Mixed Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Mixed Cerebral Palsy (CP) is one of several types of cerebral palsy that occurs when a child experiences damage to multiple areas of the brain. Children living with mixed Cerebral Palsy generally experience a wide range of physical and neurological symptoms. There are many different treatment options, from surgery to physical therapy, that could help manage your child's condition and symptoms. For families of children with mixed CP, the need for diverse treatments, increased care, and additional assistance can be financially burdensome.
Although several factors may cause a birth injury that results in mixed CP, many cases result from preventable medical mistakes. At Miller Weisbrod Olesky, our experienced team of compassionate Cerebral Palsy Lawyers, nurses, and nurse attorneys understand the devastating effect birth injuries can have on families. We can help you determine if a doctor, nurse or other hospital staff member’s failure to provide you and your child with a reasonable standard of care may have been responsible for your child developing Mixed CP. Let us put our expertise and substantial resources to work to get you the support and answers you need.
What is Mixed Cerebral Palsy?
Children diagnosed with mixed CP exhibit symptoms of two or more types of cerebral palsy. Mixed CP occurs due to damage in several parts of the brain arising before, during, or after birth. This condition is the second most common form of cerebral palsy, accounting for around 15% of all people living with the disorder.
The following are the three primary forms of cerebral palsy:
Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Accounting for 75% of all individuals diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Spastic Cerebral Palsy is one of the most common forms of this condition. Spastic CP is divided into three subtypes that are classified based on the body parts affected. These include:
- Spastic diplegia
- Spastic hemiplegia
- Spastic quadriplegia
Some children with Spastic CP may have a hard time relaxing their muscles, be unable to eat or speak properly, and experience abnormal reflexes and distorted movements. They may also have crossed knees or walk on their toes to take pressure off tight calf muscles.
Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy
This type of cerebral palsy is characterized by fluctuations in muscle tone from stiff to rigid and uncontrolled movements that range from slow to rapid. Children with Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy have problems speaking and controlling their arms, hands, legs, feet, and tongue. Symptoms of dyskinetic CP are categorized into three groups based on different types of involuntary movement:
- Athetosis
- Chorea
- Dystonia
Some of the first signs that may indicate a child suffers from Dyskinetic CP are difficulty controlling eye movements and developmental delays like the inability to crawl, sit up, or reach for objects. Spastic-Dyskinetic is the most common combination among children living with mixed cerebral palsy.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
Children with this form of cerebral palsy experience tremors, struggle to control movement, and may have difficulty grasping, walking, or holding onto objects. They also experience issues with balance and depth perception. Ataxic Cerebral Palsy is the rarest form of CP and accounts for approximately 10% of all cases of cerebral palsy.
To ensure an accurate diagnosis is made, doctors usually hesitate to diagnose a child with ataxic CP before the first two years of life. There are several symptoms and challenges a child with mixed CP could face. For instance, a child with dyskinetic cerebral palsy may experience uncontrollable movements, while a child with spastic CP may suffer from stiff muscles. A child with both spastic and dyskinetic CP would likely have trouble controlling their movements and struggle with muscle stiffness.
Because mixed cerebral palsy involves a combination of symptoms from other types of cerebral palsy, treatment can be more challenging, and care can be expensive. With the help of a cerebral palsy attorney, you can recover the financial compensation you need to cover these costs.
How can Malpractice Cause Cerebral Palsy?
Mixed cerebral palsy is caused by damage to multiple areas of a developing brain during fetal development, labor and delivery or even due to events occurring shortly after birth. In many cases, mixed CP results from the negligent action or inaction of a doctor, nurse or hospital. Doctors, nurses and other medical staff must stay diligent in anticipating dangerous issues with the pregnancy or emergencies during the delivery. When they fail to provide the standard level of care, they could be held liable for medical malpractice.
Some examples of medical mistakes that can lead to cerebral palsy include:
- Neglecting proper fetal monitoring and failing to respond to signs of fetal distress.
- Delaying or failing to perform necessary interventions like an emergency C-section.
- Improperly or negligently using delivery tools like forceps or vacuum extractors.
- Failing to diagnose or treat maternal infections or other health problems.
- Failing to provide appropriate prenatal and postpartum care.
- Forcing delivery by excessively pulling on a newborn's body.
