Minneapolis Stillbirth and Death Lawyers
It is hard to imagine the intense emotional pain that a stillbirth causes. The birth of a child is usually one of the most joyous occasions in life. A stillbirth saps that joy. Furthermore, difficult deliveries often cause stillbirths. So, the mother essentially endured a great deal of pain and suffering, both physically and otherwise, for nothing. Sadly, these cases are quite common in Minnesota. The United States, one of the most highly-developed countries in the world, also has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the world.
Maternal death has a similar emotional dynamic. This death rate has dropped precipitously in recent decades. But it is still alarmingly high. Furthermore, this statistic is little comfort to a family that’s been crushed by a maternal death. This result could occur during delivery, immediately after delivery, or even months or years following delivery.
The compassionate Minneapolis stillbirth and death lawyers at Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman understand the emotions these families experience in these situations. Many of the people on our professional team have gone through much the same thing themselves. Usually, these families need emotional closure and financial compensation. So, we work very hard to obtain both these things. We work hard, and our clients benefit. As they struggle to heal, we build an evidence-based claim that fulfills these objectives.
Duty of Care
When commuters drive to work, they usually have a duty of reasonable care. They must avoid causing accidents if possible, obey the rules of the road, and generally drive defensively. These legal responsibilities are rather modest. In most cases, obtaining a drivers’ license is not much more involved than filing paperwork.
However, it’s much more difficult to obtain a medical license. Doctors need years of education and training before they can even think about applying for a license.
Additionally, pretty much everyone in a vehicle has some idea where the car is going. And, most passengers are licensed drivers themselves. But doctors have complete control of medical treatment matters. Patients have no power in these situations. They couldn’t take the wheel even if they wanted to.
So, doctors have a much higher level of responsibility than motorists. In fact, doctors have a fiduciary duty. That’s the highest duty of care in Minnesota law. So, pretty much any medical mistake, even if it is unintentional, constitutes medical negligence, or a lack of care.
Resolving Your Claim for Damages
If the doctor was negligent, a Minneapolis stillbirth and death lawyer can usually obtain compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering. Additional punitive damages are usually available in these claims as well.
Most negligence claims settle during mediation. Basically, mediation is a court-supervised negotiation session. A third-party mediation serves as the judge’s representative at these sessions. Furthermore, the mediator works with both parties and helps them reach a compromise settlement agreement.
Pursuant to court rules, these settlement negotiations must involve some give-and-take. As a result, mediation is about 90 percent successful.
Reach Out to a Savvy Hennepin County Lawyer
Injury victims are usually entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced spinal cord injury lawyer in Minneapolis, contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman LLC by going online or calling 612-473-0905. Virtual, home, and hospital visits are available.