It is crucial for physicians assisting with childbirth to closely monitor the conditions of both mother and child and to promptly address any complications that arise during the process. It is equally as important for physicians to provide that same level of care to expecting mothers throughout their entire pregnancies. Failure to react appropriately to signs of possible complications during the first and second trimester can have devastating results, as experienced birth injury attorneys know all too well.
Preeclampsia is a potentially life-threatening condition that doctors all too often do not treat as carefully and considerately as they should. If you or a family member suffered severe harm because a doctor allowed this condition to progress into eclampsia, speaking with a Bridgeport preeclampsia lawyer is key to understanding and effectively enforcing your legal right to seek financial restitution. The award-winning team at Berkowitz Hanna is ready to help, so reach out right away.
Preeclampsia is a disorder that affects a significant number of pregnant mothers from their 20th week of gestation to as long as six weeks after giving birth. The exact causes of preeclampsia are not widely understood, but it is characterized by abnormally high blood pressure and an increased presence of protein in the mother’s urine.
There are a number of negative effects that are often seen in cases of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia can cause swelling in the ankles, feet, or hands, severe headaches and vision problems, abdominal pain, and stunted fetal growth. High blood pressure stemming from preeclampsia can directly lead to liver rupture, cerebral hemorrhage, seizures, retinal detachment, or the detachment of the placenta from the uterine wall. Even worse, if left unaddressed, preeclampsia can potentially progress into eclampsia, which can cause life-threatening seizures, put the mother into a coma, and/or cause permanent brain damage.
It is important to note that only a fraction of preeclampsia cases actually progress into eclampsia, and many mothers diagnosed with preeclampsia go on to have completely uneventful pregnancies from that point forward. However, this perceived low risk of serious harm occurring can sometimes lead physicians to be overtly lax with monitoring mothers in Bridgeport diagnosed with preeclampsia, which—as seasoned attorneys know—can potentially have disastrous results.
The value of a preeclampsia case will vary based on exactly how a particular mother and/or her child was harmed by the negligence of one or more physicians caring for them. Short-term financial losses like medical bills and missed work income can be factored into a comprehensive claim, but it is just as important to account for long-term and life-changing damages. Lost future earning capacity, physical and psychological suffering, and lost overall quality of life can all be factored in a compensation award in a preeclampsia case.
If a doctor’s failure to properly treat preeclampsia directly leads to a mother or baby’s premature death, surviving family members can pursue compensation for their losses. A preeclampsia lawyer in Bridgeport can go into specific detail about how a particular case might play out during a confidential consultation.
While preeclampsia is by no means guaranteed to have a negative outcome for every mother diagnosed with it, that does not mean physicians caring for a mother diagnosed as such can slack off in caring for her and her baby. If a healthcare provider’s negligence in this regard caused your family to suffer, taking legal action against that provider and/or their employer could be your best chance at stabilizing your finances and getting some measure of justice for the immense harm done to you.
Having an experienced Bridgeport preeclampsia lawyer by your side can make all the difference in a case like this. Call today to set up your free consultation with an attorney.
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