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) resulting from negligence during or shortly after labor and delivery
- Failing to diagnose or effectively treat jaundice or hypoglycemia
- Failure to perform appropriate neonatal resuscitation including due to meconium aspiration.
- A lack of communication between physicians and other healthcare providers.
- Improper Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC) leading to uterine rupture
Proving that medical malpractice caused or contributed to a child's Cerebral Palsy necessitates the assistance of a skilled Cerebral Palsy Lawyer who has specific knowledge, experience, and understanding of the causes and consequences of birth injuries. If your child's birth injury occurred due to a preventable medical error, you should consult with a cerebral palsy lawyer who will thoroughly assess the facts of your case and file a birth injury lawsuit against a negligent hospital or medical professional on your behalf.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Birth Injury?
When a medical provider breaches the applicable standard of care by committing an act of negligence that causes a child to suffer an injury, the victim's family may consider bringing a legal claim against the provider and/or medical facility. Various types of medical professionals and healthcare facilities can be held liable for a birth injury. Understanding who you can and should pursue a medical malpractice claim against can help you ensure you receive full compensation for your losses.
If your child was the victim of medical malpractice that led to a birth injury, you can file a birth injury lawsuit against:
- Physicians
- Midwives
- Surgeons
- Nurse aids
- Nurses
- Anesthesiologists
- Medical clinics
- Hospitals
- HMO
Hospitals may be held vicariously liable if one of their employee's negligent action or inaction causes a child to sustain a birth injury. A hospital might also be held directly liable for its negligent actions. For example, a hospital might be found directly responsible for a birth injury when it fails to ensure that its medical providers have the proper credentials, training, and education.
To establish negligence in a birth injury claim, your medical malpractice lawyer will have the burden of proving:
- The defendant (the healthcare provider or hospital) owed you (the plaintiff) a duty of care.
- The defendant breached that duty by failing to provide you with the expected standard of care.
- The defendant's breach of duty caused injuries to you or your child before birth, during labor, or after the delivery.
- The injury caused the plaintiff to suffer measurable harm or damages such as physical pain, financial losses, or emotional suffering.
Clear and convincing evidence that medical negligence caused by a medical professional or hospital is required to establish these elements and file a successful claim. Some key types of evidence that your birth injury attorney may gather include medical records, expert reports, testimony, eyewitness accounts from those who assisted in the delivery or were involved in the delivery, and the defendant's employment records, including any previous complaints filed against them.
What to Expect from Filing a Birth Injury Lawsuit
Knowing what to expect if you're considering pursuing a Birth Injury Malpractice Lawsuit is the best way to make the process as stress-free as possible. Your medical malpractice attorney can help gather evidence to hold all parties involved accountable for your child's birth injury and file a claim on your behalf.
Here's what you should know about the birth injury lawsuit process:
- Initial Consultation with a Birth Injury Lawyer: The first step in this process is meeting with an attorney who can help you determine if a negligent healthcare provider caused your child's birth injury. At our birth injury law firm, we offer free case reviews with our cerebral palsy lawyers, where you will be advised of your legal options and whether you have a viable case.
- Gather Evidence & Expert Testimony: To win your birth injury lawsuit, your attorney will need to gather evidence that shows that a healthcare provider's actions fell below the expected standard of medical care and estimate the amount of your damages. Pieces of evidence like the mother and child's medical records and expert testimony are critical to supporting your claim.
- Settlement Negotiations: Before filing a lawsuit, your lawyer will submit a demand package to the medical provider or hospital responsible for your child's injury. The package may include copies of documentation to support your claim and a statement describing the timeline of evidence that led to the incident. Although most birth injury claims settle out of court, in cases where the plaintiff and the defendant don't come to an agreement, a medical malpractice lawyer will likely proceed with a lawsuit.
- Filing the Birth Injury Lawsuit: When both parties fail to negotiate a fair settlement, your attorney will file a lawsuit with the appropriate court. Birth injury cases can become extremely complex, and if you decide to file a lawsuit on your own, you risk not obtaining the results or compensation you deserve.
- Discovery Phase: During the discovery phase, both sides exchange information and evidence, including witness depositions, involved in each party's case. Depending on the rules of the court where you file your lawsuit, this step in the process can take anywhere from 16 to 30 months.
