When parents have a child, they want the child to have the best of everything, and the parents hope they will succeed in raising a healthy, happy individual who will have a long life. However, things don’t always go according to plan, and factors beyond a parent’s control can significantly impact a child’s life. Injuries sustained at birth or complications before, during, or after the pregnancy can cause a child to acquire cerebral palsy.

How does cerebral palsy impact life expectancy?

One of the difficult parts of having a child with cerebral palsy is the uncertainty about their life expectancy. Predicting medical conditions like cerebral palsy alter lifespans is almost impossible – and sometimes physicians aren’t able to immediately diagnose the condition in newborns. Even when they do, it can take months to years to accurately assess the level and extent of impairment a child will experience.

To fully understand how cerebral palsy has affected a child’s brain, a doctor might wait until the brain is fully developed, observing the child’s behavior over time and gauging critical developmental milestones. They should also be paying attention to other symptoms of cerebral palsy that impact life expectancy, including the following:

• Severity level
• Mobility restrictions
• Feeding difficulties
• Respiratory issues
• Visual acuity
• Seizures
• Cognitive functioning
• Number of impairments and disabilities

Some of these factors reduce life expectancy by weakening parts of the body. For example, respiratory distress makes it more difficult for the body to function and can lead to life-threatening heart conditions.

Extending life expectancy with cerebral palsy.

As doctors observe a child’s condition, they may also recommend therapy and treatments to help minimize the effects of impairment. Although it can be challenging to determine a prognosis, setting goals with the child’s doctors and learning to manage impairment, conditions, and other factors can improve outcomes.

If your child’s condition was caused by the negligence of a doctor, please don’t hesitate to call us. A medical malpractice suit against the hospital holds doctors accountable for malpractice and can secure the money you need to provide the best quality of life and care possible for your child with cerebral palsy.

Our skilled Baltimore malpractice attorneys have more than 100 years of combined legal experience to offer your case, and we have recovered more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements for families like yours.

Contact us at (410) 998-3600 or fill out our online form https://www.malpracticeteam.com/contact-us/ to schedule a free case consultation with us today.

When complications in the birth of a child cause damage or issues with the development of the brain, the child may develop cerebral palsy, affecting their life expectancy and quality of life.

Previously, many people used to believe that cerebral palsy was caused by a lack of oxygen during the birth process, but now medical professionals believe that oxygen deprivation is only responsible for a small number of cerebral palsy cases. Congenital cerebral palsy, or cerebral palsy caused by complications before or during birth, makes up the majority of cases. These complications include:

• Injury to the head during or soon after delivery.
• An infection of the brain, such as meningitis.
• A stroke or other bleeding in the brain.
• Hypoglycemia, or very low blood sugar.

What are the risk factors for cerebral palsy?

While the reasons for a child developing cerebral palsy are not always immediately apparent, several factors increase a child’s risk of developing the condition. These risk factors include:

• Low birthweight
• Premature birth (before the 37th week of pregnancy. This risk increases significantly with births before the 32nd week)
• Infection during the pregnancy
• Jaundice and kernicterus
• Multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.)
• Infertility treatments
• Tobacco, alcohol, or drug usage during pregnancy.

Can medical malpractice cause cerebral palsy?

In short, yes. Whether an oversight fails to identify the child’s lack of oxygen or careless technique causes physical injury to the child’s brain, medical malpractice and negligence before, during, or after birth can cause the development of cerebral palsy.

Medical malpractice is when a medical provider fails to meet a standard of care that the medical community recognizes as proper medical care. In cerebral palsy cases, failure to meet this standard may include:

• Failure to properly monitor or detect changes in the child’s vital signs, such as heart rate.
• Failure to detect infections or treat them promptly.
• Failure to detect signs of fetal or parental distress that require immediate intervention, such as an emergency cesarean section.
• Failure to detect and address medical conditions that pose a risk of harm to the child or parent, including umbilical cord tangling.
• Improper or inappropriate use of medical tools, such as forceps or vacuum extractors
• Failure to ensure that necessary medications are administered.

