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Malpractice Center

Best HIE Lawyers in Detroit, MI (2026)

To rank Detroit-area HIE lawyers, this evidence-based 2026 list weighs their practice focus alongside published results and client feedback.

Sources checked

5 lawyers and firms

Detroit skyline viewed from Windsor, Ontario
Photo: TheWxResearcher, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

The short answer

Because it publishes malpractice recoveries and has an HIE practice page, Goodman Acker P.C. leads this list. Before calling a firm, ask who would handle your file and check its work with birth-related brain injuries. To understand how the filing rules affect your family, talk with a Michigan lawyer.

At a glance

  1. 1Goodman Acker P.C.Free consultation4.7 out of 5
  2. 2Lipton LawFree consultation4.8 out of 5
  3. 3Sommers Schwartz, P.C.4.9 out of 5
  4. 4Morgan & MorganFree consultation4.7 out of 5
  5. 5Thurswell LawFree consultation4.5 out of 5

Best HIE Lawyers in Detroit

  1. Open spot. Feature your firm in DetroitFor lawyers
  2. Goodman Acker P.C. logo1

    Goodman Acker P.C.

    4.7483 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 483 reviews

    Best for: Published brain injury recoveries

    Among Goodman Acker P.C.'s published results are a $1 million settlement for brain damage caused by hospital negligence and a $6.5 million medical malpractice result in Oakland County. Its place on this list rests on those recoveries and its HIE pages. But the firm doesn't identify either result as an HIE birth injury case.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned 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

  3. Lipton Law logo2

    Lipton Law

    4.8178 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 178 reviews

    Best for: Neurologic birth injury claims

    Among Lipton Law's published cases is a settlement for an infant's mother after the child died following delivery with serious neurologic injuries. Another reported award concerns an anoxic brain injury that resulted from unrecognized esophageal intubation. When you ask about an HIE claim, these cases are worth discussing, but the firm doesn't give a dollar amount for either result.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    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. Sommers Schwartz, P.C. logo3

    Sommers Schwartz, P.C.

    4.920 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 20 reviews

    Best for: Infant brain injury claims

    If you're comparing HIE lawyers, ask about the $7.4 million result Sommers Schwartz, P.C. publishes for an infant with brain damage. Another reported result is a $14.2 million jury verdict involving failure to recognize a stroke and treat it promptly. Along with covering cerebral palsy and HIE, the firm's site lists birth injury as a practice area.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for the results it publishes 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

  5. Not sure who to call first?

    Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Detroit can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.

  6. 4

    Morgan & Morgan

    4.71,384 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 1384 reviews

    Best for: Delayed C-section injury claims

    After a delayed C-section left Brendan Dixon with lifelong disabilities and severe brain injury, Morgan & Morgan reports a $37.8 million jury award in 2007. The Coleman family was represented by Armando Lauritano and Keith Carter. That case took place in Hillsborough County, not Detroit.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    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

  7. Thurswell Law logo5

    Thurswell Law

    4.5232 Google reviewsRated 4.5 out of 5 on Google from 232 reviews

    Best for: Birth injury case review

    As their cases moved forward, Thurswell Law's clients often say they heard regularly from the firm. When you're looking after an injured child and working through unfamiliar records, those accounts may matter to you. The firm's site covers HIE, while medical malpractice accounts for half its practice.

    CallWebsiteFree case reviewIs this your firm?
    How they were picked

    Stood out in our review for how much of its work is medical malpractice 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

Where they are in Detroit

A few minutes that might help

Questions about your own case?
How a malpractice claim usually moves in Michigan

  1. 1.Something went wrong

    Write down dates and names while they're fresh.

  2. 2.Get your records

    Ask for your full chart and test results.

  3. 3.Free case review

    A lawyer looks at what happened, free.

  4. 4.Medical opinion

    A doctor checks whether the care fell short.

  5. 5.Notice before suing

    Some places need a notice before a claim.

  6. 6.File before the deadline

    Your lawyer starts the claim before the deadline.

  7. 7.Settlement or trial

    Many claims settle. Some go to a judge or jury.

Your deadline: 2 years from the treatmentRead the Michigan law guide

Each step in more detail

  1. Review the dates

    Tell the lawyer when treatment happened, including the date you first learned you might have a claim. Ask the lawyer to check Michigan's 2-year rule against the discovery period and outer limit. Young children's injuries come under separate filing rules.

