Plenty of lawyers advertise for the “best” lawyer in their area. Whether it’s “best personal injury lawyer,” or “best criminal defense lawyer,” attorneys are generally not shy about labels.
This can be a problem.
Without verified data, how can you tell if someone really is the “best?” Cerebral palsy and birth injury lawyers are no exception. The process of vetting attorneys who represent injured children as victims of medical negligence is tedious, as not all data is relevant.
We believe the relevant data is narrowed down to the following:
- What percentage of the lawyer’s practice area is devoted to birth injury and medical malpractice cases?
- Does the lawyer actively seek to expand their knowledge about cerebral palsy and other birth-related injuries?
- Does the lawyer have past and present verdicts or settlements on behalf of children and families dealing with cerebral palsy?
- Is the lawyer well-regarded by their own peers in the industry?
Who is the “best” birth injury lawyer in Virginia?
The best, as most people will tell you, is subjective. However, when it comes to data and statistics, the best can be narrowed down. When your car breaks down you don’t take it to a plumber, you take it to a trusted mechanic. When a child is diagnosed or shows symptoms of cerebral palsy, you shouldn’t hire a workers’ compensation lawyer.
Why?
It may seem obvious, but even though both attorneys state that they handle “personal injury” cases, the two are entirely different and a specialist should always be involved.
Our choice for the best birth injury lawyer in Virginia
Charles “Chuck” Zauzig, Esq., of the Zauzig Trial Group has been practicing since 1978. Chuck is an active member of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group, the American Association for Justice, and many more organizations. Chuck and his team have been a part of many million-dollar verdicts and settlements, including a $2.75 million dollar award, which after added interest, totaled nearly $6 million for a child who suffered from cerebral palsy due to negligence during the last few weeks of gestation.
While Chuck’s verdicts are impressive, it’s not the only thing that makes him the best. Chuck has a long-standing history of public speaking, educating other attorneys on birth injuries, and being a national lecturer in the field of medical malpractice. It’s one thing to have great verdicts and education to support your “best” label, but after decades of being chosen by your peers to educate fellow attorneys on the topics you practice, that speaks for itself.
Not All Virginia Cases Are Treated the Same
Virginia is different when it comes to navigating the world of birth injuries and cerebral palsy cases. The State of Virginia enacted the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Act to supposedly help infants, toddlers, and children who have been injured by “the deprivation of oxygen or mechanical injury occurring in the course of labor or delivery.”
However, it depends on when the injury happened, which hospital the birth took place in, whether there was “congenital abnormalities,” etc. As you can see, Virginia does not make it easy to navigate the likely largest decision of your child’s life.
Birth Injury Statistics in Virginia
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publish the data regarding births in the State of Virginia. For the most recent year available, 2019, Virginia recorded pre-term births in 9.9% of all births in the state. Virginia also recorded a 31.9% Cesarean section delivery rate, which is 19th in the country. Virginia also recorded a total of 97,429 live births that year.
When it comes to birth weight and gestation, low birth weight and early birth have been linked to cerebral palsy. In Virginia, several districts reported over 1,000 low-weight births and very low-weight birth rates in 2019. “Low” birth weight is defined as under 2,500 grams, while “very low” weight is under 1,500 grams. Among the counties reporting the highest number of low and very low birth weights, these are the top: Fairfax, Arlington, Prince William, Henrico, Chesterfield, Newport News, and Hampton City.
Biggest Hospitals and Common Defendants in Virginia
- VCU Health System
- University of Virginia Medical Center
- Inova Fairfax Hospital
- Norfolk Southern Hospital
- Kaiser Foundation
- HCA’s Henrico Doctor’s Hospital
- Chippenham Hospital
Verdicts and Settlements
In 2019, there was a $3,401,451.00 verdict on behalf of a victim of medical malpractice.
In 2016, a Virginia lawyer obtained a $4 million dollar verdict. This case involved a failure to diagnose and treat brain swelling, which ultimately caused permanent blindness.
Chuck Zauzig obtained a $1.2 million dollar settlement for an infant who sustained permanent nerve damage after delivery.
Chuck also obtained a $2.1 million dollar award for a birth injury victim due to improper forceps rotation during delivery.