- Trial & Verdict: During a trial, a judge and jury will determine whether the healthcare provider or hospital was responsible for your child's injury by examining all the evidence and listening to arguments from both parties. A verdict is reached after the plaintiff and the defendant's attorneys present their case and give closing arguments. If the verdict favors the plaintiff, the judge and jury will determine the type and amount of compensatory damages the plaintiff should be awarded.
Available Damages in Cerebral Palsy Cases
Compensation secured through a successful Birth Injury Malpractice Lawsuit can help make families financially whole again. While no amount of money can undo the trauma you and your child have experienced, you may be able to relieve some of the financial burden by collecting compensation for the following types of damages and losses.
- Medical expenses, including future costs
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Home or vehicle modification costs
- Physical and rehabilitation therapy expenses
- Lost wages or potential income
- The cost of nursing or at-home care
- Loss of enjoyment of life
In cases where the defendant caused intentional harm or was extremely reckless, punitive damages or exemplary damages may be awarded to punish the wrongdoer and deter others from behaving similarly in the future. These types of damages are typically only awarded in cases involving extreme examples of medical malpractice. The best way to determine the damages you're eligible to pursue is by working with a knowledgeable medical malpractice attorney who can make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Statute of Limitations for a Cerebral Palsy Case
The Statute of Limitations is a law in in birth injury cases that limits the period of time in which you can file a lawsuit on behalf of your child. The time limit enforced on these cases varies from state to state. Missing your state's deadline may bar you from recovering any compensation. However, the discovery rule allows the statute of limitations to start on the date that the victim discovered or reasonably should have discovered their injury. As soon as you become aware of your child's diagnosis, you should contact a cerebral palsy lawyer who can make sure your case is filed on time.
How Our Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Can Help
Cerebral Palsy is a life-long disorder, and the cost of treatment can quickly become a significant financial burden. If you suspect your child's Cerebral Palsy was caused by a preventable medical mistake made during childbirth, we encourage you to discuss your case with one of our Birth Injury Attorneys as soon as possible.
At Miller Weisbrod Olesky, we are proud to be one of the nation's leading birth injury firms. We have a stellar record of success recovering multi-million-dollar settlements for the families of birth injury victims throughout the United States. Firm founder, Les Weisbrod is nationally recognized as one of the top medical malpractice plaintiffs attorneys in the country. He remains committed to providing birth injury clients with unparalleled services by working alongside our in-house staff of registered nurses and nurse attorneys who provide emotional support and guidance to the families of each birth-injured child.
Every year, we strive to expand our reach and bring a sense of justice to families affected by a birth injury through aggressive and skilled legal representation. Call our toll-free number at (888) 987-0005 to schedule your free case review or fill out the form below to begin your consultation process.
Contact Miller Weisbrod Olesky Today
Meet Our Birth Injury Attorneys
Les Weisbrod
Les Weisbrod has been on the cutting edge of the national birth injury litigation scene for almost 40 years.
As a national birth injury attorney, Les has settled over 204 medical negligence cases for more than $1,000,000. He also obtained settlements in 75 birth injury cases for over $1,000,000 each.
His $31 million verdict against Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas was one of the top 100 verdicts in the United States that given year.
Les is recognized nationally and internationally as one of the top plaintiff’s medical malpractice trial lawyers in the United States. But the recoveries for the clients and the differences made in the lives of the children and families Les has represented tell only part of the story.
Les has worked with his law partner Clay Miller for years to build a one-of-a-kind law firm.
Miller Weisbrod Olesky provides unique and unparalleled services to families of birth-injured and brain-injured children from the moment the firm decides to take the case.
The registered nurses and registered nurse-attorneys on staff are valuable team members who assist Miller Weisbrod birth-injury clients. Les has designed a system where each birth injured child is assigned a nurse-attorney liaison to guide them through the process of medical treatment/evaluation, therapies, home assistance, and quality of life improvement.
Miller Weisbrod’s unmatched service allows families to better cope with the immediate challenges facing our young clients.
Birth-injured children and their families are Les and Miller Weisbrod’s priority.
Les and the attorneys at Miller Weisbrod fight for the justice their clients are entitled to under our nation’s system of justice.
This fighting spirit has taken Les across the United States to represent clients in birth injury and medical negligence cases. In fact, he has personally handled cases not only in Texas but also in Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Utah, Iowa, Ohio, Oregon, Montana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and New York.