  2. Gather the chart

    Bring your delivery notes and whatever other records you have so you can point out what's missing. Ask who will review the care and how the firm will get the qualified professional's opinion it needs to file.

  3. Prepare the filing

    Michigan requires a qualified health professional to sign an affidavit of merit accompanying the complaint that starts your lawsuit. You get 28 more days under the law if records weren't provided in time. Ask whether those extra days apply to your case.

  4. Develop the claim

    Ask your lawyer what other opinions are needed to support the claim made in your child's medical records. Discuss the expenses as you review your child's injuries. Michigan's ordinary cap on non-economic damages rises when a case involves injuries that fall in the most catastrophic category.

  5. Consider resolution

    These firms publish cases that ended in settlements, as well as jury verdicts. Find out how either route would affect your family. Past recoveries don't predict what your family might receive. Filing rules won't tell you how long your case will take, either.

Malpractice claims in Detroit: the rules that matter

The filing deadline in Michigan
  1. The clock startsOn the day of the treatment
  2. Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
  3. At the very most6 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Michigan
  • Pain and sufferingCapped at $596,400
  • All damages togetherNo overall cap
  • Expert paperworkFile an affidavit of merit signed by a qualified health professional with the complaint (28 more days are allowed if records were not provided in time).

Read the Michigan law guideWork out your own deadline

Local hospitals

Star ratings from CMS Care Compare. Look up a hospital

Filing deadline for most malpractice claims in Michigan
2 years
Source
Outer limit (statute of repose)
6 years
Source
Hospitals near Detroit with a CMS star rating
6
Source

What a malpractice lawyer costs in Detroit

  1. The first callOften free. Ask before you book.
  2. A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
  3. If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
  4. If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
Several listed firms work on contingency: the lawyer takes a share of any recovery, but you don't owe a lawyer's fee if the claim fails. The fee doesn't cover expenses. Records and medical opinions may cost you money, and you may have court fees to pay. Does the firm pay expenses up front, and would you have to repay them if there's no recovery? The listed firms don't necessarily handle expenses the same way, even when they offer a free consultation. Before signing, ask for a written fee explanation that shows how expenses affect the money your family would receive.

You can get a free consultation at seven of the eight listed firms. Six offer to work on contingency.

What to bring to your first call

  • The dates of the care you're concerned about, along with your child's birth date
  • Whatever hospital records and delivery notes you already have
  • Follow-up medical reports, along with records documenting the HIE diagnosis
  • Names of the treating clinicians and of the hospitals
  • Receipts for care-related expenses, along with bills for medical care
  • Any letters you've received from the insurer or hospital
  • What happened and when you learned about it, set out in a written timeline
  • A note identifying missing records, along with copies of the requests you've made

Questions to ask a lawyer

  1. 1What's the number of HIE birth injury claims you've handled?
  2. 2Will the lawyer handling our file also review my child's records?
  3. 3How much time do we have to file my child's case?
  4. 4To meet Michigan's requirements, how will you obtain the medical opinion and affidavit?
  5. 5If the claim succeeds or fails, how do we pay case expenses and your fee?
  6. 6How will updates reach us, and who will answer our questions?
  7. 7Where do you see similarities between our situation and your published birth injury cases?
  8. 8Can we meet remotely if you have an office outside Detroit?

Choose around your child's records, not a headline

First, find out what work the firm has done on injuries like your child's. Although an HIE page shows the firm covers the topic, it doesn't tell you how many similar claims its lawyers have handled. Find out which medical issues came up in its published cases. An infant with serious neurologic injuries appears in Lipton Law's cases; a published Sommers Schwartz, P.C. result concerns an infant with brain damage. You can't establish HIE from either description alone.

  • Ask who would review the delivery notes, then find out whether that lawyer has handled similar birth injury claims.
  • If the case doesn't proceed, who pays for the medical review, and how does the firm get a qualified opinion?
  • Find out how you'll get updates and who answers questions when your assigned lawyer is unavailable, and ask for a communication plan.
  • Find out where you'd meet. You'll find several listed firms outside Detroit, with offices in Southfield or Royal Oak. How would your family get to meetings?

Bring up the affidavit of merit early. Michigan requires this document to accompany the complaint, signed by a qualified health professional. The law allows an additional 28 days if records weren't provided in time. Ask on your first call when the records were requested and what the chart contains. Bring the records you have so you can explain what the hospital still hasn't supplied.