When medical providers fail to meet the agreed-upon standard of care, they violate the trust that patients put in them and open patients and children up to significant, potentially lifelong complications, damage to quality of life, and even a reduction in life expectancy.

Where the standard of care has not been achieved, those affected by the medical malpractice can sue medical providers, holding them accountable for the violation of trust and long-term harm they have caused while securing the financial future they need to provide the best possible standard of living for the affected individual. For children with cerebral palsy and their parents, this means accessing the necessary funds to provide ongoing medical care to improve life expectancy and quality of life.

How can I determine if malpractice caused my child’s cerebral palsy?

Hospitals and other medical providers are unlikely to share that malpractice caused cerebral palsy in your child – and without medical training, parents are unlikely to be able to determine it themselves. If you suspect medical malpractice caused cerebral palsy or any other birth injury, it is essential that you have an impartial, 3rd party medical expert review your case.

At WVFK&N, our cerebral palsy malpractice lawyers specialize in seeking justice for victims of medical malpractice and their families, particular those who suffered an injury at birth. We have cultivated relationships with birth injury and cerebral palsy experts who are able to determine if malpractice is the cause of a child’s cerebral palsy – and we relentlessly pursue justice for those that have suffered at the hands of the medical system.

Contact us at (410) 567-0800 or complete our online form to schedule a free consultation with one of our birth injury attorneys today.

Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC. (WVFK&N), in partnership with Spector & Kopec, LLC., announced a class-action lawsuit against a Maryland doctor accused of sexual harassment.

The class-action lawsuit will focus on the behavior of Hugo Benalcazar, MD, a Harford County neurosurgeon whose medical license was suspended after The Maryland Board of Physicians discovered a pattern of sexual harassment against both coworkers and patients that endured for several years.

The Maryland Board of Physicians suspended Dr. Benalcazar’s license in July 2021 after it became aware of behavior including unwanted touching, lewd comments, and smacking an anesthetized patient’s buttocks in the operating room, among other acts, according to the documents filed with the board.

If you or someone you know was a patient or coworker of Dr. Benalcazar, please contact WVFK&N at 410-567-0800 or visit www.BenalcazarLawsuit.com.

About Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman

At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, we handle medical malpractice and birth injury cases throughout Maryland. With more than 150 years of combined experience, we have what it takes to help with your case, no matter the complexity. The medical malpractice and birth injury lawyers at WVFK&N have resolved more than $500 million in medical malpractice cases. For more information on the class action lawsuit or for a free case review, contact WVFK&N at 410-567-0800 or visit MalpracticeTeam.com.

Baltimore, Maryland—May 27, 2020— Today, Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman (WVFK&N) announced the firm will not pursue any COVID-19 related medical malpractice cases. This firm-wide decision acknowledges the overwhelming strain on the medical system at this time and demonstrates the firm’s solidarity with frontline workers. In reaching this decision, the firm is not taking a position – one way or the other – on the potential merits of a given COVID-19 related lawsuit.

WVFK&N’s mission remains steadfast – to provide the highest quality of personalized representation in cerebral palsy, birth injury, and medical malpractice litigation. The law firm continues to be focused on their clients’ needs – many of whom need them now more than ever.

In a show of appreciation, the entire WVFK&N team has donated $5,000 to getusppe.org to support the organization’s work delivering Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to essential workers across the country. Keith Forman, a partner at WVFK&N says, “We are proud to stand with our frontline workers by donating to getusppe.org. This wonderful organization, started by a group of emergency room physicians, will use our donation to provide more PPE to our frontline workers.”

Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC is a Baltimore-based medical malpractice and birth injury law firm serving victims and families throughout Maryland, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, D.C., and the nation. Over the years, the firm has capitalized on more than a century of collective experience to recover over $500 million in verdicts and settlements. The firm has obtained record results, including the largest medical malpractice verdict in United States history. More information about the firm and services can be found at www.malpracticeteam.com.

At Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC, client satisfaction is our number one goal, and our firm is known for our results. This year, many of our attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon on the 2020 Lawdragon Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers list.

Lawdragon honorees include:

• Mary Koch (Partner)
• Keith Forman (Partner)
• Stephen Offutt (Partner)
• Kenneth Vogelstein (Senior Partner)
• Gary Wais (Senior Partner)

WVFK&N would like to extend warm congratulations to all our partners and attorneys above, and we are honored to have these fearless legal advocates on our team.

With the list, the publication also released the following statement:

“Each and every member of the 2020 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America is remarkable. They face the longest odds every day to stand up for what they believe in…The Plaintiff Consumer 500 range from coast to coast, counseling grieving family members, finding pathways to justice for those who have been harmed or killed…the 500 warriors on this guide…will fight for your loved ones as you would.”

What Is Lawdragon?

Lawdragon is a legal media company that publishes a well-known yearly guide on America’s leading lawyers, as well as free online news, press services, and editorial features. The publication has been providing captivating legal journalism for nearly 15 years and helping clients find and learn about some of the most impressive attorneys in the business.

On its top-500 list, Lawdragon presents attorneys in alphabetical order, without ranking or pretense. The organization also publishes a physical copy that helps lawyers and clients learn about the important work going on in the legal industry.

Our medical malpractice and birth injury lawyers are proud to appear on the Lawdragon 500 list in 2020. The work we do helps people recover from serious medical mistakes and allows families to move forward after the unthinkable.

About Our Firm

Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC is a nationwide birth injury and medical malpractice firm with active cases in Maryland, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Georgia, Tennessee, and Texas.

We treat our clients like family and focus on making a difference for disabled children with brain damage and cerebral palsy. We also help people remedy inexcusable medical mistakes.

If you have a case, our team will uncover what went wrong and pursue justice on your behalf.

Call us at (410) 567-0800 or contact us online to discuss your case in a free, no-obligation consultation.

Attorneys Keith Forman, Mary Koch, and Sarah Smith of Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC recently made history with a record-setting jury award for their birth injury client. A Baltimore jury awarded our client $229.6 million for the harm caused by a permanent brain injury suffered by her infant daughter at birth. Under Maryland law, the verdict will likely be reduced to approximately $205 million, which will stand as the largest verdict of its kind in the United States.

Details of the Infant Brain Damage Case

On October 20, 2014, our client—Erica Byrom—was admitted to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center for preeclampsia—a condition that usually occurs after the 20^th week of pregnancy and is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine.

Ms. Byrom’s doctors informed her that her condition would cause her unborn daughter to suffer a brain injury or death. The doctors also advised Ms. Byrom that she could terminate the pregnancy, which would have been a violation of Maryland law and John Hopkins Bayview Medical Center policy at that stage of the pregnancy.

The safest course of action for Ms. Bryom and her child was delivery by cesarean section. However, on October, 23 2014—three days after she was admitted—Ms. Byrom’s doctors informed her that her condition deteriorated and advised a medically-induced labor without a C-section and continuous fetal monitoring.

This information would later be revealed as a medical misdiagnosis. Ms. Byrom was in labor for roughly 22 hours, during which her child sustained an ischemic brain injury due to hypoxia. As a result of the medical provider’s mistakes, Ms. Bryom’s daughter was born with cerebral palsy, an incurable brain injury caused by oxygen deprivation. She now requires constant care and attention due to the complication. Further details of the case are being kept private out of respect for the family and due to state laws.

News Coverage

The record case of a $229 million verdict garnered the attention of the nation’s media. For more information about this ongoing story and record medical malpractice jury verdict, read full articles from The Baltimore Sun, The National Law Journal, The Seattle Times, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.

For more information about this ongoing story and record medical malpractice jury verdict, you can click hereto visit a full article from The Baltimore Sun. To learn more about Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman and our birth injury representation on hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, call (410) 567-0800. We travel across the country to work with clients in need. See what we can do for you and your child by contacting usnow.