Les and Miller Weisbrod continue to expand their reach of helping brain-injured children to new states each year as we strive to bring a sense of justice to each affected family. And Les is not the only one who notices he fights for his clients.
Michael Rustad, a Professor of Law at Suffolk University Law School in Boston who has done extensive research on punitive damage awards, says,
“Les Weisbrod has obtained more medical malpractice punitive damage jury verdicts for his clients than any other attorney in the United States.”
Also, a well-known defense medical malpractice attorney dubbed Les Weisbrod the “pitbull” of the Texas medical malpractice bar in a media profile of Les published by a major newspaper.
Les shares his experience and knowledge to improve the representation of all birth-injured children and their families.
In the early 1990s, Les recognized that a more focused effort needed to be made to educate attorneys who handle birth injury cases. As a result, Les was the founding Co-Chair of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Birth Trauma Litigation Group in 1991. He also was a founding Co-Chair of AAJ’s Medical Negligence Litigation Group in 1999 and served as Chair of AAJ’s Professional Negligence Section in 1996.
Combined, these groups have put on more than a hundred continuing education seminars across the United States. helping to educate other attorneys by bringing in world-renowned experts in the fields of:
- labor and delivery
- neonatal care
- the care and treatment of birth-injured children, including those suffering from cerebral palsy and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
Education and professional experiences back up his dedication to helping children and families harmed by medical malpractice.
Les received his B.A. magna cum laude in 1975 from Claremont Men’s College and his J.D. in 1978 from Southern Methodist University Law School.
He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law.
Les was a past president of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association in 1993. He has been a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association Board of Directors since 1990.
His work with the American Association for Justice (AAJ) (formerly ATLA) includes serving as President, President-Elect, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Parliamentarian. Mr. Weisbrod has also served on the AAJ Board of Governors since 1998 and the 17-member Executive Committee of AAJ since 2001. In 1990, he was chosen as a Rising Star of the ATLA and presented a paper entitled “Dirt and Greed: A New Look at Medical Malpractice Cases.”
Les has written and lectured extensively on birth injury litigation, medical malpractice, and medical product topics.
Les is a contributing author to the 1996 text Operative Obstetrics published by Williams & Wilkins. He also co-authored the “Drugs & Medical Devices” chapter in AAJ’s Litigating Tort Cases.
He also has lectured to lawyer groups across the U.S., Canada, England, and Australia.
Education
- Southern Methodist University - School of Law, J.D. - Dallas, Texas, 1978
- Claremont Men's College - B.A. - Claremont, California, 1975
Areas of Practice
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury/Birth Trauma
- Products Liability
- Personal Injury
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- National Association Of Distinguished Counsel
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
- American Association for Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
- Pan-European Organization of Personal Injury Lawyers
- American Society of Law and Medicine
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association
- Louisiana Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas and American Bar Associations
- ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates)
Clay Miller
Clay is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Clay has practiced solely in the field of catastrophic injury and wrongful death since graduating from law school. His practice has been limited to the representation of victims. Over the past twenty-four years, Clay has successfully settled or tried to verdict cases in the areas of vehicular negligence, medical malpractice, construction site accidents, workplace injury, premises liability, and commercial trucking and a nationwide business loss case (suits filed in a dozen different states) involving defective truck engines sold to trucking companies.
Clay represented dozens of trucking companies in lost profit and diminished value claims against Caterpillar in 2010 through 2012. These cases were filed in over a dozen states with the bellwhether trial set in Federal Court in Davenport, Iowa. After intense litigation and trial preparation, a global confidential settlement was reached for all the clients.
Clay's most recent 2017 victories are a $30,800,000 jury verdict in Tennessee arising from fraud claims in the sale of heavy-duty truck engines and a $26,500,000 jury verdict in a construction accident, obtained within 60 days of each other.
Clay was raised in Lewisville, Texas and completed his undergraduate degree in Finance at
Texas A & M University. Following graduation from Southern Methodist University School of law, Clay worked for two Dallas firms representing victims. In 1998, Clay began his own practice before forming his current partnership. In addition to his law practice, Clay has lectured at seminars and published in the areas of construction accidents, jury selection techniques, medical negligence, trucking accidents and settlement tactics.