You can use a free consultation to ask whether the firm would take your case. The firm hasn't agreed to represent you just by talking. A lawyer working on contingency bases the fee on a recovery. Before signing, get the terms in writing so you know who pays expenses if the claim doesn't succeed. Lipton Law and Marko Law Firm don't state their contingency terms, though both offer free consultations.

No one should promise an outcome. Those published recoveries came from other families' cases, and what happened medically during your child's delivery won't be clear from Google reviews. Ask directly about communication complaints that keep coming up in reviews. Keep looking at firms if you can't get clear answers. This is general information, not advice about your case.

Questions people ask

Which Detroit-area firm leads this HIE lawyer list?
Because it publishes malpractice recoveries and covers HIE on its site, Goodman Acker P.C. takes the top place in this ranking. The firm reports a $1 million settlement for brain damage caused by hospital negligence, but doesn't identify the case as involving HIE. Its Southfield office is 24 km from Detroit, rather than in the city. Before choosing the firm, ask what similar birth injury cases it's handled.
How long do I have to file a malpractice claim in Michigan?
Under Michigan's general rule, you have 2 years from the act or omission, or 6 months after actual or reasonably expected discovery of the claim, whichever is later. A stated outer limit of 6 years applies. Children follow different rules. Have a Michigan lawyer check your dates rather than trusting a deadline worked out from the diagnosis alone.
Does my child's age change the filing deadline?
Yes. If your child was injured before age 8, they can sue until their tenth birthday or use the normal period if that allows more time. Michigan has a separate rule for a reproductive-system injury that occurs before age 13. Don't assume your child can safely wait to file. Ask a Michigan lawyer which filing rule covers the injury your child suffered.
Can we speak to a lawyer without paying for the first consultation?
A free consultation is offered by seven of the listed firms. Sommers Schwartz, P.C. says it works on contingency, but leaves open whether you'll pay for the first consultation. Ask what happens at the first meeting, including whether you'll pay for record review. A firm hasn't agreed to represent you just because it talks with you for free, nor does that conversation settle what representation will cost.
What does a Michigan malpractice case need before filing?
Michigan requires a qualified health professional to sign an affidavit of merit that accompanies the complaint you file. You have 28 additional days under the law if records weren't provided in time. Ask who reviews the delivery chart, including who will supply the affidavit. An HIE diagnosis by itself doesn't show that a particular firm has what it needs to support your claim.
How long will an HIE lawsuit take?
Michigan's filing rules won't tell you how long a case might take. Those rules tell you when to bring a claim, not when it must be finished. Ask what review your child's records need, including how the lawyer will update you as that work goes ahead. Before signing, discuss updates, because reviews of several firms include complaints about communication.
Does Michigan limit malpractice compensation?
Michigan's cap on non-economic damages rises above the amount allowed in other malpractice cases when the injuries fall in the most catastrophic category. The State Treasurer sets the amounts for each year. Ask a Michigan lawyer which cap currently applies to the injuries your child suffered and what that means. The dollar results these firms publish won't tell you what your own claim is worth.
What should I do before choosing an HIE lawyer?
Gather your delivery notes so you can write a short timeline. Several firms on this list offer a free consultation, where you can ask about similar cases and the deadline for filing your claim. Ask who would review the records before you choose a firm based just on its rating. Keep copies of the hospital's letters so you can refer to them when listing the missing records.
Can a lawyer review a case if our baby died?
Wrongful death is handled by several listed firms. Among Lipton Law's published cases is a settlement for an infant's mother after the child died following delivery with serious neurologic injuries. You can't tell from that result whether your family has a claim. To find out which filing rules apply and who can bring the case, have a Michigan lawyer review the delivery records.

Sources

  1. Michigan Compiled Laws § 600.5838a, Michigan Legislature
  2. Michigan Compiled Laws § 600.5851, Michigan Legislature
  3. Michigan Compiled Laws § 600.1483, Michigan Legislature
  4. Limitation on noneconomic damages notice, January 30, 2026, Michigan Department of Treasury
  5. State Enactments of Selected Medical Liability Reforms (as of 8/27/2026), Medical Professional Liability Association
  6. Contributory Negligence/Comparative Fault Laws in All 50 States (updated 6/10/2026), Matthiesen, Wickert & Lehrer, S.C.
  7. Medical Liability/Malpractice Merit Affidavits and Expert Witnesses, National Conference of State Legislatures
  8. Hospital General Information, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
  9. Malpractice Center methodology, Malpractice Center

Nearby cities

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