Last month, a class action lawsuit filed in federal court alleged that at least ten women were treated by a man who falsified documentation in order to practice medicine, treat patients, and deliver babies at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Maryland. According to the lawsuit, Oluwafemi Charles Igberase – who went by Dr. Charles J. Akoda – faked his identity and practiced as a gynecologist at the hospital between 2008 to 2016 as both a resident and a doctor.

Hospital staff initially caught onto “Dr. Akoda” in 2014 after he was suspected of practicing without a license. Following a criminal investigation by federal authorities, Igberase pled guilty to using false documentation, including fraudulent medical diplomas and social security information, to obtain a Maryland medical license. Igberase had previously come under scrutiny multiple times for using false information and practicing medicine unlawfully – including one 2000 incident in which he was dismissed from a New Jersey residency program for providing incorrect information about his identity, and another in 2012 when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) discovered an inaccurate social security number on his Medicare enrollment application.

Were you or a loved one treated by Dr. Charles J. Akoda, AKA Oluwafemi Charles Igberase, at Prince George’s County Hospital Center? If so, you may have grounds to pursue a lawsuit against the hospital for negligently hiring an unlicensed medical provider, and seek compensation for your damages. Discuss your case during a free consultation when you call (410) 567-0800.

Holding Hospitals Liable for Negligent Hiring / Retention

The federal class action lawsuit, as well as other lawsuits filed by patients treated by Dr. Akoda, allege victims suffered preventable harm and damages as a result of Prince George’s Hospital Center negligently hiring Dr. Akoda, allowing him to practice Obstetrics and Gynecology without a license, and providing him medical privileges to treat patients and oversee delivery.

According to victims, the hospital – which acknowledged it employed the man who claimed to be Dr. Akoda – could have protected patients from preventable harm had they taken reasonable steps to evaluate his documentation and review his background. A thorough search, which victim’s claim was an obligation of the hospital, could have turned up a number of red flags, including:

• Dr. Akoda’s use of fraudulent social security numbers
• False medical diplomas, transcripts, and letters of recommendation
• Fraudulent immigration documents and birth certificates
• A documented history of fraud, including incidents involving his dismissal from a New Jersey residency program and fraudulent Medicare enrollment application

One victim named in the federal lawsuit had a child delivered by Dr. Akoda in 2012 following 16 hours of labor. In addition to the pain and suffering she and her child endured at the time of birth, the woman also claims the experience has caused tremendous emotional injuries, destroyed her trust in hospitals and health care providers, and scared her from ever having children again.

Do You Have a Case?

Dr. Akoda is believed to have treated numerous patients during his eight years at Prince George’s Hospital Center in Maryland. If you were one of the patients who was treated by Dr. Akoda – including pregnant mothers and families whose childbirth was overseen or handled by the fraudulent doctor – you may be entitled to compensation. Several women have already come forward to pursue lawsuits against Prince George’s Hospital Center for its failures to ensure medical staff were properly licensed and trained, and to ensure the safety of patients.

Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC is a proven medical malpractice and birth injury law firm that has earned national recognition for representing victims of substandard medical care and medical negligence. Over the years, our legal team has leveraged more than 100 over 200 years of combined experience to hold health care providers accountable for their failures, and has recovered more than half a billion in verdicts and settlements for clients since 2012 – including the largest medical malpractice verdict in Maryland history ($55 million against Johns Hopkins Hospital).

If you have questions about a possible case, your rights, and how our legal team may be able to help you, do not hesitate to call (410) 567-0800 for a FREE and confidential consultation. Our compassionate and experienced legal team is standing by to help you get started.

Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC is pleased to announce that our firm has been named to the 2018 Edition of U.S. News ­– Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” Rankings! This distinction, considered one of the most objective and prestigious achievements in the legal industry, establishes our law firm among the most qualified and accomplished in the nation.

