1000 – 330 St. Mary Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 3Z5, Canada
877-859-9976
BILA – General Information
The Birth Injury Lawyers Alliance of Canada is a national network of personal injury and medical malpractice lawyers who specialize in supporting families affected by birth injuries. Our members are knowledgeable and caring advocates with access to experts in all aspects of birth injury to advocate for children and families.
Manitoba, Nunavut, and Saskatchewan Birth Injury Lawyer
Lawyer Chris Wullum, of the law firm Tapper Cuddy LLP, has more than 20 years of experience handling a range of legal matters. After earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Manitoba in 1996, Chris has represented clients in Manitoba and Saskatchewan in civil and personal injury litigation, including medical malpractice, birth injury claims, human rights matters, and defamation. He is highly skilled in the field of birth injury law, and has obtained multi-million dollar resolutions to claims for families whose children have suffered injuries at birth. Chris is a founding member of the Birth Injury Lawyers Alliance (BILA), and is also a member of the Western Canada Medical Malpractice Association.
How We Help
Welcoming a new child is one of the most joyous experiences for a couple or family. When your labour and delivery are traumatic, resulting in a birth injury, families are often sent crashing back to earth as they deal with the aftermath of the birthing process and start thinking about their child’s future.
At BILA, we understand how devastating this experience is for families. We work with parents to help them recover the compensation that they both need and deserve for their baby’s birth injury. Each case starts with a free initial consultation, where we will listen to your story and advise you on the potential for filing a medical malpractice claim. If you choose to work with one of our lawyers, we will begin your case with an investigation to determine if the doctor was negligent in caring for you and your baby. We will use our knowledge of the law and experience handling birth injury lawsuits to put together a strong claim for compensation.
Many parents wonder exactly how a birth injury lawyer can help. The answer is straightforward: your lawyer will take on the hospital, doctors, and their insurance companies (and lawyers) so that you can focus on your child and their treatments and recovery. Birth injury is a specialized area of law that requires an understanding of both the science behind pregnancy, labour and delivery, as well as the medical-legal issues that form the basis of a lawsuit. Your lawyer will advocate for you, working hard to ensure that you get the full amount of compensation that you are entitled to, and that both you and your child need.
How Long Will My Lawyer Work on My Case?
If you choose to retain a birth injury lawyer, they will work on your claim from when you first hire them until your claim is resolved. Some cases settle within months, while others take a year or longer to conclude. Your birth injury lawyer will work to settle your case as efficiently as possible, and when necessary, will take your case to trial to ensure that you get the most possible compensation.
How Much Compensation Could My Family Receive in a Birth Injury Lawsuit?
Each birth injury claim is unique. The total amount of compensation that you may recover is based on a number of factors, including the severity of your child’s injury, their need for ongoing care, and the medical professional’s culpability for their injury. In addition, each province in Canada has different rules about damages in personal injury lawsuits (such as medical malpractice/birth injury cases). This may limit the total amount of compensation that you may recover.
Manitoba, Nunavut, and Saskatchewan Health Care and Resources
If you are pregnant or if your child has been diagnosed with a birth injury, these resources can help you get the treatment that you need.
Qikiqtani General Hospital, Iqaluit
Phone: 867-975-8600
Nunavut Health Facilities (Searchable Map)
Women’s Health Clinic
419 Graham Avenue, Unit A
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0M3
Phone: 204-947-1517
Birth Injury Statistics For Manitoba, Nunavut, Saskatchewan, and Canada
Preterm birth (before 37 weeks of gestation) occurs is approximately 8% of all pregnancies in Canada. Preterm birth is associated with high rates of mortality and a range of physical, intellectual, and developmental delays.
While the overall rate of vaginal births assisted by instruments has declined in Canada (from 17.4% in 1991/1992 to 12.2% in 2015/2016), the rate of vacuum extraction assisted births has increased from 6.8% to 9.2%. Births involving the use of a vacuum or forceps are associated with higher rates of birth trauma.
