Because Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A. focuses on malpractice and publishes a case involving oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery, it leads the list. Before calling, find out who would handle your child's claim, including which birth-injury cases that attorney has handled. Fees and case costs deserve questions, too. For the filing rules, see the District of Columbia malpractice guide.
4.8181 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 181 reviews
Best for: Birth-related oxygen deprivation claims
In a case published by Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A., oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery caused permanent, severe brain injury. If your family needs help with an HIE claim, that case is a close match. You'll also find HIE and cerebral palsy discussed on its site.
Stood out in our review for the results it publishes and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
5.0216 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 216 reviews
Best for: Pediatric brain injury claims
Even when The Law Offices of Dr. Michael M. Wilson MD, JD & Associates declines a case, clients repeatedly describe a firm that listens carefully to them. When a claim didn't qualify, one reviewer says Dr. Wilson personally called to discuss it with them. Alongside those accounts, the firm focuses on malpractice and publishes pediatric brain-damage results of $6 million and $5.2 million.
Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice and the results it publishes.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
5.0173 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 173 reviews
Best for: Birth-related brain injury cases
A $4.2 million settlement for a child with severe brain injuries at birth is among Regan Zambri's published results. The firm also reports a $2.5 million settlement for an infant injured during delivery and a $2.4 million birth-injury verdict. Those results support its place here, alongside HIE information on its site and client comments about regular updates.
Stood out in our review for the results it publishes and the recognition it has earned.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Washington can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
4.966 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 66 reviews
Best for: Oxygen deprivation at birth
For a child who developed cerebral palsy after oxygen deprivation at birth, Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers PLLC reports a $10.8 million verdict. That gives a concrete birth-injury example. For a mother injured during childbirth, the firm also publishes a $50 million verdict.
Stood out in our review for the results it publishes and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.7615 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 615 reviews
Best for: Delayed C-section injury claims
Morgan & Morgan's published birth-injury result concerns a delayed C-section: a Hillsborough County jury awarded $37.8 million in 2007 after baby Brendan Dixon suffered severe brain injury and lifelong disabilities. The firm's account names attorneys Armando Lauritano and Keith Carter. Its site covers HIE, but malpractice is one part of a broader practice that also includes employment claims and car accidents.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
When you explain what happened, say when you learned about the injury. After checking DC's 3-year filing rule and discovery rule, a lawyer considers how the deadline pauses while the patient is under 18.
Records and case assessment
Which medical records does the lawyer need to assess your claim? When discussing the delivery notes, ask how the firm would review them to evaluate whether the care caused the injury. An affidavit or certificate of merit isn't required in DC.
Representation and filing
Before signing the fee agreement, read it if the firm takes your case. To start the lawsuit, you file a document called a complaint; the lawyer can explain how to do that and which deadline applies to the claim.
Developing the claim
What medical opinions may be needed, and how would your lawyer support the case with them? When you get updates, they should explain what the records show, including which issues remain disputed. Yours isn't predicted by another case's published result.
Settlement or trial
You'll find both settlements and verdicts published by the listed firms. If you receive a settlement proposal, your lawyer can explain it and what going to trial would involve. Medical malpractice damages aren't capped in DC. Your claim's value or outcome isn't established by that rule.
Malpractice claims in Washington: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in District of Columbia
The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
Time to start a claim3 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
Limits on damages in District of Columbia
Pain and sufferingNo cap
All damages togetherNo overall cap
Expert paperworkNo affidavit or certificate of merit is required.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Contingency is how several firms on this list say they work. If the claim fails, there's no attorney fee; otherwise, the lawyer gets a share of any recovery. Because records and medical opinions count as case expenses, along with court fees, you'll need to discuss those separately from the lawyer's fee. Before agreeing, ask whether the firm advances those costs, including when it deducts them. If the claim fails, could you owe them? Who carries those costs isn't stated by the listed firms. Before you sign, request an explanation in writing covering both fees and expenses.
According to all six listed firms, you don't pay for the first consultation. Contingency is also offered by Four of them.
What to bring to your first call
Any medical records you have, including the delivery notes
Delivery and diagnosis dates, with dates of later treatment
Which hospital and clinicians were involved, by name
What happened, written as a brief timeline
For injury-related medical care, the bills and receipts you have
Letters or messages you've received from the hospital or insurer
Photos for the lawyer to look over
What you want to ask about fees, costs and communication
Questions to ask a lawyer
1Have you handled cases involving HIE or birth-related oxygen deprivation, and which ones?
2When our file needs medical records reviewed, who would handle that?
3For our family's claims, what is the applicable DC filing deadline?
4Would you need additional records or medical opinions, and which ones?
5What goes into calculating your contingency fee?
6Whose responsibility are case expenses? If the claim fails, could we owe them?
7When we have questions or need updates, who would respond?
8Can you suggest another attorney if you can't take the case?