He is active in local and statewide trial lawyers' associations including serving as the Chair of the Advocates for the Texas Trial Lawyers' Association in 2002 and remains on the Board of Directors. Clay served as President of the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association from 2008-2009. He has also been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) since 2014.
Education
- Southern Methodist University School of Law - Dallas, Texas
- Texas A&M University - Finance - College Station, Texas
Areas of Practice
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- State Bar of New Mexico
- State Bar of Colorado
- American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers’ Association
- American Association of Justice
David Olesky
David Olesky is Vice Chair of the Health Care Professional Liability practice. David is a trial lawyer focusing his practice on complex litigation matters that involve defending and protecting clients in all types of cases related to catastrophic injuries or death, but with a special focus on birth injury cases. David regularly advises his health care clients on the issues and challenges that they face on a daily basis. Clients repeatedly look to him for guidance to handle such high stakes cases and matters in Texas and jurisdictions outside of Texas.
David has earned the trust and reliance of clients he has worked with by consistently getting the results that matter most to them, whether that is a win at trial or a favorable outcome through alternative dispute resolution outside the courthouse. Through his representation, David demonstrates a true loyalty and hardworking commitment to the clients that he serves.
David believes the foundation of any client relationship is to act as a trusted advisor instead of simply as a litigator. Clients value his earnest representation of their business interests, accompanied by a devotion to understanding their businesses, prompt attention to their immediate needs and the challenges they face in their individual roles.
Education
- Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, J.D., 1992 - Dallas, Texas
- University of Texas, B.B.A, 1989 - Austin, Texas
Areas of Practice
Associations & Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Dallas Bar Foundation Fellow
- Texas Bar Association
Alexandra V. Boone
Alexandra Boone is a partner in Miller Weisbrod. She concentrates her legal practice in the area of birth injury, medical malpractice and mass tort products liability. Alex currently works directly with firm partner Les Weisbrod in managing the birth injury docket and working with the firm’s highly qualified expert witnesses in the review of potential cases. Alex also litigates her own docket of medical negligence cases.
Over the course of her 17 years with the firm, Alex has focused on the administration and prosecution of mass tort litigation, originally focusing on occupational toxins, but more recently in the area of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. In the past, she has actively pursed cases involving hormone therapy, Vioxx, Fosamax, and Reglan. Alex was also instrumental in our firm successfully resolving thousands of cases transvaginal mesh, hip prosthetics, and the blood thinner Xarelto. She is actively prosecuting over 1,000 cases.
In addition to being a member of the Texas bar, she is also licensed in Oklahoma and is a member of the American Association of Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Oklahoma Association of Justice and the Dallas Trial Lawyers Association.
Education
- Baylor University - School of Law, 1996, J.D. - Waco, Texas
Areas of Practice
- Products Liability
- Mass Tort
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- American Association of Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Oklahoma Association of Justice
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Pro Bono Activities
- East Texas Legal Services/Nix Law Firm Pro Bono Project, 1996 - 1997
Robert Wolf
Robert E. Wolf was born in Dallas, Texas and graduated Magna Cum Laude as a proud horned frog from Texas Christian University in 1997, with Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and Mortar Board. He obtained his law degree from Southern Methodist University in 2000 while serving as an Articles Editor for the International Law Review and winning awards at Mock Trial and Appellate competitions.
Robert has been named a Thomson Reuters | Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star (less than 2.5% of attorneys in Texas receive this distinction) in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Further, Robert was recognized as a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 attorney for Texas in 2012 (no more than 40 attorneys in Texas are eligible for this award annually).
Robert brought his passion for and over 14 years of experience of representing seriously injured individuals and their families to Miller Weisbrod in January 2015, and has concentrated his legal practice in the area of medical malpractice, products liability, and pharmaceutical/mass tort litigation. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, American Association for Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and Dallas Trial Lawyers Association.
In addition to many successful jury verdicts and settlements across Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Idaho, Robert’s role as an attorney representing victims and their families has led to numerous changes to key safety practices and policies and procedures at corporations and medical facilities.
Robert and his wife Suzy also get plenty of exercise trying to keep up with their precious and very active daughter.
Education
- Southern Methodist University - Dedman School of Law, J.D. - 2000 - Dallas, Texas
- Texas Christian University - B.S. Political Science - 1997 - Fort Worth, Texas
Areas of Practice
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury
- Products Liability
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- American Association of Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Carrie Vine
Carrie Lynn Vine has over 15 years of experience in medical malpractice litigation, with a particular focus in representing children and families who have suffered birth injuries as a result of the negligence of either doctors, nurses or hospitals.
