Pediatric Malpractice Attorneys in Lake Charles
Families rely on medical professionals to use the best standard of care with their children. Kids receiving medical care might not be able to articulate pain that happens as a result of negligence. That’s where our pediatric malpractice attorneys come in. We take every pediatric malpractice claim with the full weight it deserves. If a doctor, a pediatrician or a children’s hospital caused your child serious harm, you deserve answers and a law firm who will stand with your family.
The Townsley Law Firm has helped injured children and their families in Lake Charles and across Southwest Louisiana since 1975. We have earned a reputation for handling serious pediatric injury cases across the region. For a free consultation to learn if you have a claim, call us today at 337-377-0584.
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Common Types Of Pediatric Malpractice
Medical negligence can harm a child in many ways. Children face unique medical risks, and providers at clinics, pediatric offices and emergency rooms must meet the standard of care. The most common types of pediatric malpractice include:
- Birth injuries: Injuries during labor or delivery, including nerve damage and oxygen deprivation
- Misdiagnosis: A failure to identify a serious condition, such as appendicitis, that delays life-saving treatment
- Surgical errors: Mistakes a surgeon makes before, during or after a child’s procedure
- Medication errors: Incorrect dosing or a wrong prescription based on a child’s weight or condition
- Failure to diagnose: Missing the signs of this time-sensitive condition, like torsion of the testis, can result in permanent injury
These errors can cause serious, lasting harm to an injured child. When a provider fails your child, accountability matters.
The Financial And Emotional Toll Of Pediatric Medical Negligence On Families
A child’s injury touches every part of a family’s life. Families dealing with pediatric malpractice often face:
- Medical expenses and ongoing care costs
- Lost income for parents who step back from work to provide care
- Emotional trauma for parents, siblings and the child
- Long-term disability and rehabilitation needs
- Loss of quality of life for the entire family
No family should carry these burdens without support. Talking to a pediatric malpractice attorney is an important first step.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pediatric Malpractice In Louisiana
Pediatric malpractice cases involve difficult medical and legal questions. The answers below address common concerns that Louisiana families bring to us.
Can a family sue for wrongful death if a child’s condition was misdiagnosed by a nurse practitioner in Louisiana?
Yes. Louisiana law allows surviving family members to pursue a wrongful death and medical malpractice claim when a child dies as a result of negligent medical care, including misdiagnosis by a nurse practitioner. The claim must establish that the nurse practitioner’s conduct fell below the applicable standard of care and that this failure directly caused the child’s death.
What is viral myocarditis and how is it diagnosed?
Viral myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle caused by a viral infection. It can present with chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and, in severe cases, signs of heart failure such as cold extremities, low blood pressure and difficulty breathing.
Diagnosis typically involves an ECG (electrocardiogram), blood tests for cardiac enzymes such as troponin, a chest X-ray to assess heart size and in many cases, an echocardiogram to evaluate heart function. In pediatric patients with chest pain and any signs of cardiac compromise, these tests are part of a standard and expected evaluation.
What are arterial blood gases (ABGs) and why does their absence matter in a malpractice case?
Arterial blood gases are a diagnostic test that measures the levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide and acid-base balance in the blood. In a patient with respiratory compromise, ABGs provide critical information about the severity of the condition and the adequacy of treatment.
In an emergency setting, failing to obtain ABGs in a deteriorating patient with hypoxia and tachypnea can constitute a departure from the standard of care, and in a malpractice case, the absence of ABG testing is evidence that the treating team failed to conduct a thorough evaluation of a patient’s true condition.
How is the standard of care established in a pediatric malpractice case in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, the standard of care in a medical malpractice case is established through expert testimony. Qualified medical experts, physicians or advanced practice providers with training and experience in the relevant specialty, review the medical records and testify about what a reasonably competent clinician in the same field would have done under the same circumstances.
In pediatric cases involving misdiagnosis, experts will typically address what diagnostic workup was required, what conditions should have been included in the differential diagnosis and whether the failure to pursue appropriate testing caused or contributed to the patient’s death.
What damages can be recovered when a child dies from medical malpractice in Louisiana?
When a child dies due to medical malpractice in Louisiana, surviving family members may recover compensation for funeral and burial expenses, medical expenses incurred before death, the emotional pain and suffering of losing a child, the loss of love, companionship and the relationship with the child, and in some circumstances, the lost future earning potential of the child.
Louisiana’s Medical Malpractice Act places limitations on certain categories of damages, but an experienced attorney can structure the claim to pursue maximum recovery within those parameters.
What should a family do if they believe their child died from a missed or delayed diagnosis in Louisiana?
Request all medical records immediately from every provider involved, including the pediatric office, the emergency room and the receiving hospital. Preserve any written communications, discharge instructions or prescriptions you were given.
Write down everything you remember about each visit: what was said, what tests were or were not performed and the timeline of events. Do not sign any documents from the hospital or their insurer before consulting an attorney.
Contact a Louisiana wrongful death and medical malpractice attorney as soon as possible. Louisiana’s one-year statute of limitations begins running immediately, and these cases require extensive expert review that takes time to develop.
Your Family Has Rights. Let Us Fight for Them.
Your family trusted a medical provider with your child’s life. The Townsley Law Firm is deeply involved in the Lake Charles community. We bring that same commitment to every family we serve. Do you have a pediatric malpractice claim? Call our office at 337-377-0584 or reach out to us online to schedule a free consultation to discuss your options.