Choose for your child's case, not a headline result
What work has the firm done on oxygen deprivation during birth? You'll find birth-related brain injury results published by several firms here. If a result concerns pediatric brain damage, it doesn't necessarily identify HIE. Ask the attorney to explain their role in the cases they discuss, including which ones involved circumstances like your child's.
Who would read the delivery notes, and who would talk with you? Even if a firm's name appears on a large verdict, you don't know who'll handle your file. When there's little news to share, how will you get updates, and will an attorney be your main contact throughout the claim?
Before the lawyer decides whether to take the claim, which records do they need?
How would the lawyer assess whether your child's injury was connected to the care your child received?
Where is the office? Although Blank Kim Injury Law is in Silver Spring, some firms say only that their office is in the Washington area.
Ask Blank Kim Injury Law how its listed language support would work throughout the case if you need Korean or Spanish.
When you use the free consultation, discuss your claim, including what working with that firm would be like. Each listed firm says it offers one. Although that first conversation lets you ask about representation without paying, the offer doesn't mean the firm has agreed to take on your case. Some reviewers say firms declined their cases or offered referrals instead.
If the claim fails under a contingency arrangement, there's no attorney fee; otherwise, the lawyer gets a share of a recovery. Expenses are handled separately. While the case proceeds, who pays for the records and medical opinions? If there's no recovery, you also need to find out whether you could owe those expenses yourself. Before signing, get the answers to those questions in writing.
If someone promises a result, that's a red flag. Your case isn't the one behind those published verdicts. If the firm won't explain costs or name your contact, pause there, too. When clients report delays, the patterns in reviews can help you decide what questions to ask. Experience with HIE isn't established by a rating. Treat this as general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Which Washington HIE firm leads this list?
The firm leading this list is Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A. Because much of its practice is medical malpractice, and it publishes a case involving severe brain injury from oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery, it appears here. You'll also find HIE on its site. You can start with those concrete details. Before going further, ask whether it accepts cases involving circumstances like your child's.
What is the filing deadline for an HIE malpractice claim in DC?
You generally have to file within 3 years in DC. When you knew or reasonably should have known of the injury and its cause, together with some evidence of wrongdoing, the clock starts under the discovery rule that courts apply. For children's claims, the timing rule is different. To understand the deadline, have a DC lawyer review the dates. The delivery date alone shouldn't be your answer to every question.
Does my child have to file before turning 18?
While the patient is under 18, DC's deadline doesn't run for a claim belonging to that child. When the child turns 18, the 3-year clock starts running. To understand how the rules apply to your family, ask a DC lawyer which claims belong to your child. Rather than waiting to seek a case review, you can ask the firm earlier which records it needs to look at.
Can we speak with a lawyer without paying for the consultation?
According to all six firms here, you can get a free consultation. Because Four also say they work on contingency, their attorney fee comes from a recovery; if the claim fails, there's no attorney fee to pay. Discuss case expenses on their own. Even if that first conversation is free, the firm hasn't necessarily taken your case or agreed to cover every expense that comes up.
Does DC require a medical certificate before filing?
For a medical malpractice claim in DC, you don't need an affidavit or certificate of merit. Whether the care caused your child's injury still needs to be addressed. When discussing the delivery records, ask how the lawyer would assess them, including which medical opinions they would seek. Even though a certificate isn't required, the claim still needs a careful review.
Is there a limit on malpractice damages in DC?
Because the District of Columbia doesn't cap damages in medical malpractice cases, there's no damages ceiling of that kind imposed by the law. You can't read that rule as a promise of recovery. Your child's claim doesn't get its value from that rule, either. To understand the damages you may seek, ask a DC lawyer how your child's injury and the circumstances of the care affect them.
How long does an HIE case take?
You won't find a case-length estimate from the listed firms. Although they publish settlements and verdicts, you can't tell from those results how long your own claim might take. Before discussing the next step, ask which records the lawyer needs to review. How will you get updates along the way? Don't confuse the filing deadline with the amount of time it takes to resolve a case.
What should we do before calling a firm?
As you write a brief timeline, gather the medical records you have, paying particular attention to delivery notes and information about the diagnosis. Include your questions about costs with the hospital correspondence. Which legal rule applies isn't something you need to guess. Before the call ends, ask what else the firm wants to review, and have a DC lawyer check which filing deadline applies to your circumstances.
Can these firms review a claim if a loved one died?
You'll find wrongful death discussed on several listed firms' sites, including those of Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A. and The Law Offices of Dr. Michael M. Wilson MD, JD & Associates. Before proceeding, ask whether the firm handles deaths involving circumstances like the ones you're describing. To learn who may bring a claim and which filing rules apply, speak with a DC lawyer. For your family, those questions aren't answered by this list.
Do the published verdicts show what our case is worth?
No. When you read Nace Law Group Accident & Injury Lawyers PLLC's oxygen-deprivation verdict or Regan Zambri's birth-related brain injury settlements, you're reading results from particular cases. Although they show work the firms have published, they don't establish what a different family will recover. When asking about cases with similar medical circumstances, have the lawyer explain what would still need to be established in your own case.
1