She is a passionate advocate for her clients and has handled hundreds of birth injury and birth trauma cases throughout the United States. As part of Carrie’s national birth injury legal practice, she has handled cases in Texas, Arkansas, California, Nevada, Kentucky, Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and North Dakota. She is determined to seek justice and works to obtain fair compensation for the children and families she represents.
Carrie earned her law degree from Northern Illinois University where she tutored other law students. Prior to law school, she received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame in Biomedical and Biological Science, and earned both a Master’s Degree and a Ph.D. from The Pennsylvania State University in Anthropological Genetics. She then conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Michigan Medical School before deciding to attend law school. She applies an academic mindset and love of science and medicine to mastering the medical principles and literature relevant to the cases she pursues.
Carrie is an active member of the American Association of Justice as well as the Birth Trauma Litigation Group (BLTG).
Education
- Northern Illinois University:
Law School
- University of Notre Dame:
Biomedical Science
- Pennsylvania State University:
Anthropological Genetics
Areas of Practice
- Birth Injury/Birth Trauma
- Medical Malpractice
Associations & Memberships
- American Association of Justice:
Member
- Birth Trauma Litigation Group:
Member
Larry Lassiter
Lawrence R. Lassiter is an AV-rated attorney with more than twenty years of experience in appellate and trial advocacy. He has been consulted by attorneys across the country to conduct research, evaluate cases, prepare appellate and trial briefs, and formulate litigation strategy. He has prepared hundreds of appellate briefs in federal and state appellate courts, including the highest courts of Texas, West Virginia, Georgia, Oklahoma, Ohio, Nebraska and Tennessee, and he is member of the Bar of the United States Supreme Court. Larry has a national appellate and legal briefing practice. Larry has filed extensive briefs and/or argued before either state or federal courts in 30 out of 50 states in his career.
Larry assists the Birth Injury team in all aspects of legal briefing. Unlike many other birth injury firms across the United States, Miller Weisbrod has an attorney dedicated to handling legal briefing on behalf of our clients across the country. Larry has handled extensive briefing in birth injury and other medical malpractice cases in Texas, New Mexico, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Ohio, Alabama, Georgia, New York, Utah, Arizona, Louisiana and West Virginia.
Since joining Miller Weisbrod in 2010, Larry has won a number of important victories vindicating the rights of our clients in both state and federal appellate courts, including Vitacost.com, Inc. v. McCants, 210 So.3d 761 (Fla. Ct. App. 2017); TTHR Ltd. Partnership v. Moreno, 401 S.W.3d 41 (Tex. 2013); In re E.B., 729 S.E.2d 271 (W. Va. 2012); Mid-Continent Cas. Co. v. Davis, 683 F.3d 651 (5th Cir. 2012); Rouhani v. Morgan, 2017 WL 3526719 (Tex. App. – Houston [1st Dist.] 2017, no pet.); Mid-Continent Cas. Co. v. Andregg Contracting, Inc., 391 S.W.3d 573 (Tex. App. – Dallas 2012).
He was as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Harlington Wood Jr., Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Larry was a University of Iowa Presidential Scholar and served as Editor in Chief of the Iowa Law Review.
Larry is an active member of the American Association for Justice. He is a member of AAJ’s Birth Injury Litigation Group and Medical Negligence Sections.
Education
- University of Iowa - Political Science & History - B.A. - Iowa City, Iowa
- University of Iowa - School of Law - J.D. - Iowa City, Iowa
Areas of Practice
- Appellate Advocacy
- Medical Malpractice
- Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices
- Products Liability
- Personal Injury
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- American Association of Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Laurie Pierce
Laurie draws upon extensive experience in state and federal courts with a focus on complex claims involving medical malpractice cases. After many years of defending health care providers and hospital systems in medical malpractice cases, Laurie joined David Olesky in the national birth injury and medical negligence practice at Miller Weisbrod Olesky.
Laurie’s focus is to understand not only the facts and circumstances of the matter at hand, but to understand the specific needs and goals of the client and their unique business considerations. Her extensive background in commercial litigation provides a foundation that enhances her health care litigation practice. She works with clients that require more than a strong trial lawyer; they expect an attorney who understands the relationship between law and their specific business and who will work tirelessly to protect their rights, interests and bottom line.
