Mississippi, you may be able to obtain compensation for care, future medical expenses and other needs.

ABC Law Centers: Birth Injury Lawyers (Reiter & Walsh, P.C.) exclusively handles birth injury cases. Our unique focus means that we have a thorough knowledge of the complex medical aspects of these types of cases. We have first-hand experience working with local co-counsel in Mississippi on birth injury cases. 

Birth injuries are injuries that a baby received during pregnancy, labor and/or delivery; unfortunately, they may not be detected immediately. Sometimes, they may not appear until after a child is age 2 or older and begins missing developmental milestones related to higher-level thinking processes, movement and walking, or language and communication.

In many cases, birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice. Physicians must follow certain standards of care in a given medical situation. If they violate these standards, a medical practitioner’s actions can be considered medical malpractice and a lawsuit can be filed on behalf of that child. 

Our attorneys frequently handle cases relating to:

• Cerebral palsy
• Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
• Traumatic Delivery
• Overusing Pitocin, Cytotec or anesthesia
• Face or breech presentation
• Preeclampsia
• Delayed emergency C-section
• Placental abruption
• Infections
• Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS)
• A baby that can’t fit through the pelvis (Macrosomia and CPD) 
• Severe bleeding

Mississippi has several hospitals qualified to care for premature and/or critically-ill babies. Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) provide access to pediatric specialists and help parents of children with multiple health issues stabilize their condition. NICUs are ranked from Level I to Level IV depending on how specialized the care they can provide is. Babies with the most fragile health are often cared for in Level IV settings. A baby that has experienced a birth injury will be admitted to the NICU to try and stop or prevent an injury from causing permanent or fatal damage.

Mississippi hospitals with NICUs include:

• University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC): UMMC is a Level IV NICU providing care for newborns that require the most intensive care. This is the only medical center with a children’s hospital in the state of Mississippi, and is the only Level IV NICU in the state.
• Mississippi Baptist Medical Center’s Level III NICU is smaller than that of UMMC, but includes 32 beds and provides pediatric subspecialists for consultation.
• Memorial Hospital at Gulfport houses the only neonatal care unit on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
• Forrest General Hospital provides southern Mississippi with both neonatal and  “family-centered” care.

Litigating military medical malpractice differs in some aspects from ‘regular’ civilian medical malpractice. If your child had a birth injury at a military medical hospital, it is important to choose a birth injury attorney with experience in litigating both birth injury law and military medical malpractice. We at ABC Law Centers: Birth Injury Lawyers (Reiter & Walsh, P.C.) have attorneys that are well-versed in cases that intersect both military medical malpractice and birth injury.

There are seven military medical facilities in Mississippi, most of which are housed in Jackson. These hospitals include:

• 14th Medical Group  (Columbus Air Force Base, Lowndes County)
• 81st Medical Group (Keesler Air Force Base, Harrison County)
• G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center (Jackson)
• Keesler Medical Center (Keesler Air Force Base)
• South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16) (Ridgeland)
• VA Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System (Biloxi)
• Veterans Health Administration (Pearl, MS)

Families of children with birth injuries have a certain amount of time (determined by a ‘statute of limitations’) to file a case, which vary on a state-by-state basis. Because of these interrelated factors, having a lawyer who focuses only on birth injury is invaluable. It is critical to discuss a potential case with an attorney as soon as possible – in Mississippi, parents have until a child’s 8th birthday (within two years of the minor’s 6th birthday) to pursue a case. In the case of adult malpractice related to the birth injury, parents have two years from the date of the injury to file a claim on their own behalf.

Attorneys at ABC Law Centers: Birth Injury Lawyers focus solely on birth injury cases and have a network of renowned medical, economic and forensics experts at our side. Our attorneys are consistently recognized for their hard work in the birth injury arena and we have an extensive track record in providing services to families affected by birth injuries. We provide personalized attention to our clients and keep them informed throughout each step of the legal process. We do not charge any fees for the entire legal process unless we win.