As one of the nation’s most trusted attorney ranking services, U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” publishes an annual list of the country’s top legal practices by region. Unlike other attorney rating services, including those where lawyers can purchase their way onto a final list, U.S. News rankings are carefully curated using an objective and multi-phase selection process based on peer review, client feedback, and independent research.

As part of the “Best Law Firms” selection methodology, potential law firms are evaluated rigorously on a number of factors, including:

• Peer Review – “Best Law Firms” aims to capture the opinions of leading lawyers in the industry, and vets firms based on attorneys who vote on the responsiveness, expertise, and integrity of potential candidates. Lawyers are also asked whether they would refer a potential case to law firms, and whether they would consider them worthy competitors. In the most recent annual survey, “Best Law Firms” accumulated ranking profiles from nearly 55,00 individual leading lawyers.

• Client Feedback – In addition to peer review, the “Best Law Firms” methodology also captures clients’ feedback on firms, including their expertise, cost-efficiency, level of service, and other factors. As with leading lawyers, clients are also asked whether they would refer a firm to other clients.

• Independent Research – With information regarding demographics and background, the “Best Law Firms” research team further evaluates law firms on data that speaks to their strengths. Results obtained through independent research are then factored into peer review and client feedback evaluations, and are combined to make final selections. Only the highest scoring firms are chosen for inclusion to the “Best Law Firms” list.

Because recognition by U.S. News – Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” speaks to our attorneys’ having exemplified the highest level of professional ability, peer reputation, and client satisfaction, local residents throughout Baltimore and the state of Maryland can feel confident about choosing to work with our award-winning legal team after they or their loved ones have suffered serious injuries, including those resulting from medical malpractice and birth injuries. Our firm is proud to have been selected in this year’s publication, and look forward to leveraging our experience, insight, and commitment for the benefit of our clients.

If you would like more information about our firm and the services we provide, or if you wish to discuss a potential case with a member of our team, contact us for a FREE consultation.

Sometimes, during birth, an infant may need a little help getting through the birth canal. Difficult labor conditions could be caused by an unusual birth position, high birth weight, the shape and size of the mother’s pelvis and birth canal, and other maternal and fetal health conditions. Prolonged labor can also exhaust both mother and child, so doctors will do what they can to deliver the baby within a certain amount of time. To help with this process, a physician might use vacuum extraction or forceps to support the delivery. However, while they may speed up the process, they can also cause their own dangers.

Vacuum extraction involves placing small, flexible, round cups to the infant’s head in the birth canal. An electrical or handheld pump is then used to create suction, so the cup holds securely to the baby’s head. The doctor can then pull gently on the cup to guide the infant down the birth canal as the mother pushes. This technique can be used only if the baby is born head first and is at full term; vacuum extraction could be dangerous for premature infants.

A forceps delivery, on the other hand, is similar to the vacuum extraction, except the doctor will instead insert a pair of spoon-shaped tongs into the birth canal to gently grasp the sides of the baby’s head. He or she will use the tongs to pull out the baby gently as the mother pushes. These tools are used for babies in abnormal birth positions and premature infants.

While these techniques are generally safe, they can cause injuries to the baby’s head. Bruising is a prevalent side effect; while it might look terrible at first, the bruising is generally harmless and will heal within a few days. A bruise caused by vacuum extraction, called cephalohematoma, may increase a child’s risk for developing mild jaundice. The pressure of the vacuum extraction can also break minor blood vessels in the infant’s eyes.

More severe injuries include bleeding in the skull or skull fracture. Those injuries can result in permanent brain damage and can put a child at risk for lifelong physical and intellectual disabilities. Strokes, fractures, broken bones, and even facial paralysis can occur from these techniques. If your physician caused significant damage to your child through negligence or carelessness, talk to us about your case as soon as possible. Our skilled Baltimore birth injury attorneys can help. Our firm has more than 100 years of combined legal experience to offer you and your family.

Contact us at (410) 567-0800 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case consultation with us today.