Education
- Southern Methodist University:
Dedman School of Law - 1992
- Order of the Coif:
Journal of Air Law and Commerce, J.D. - 1992
- Miami University-Oxford, Ohio
B.S. Education - 1982
Areas of Practice
- Birth Injury/Birth Trauma
- Health Care Industry
- Health Care Litigation
- Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- Medical Malpractice
Associations & Memberships
- American Association for Justice
- American Bar Association
- Dallas Bar Association
- Dallas Bar Foundation Fellow
- Texas Bar Association
Distinctions
- Admitted to Pro Bono College of State Bar of Texas in 2019 for outstanding delivery of legal services to low-income Texans
Court Admissions
- United States Supreme Court
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
Linda Cuaderes
Linda Cuaderes is both a registered nurse and a licensed lawyer. Linda works exclusively in Miller Weisbrod’s Birth Injury and Medical Malpractice section. Linda acts as the firm’s patient advocate and liaison with our young clients and their parents.
Linda combines her legal and nursing experience along with her exceptional organizational talent and attention to detail to make sure each child we represent is provided the highest level of medical care and attendant care during the pendency of their case. Linda communicates with our parent clients regularly to monitor their birth injured child’s treatment, provide guidance as to additional care and therapies and when necessary assist them in obtaining specialized medical providers.
Linda was raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Honors at the University of Oklahoma. She started as an Oncology Nurse at Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City, quickly becoming the Assistant Head Nurse of the Outpatient Endoscopy Unit. Linda then entered the University of Oklahoma College of Law.
Following graduation, Linda joined Les Weisbrod in the Medical Malpractice Section. After taking time off to raise her three lovely children, Linda returned to Miller Weisbrod and her passion of holding healthcare providers accountable for preventable errors. Linda is active in the American Association for Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, and the Texas Bar Association. Linda is an active member of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group and Medical Negligence Section of the American Association for Justice.
She is admitted to practice before the Texas Supreme Court and routinely works on cases pending throughout the United States. Linda has worked with child victims of birth injury, their parents and other victims of medical malpractice in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Iowa, Ohio, New York, Alabama, Georgia, Arizona, Utah and Missouri.
Education
- University of Oklahoma - School of Law, 1990, J.D. - Norman, Oklahoma
- University of Oklahoma - School of Nursing, 1985 - Norman, Oklahoma
Areas of Practice
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury/Birth Trauma
Associations & Memberships
- Texas Bar Association
- American Association of Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Kristin Jones
Kristin combines her medical and legal training to provide invaluable, passionate service to parents struggling to care for their birth-injured children. Families often have questions as they go through the birth injury lawsuit process. Kristin diligently identifies and investigates all medical issues so the birth injury attorneys at Miller Weisbrod can answer those questions. Kristin ensures that our birth injured children’s medical records are thoroughly reviewed and organized. Miller Weisbrod’s birth trauma litigation attorneys and medical experts retained by the firm need her services while pursuing justice for our clients.
Education
- SMU Dedman School of Law - Dallas, Texas
- University of Texas at Arlington - Arlington, Texas
Areas of Practice
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury/Birth Trauma
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- American Association of Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
Matt Adair
Matt Adair is an attorney specializing in medical malpractice, products liability, and pharmaceutical litigation. He received his bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame. During his time there, he studied abroad at the New College at Oxford University in Oxford, England.
Matt is a member of the State Bar of Texas, American Association for Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and Dallas Trial Lawyers Association.
Education
- University of Notre Dame - Philosophy, B.A. 2012 - Notre Dame, Indiana
- Baylor University - School of Law J.D. 2015 - Waco, Texas
Areas of Practice
- Medical Malpractice
- Products Liability
- Pharmaceutical Litigation
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
- American Association of Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Garrett Stanford
Garrett Stanford was born in Dallas, Texas and graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2017 with a B.A. in Political Science. After graduation, he attended Baylor University School of Law. During his time at Baylor, he was a member of the Order of the Barristers and he won the Judge W.C. Davis Endowed Criminal Practice Professional Track Award. He obtained his law degree and license to practice law in 2020.
Garrett joined Miller Weisbrod in August 2021. His legal practice is concentrated in the area of birth injury and medical malpractice. Garret is actively involved in handling birth injury and medical malpractice cases in Texas, Ohio, Utah, Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Education
- Southern Methodist University - Political Science, B.S. - Dallas, Texas
- University of Baylor - School of Law, J.D. - Waco, Texas
Areas of Practice
- Medical Malpractice
- Birth Injury/Birth Trauma
Associations & Memberships
- State Bar of Texas
Meet our Legal Nursing Team
Linda Chalk
As a registered nurse, Linda practiced ICU nursing for 44 years while caring for a wide range of patient conditions. She has worked closely with founding partner Les Weisbrod for over 30 years, investigating and pursuing birth injury cases.
Along with DJ Weisbrod, Linda heads up the firm’s birth injury intake, screening, and medical literature research team. She personally screens all potential cases to ensure that medical issues have been addressed before we file lawsuits on behalf of birth-injured children and their families.
DJ Weisbrod
Before joining Miller Weisbrod, DJ practiced as a surgical nurse in various hospital and operative settings. She has been with the firm over 30 years.
DJ directs Miller Weisbrod’s birth injury intake and medical screening team. She has also served as firm founder Les Weisbrod’s trial nurse for all cases involving medical negligence and birth injury.
Linda Cuaderes
Linda Cuaderes is both a registered nurse and a licensed lawyer. Linda works exclusively in Miller Weisbrod’s Birth Injury and Medical Malpractice section. Linda acts as the firm’s patient advocate and liaison with our young clients and their parents.
Linda combines her legal and nursing experience along with her exceptional organizational talent and attention to detail to make sure each child we represent is provided the highest level of medical care and attendant care during the pendency of their case. Linda communicates with our parent clients regularly to monitor their birth injured child’s treatment, provide guidance as to additional care and therapies and when necessary assist them in obtaining specialized medical providers.
Linda was raised in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing with Honors at the University of Oklahoma. She started as an Oncology Nurse at Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City, quickly becoming the Assistant Head Nurse of the Outpatient Endoscopy Unit. Linda then entered the University of Oklahoma College of Law.
Following graduation, Linda joined Les Weisbrod in the Medical Malpractice Section. After taking time off to raise her three lovely children, Linda returned to Miller Weisbrod and her passion of holding healthcare providers accountable for preventable errors. Linda is active in the American Association for Justice, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, and the Texas Bar Association. Linda is an active member of the Birth Trauma Litigation Group and Medical Negligence Section of the American Association for Justice.
She is admitted to practice before the Texas Supreme Court and routinely works on cases pending throughout the United States. Linda has worked with child victims of birth injury, their parents and other victims of medical malpractice in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Iowa, Ohio, New York, Alabama, Georgia, Arizona, Utah and Missouri.
Education
- University of Oklahoma - School of Law, 1990, J.D. - Norman, Oklahoma
- University of Oklahoma - School of Nursing, 1985 - Norman, Oklahoma
Areas of Practice
- Birth Injury/Birth Trauma
- Medical Malpractice
Associations & Memberships
- Texas Bar Association
- American Association of Justice
- Texas Trial Lawyers Association
- Dallas Trial Lawyers Association
Kristin Jones
Kristin combines her medical and legal training to provide invaluable, passionate service to parents struggling to care for their birth-injured children.
Families often have questions as they go through the birth injury lawsuit process. Kristin diligently identifies and investigates all medical issues so the birth injury attorneys at Miller Weisbrod can answer those questions Kristin ensures that our birth injured children’s medical records are thoroughly reviewed and organized. Miller Weisbrod’s birth trauma litigation attorneys and medical experts retained by the firm need her services while pursuing justice for our clients.
Kelly Kunkel
Kelly Kunkel was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. She has 15 years’ experience in hospital based High Risk Obstetrics and Labor and Delivery bedside nursing care. Kelly graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Nursing from El Centro College in December of 1990 and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from West Texas A & M University in 2008; graduating with honors.
In addition, Kelly has over 25 years’ experience in medical malpractice case management and litigation and has worked with David Olesky for over 22 years. After many years of assisting in defending healthcare providers and hospital systems in medical malpractice cases involving complex litigation matters related to birth injury, catastrophic injury and death, Kelly has proudly joined David Olesky in the national birth injury and medical negligence practice at Miller Weisbrod Olesky.