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Oxygen deprivation during a child’s delivery can impose severe birth injuries and may be the result of medical negligence. Dangerous conditions like hypoxia can occur when organs or neural tissues in the brain are deprived of sufficient oxygen. Hypoxic brain injuries can lead to various permanent disorders and disabilities.
Hypoxic injuries can happen during birth or because of any other interruption of blood flow to the brain, such as cardiac arrest, strangulation, and more. If you or a loved one has suffered a hypoxic brain injury, consult with a TBI attorney who can help you assess your legal options. A Danbury hypoxic brain injury lawyer can help you understand your rights and explain whether you may be eligible to pursue compensation.
When hypoxia occurs, even though blood and oxygen may still flow to the affected tissue or organs, the supply is not enough to support normal, healthy function. One common type of infant brain injury is hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. This form of brain damage often traces back to asphyxia during birth, which can ultimately lead to cell and tissue damage, severe impairment to various functions of the central nervous system, and other potentially life-threatening harm.
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy and similar brain injuries may produce a range of symptoms in infants. Physical manifestations of hypoxic brain injuries can include:
Abnormal reactions to sights and sounds, seizures, feeding issues, irregular heartbeats and blood pressure, and weak cries are other symptoms that might present in infants with hypoxic brain injuries.
Hypoxic brain injuries are often associated with severe impairment to other organs, such as abnormalities or dysfunction in the lungs, heart, and liver. Children with hypoxic brain injuries may suffer from hearing impairment, blindness, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and other long-term complications.
While there is no specific cure for hypoxic brain injuries, intervention often revolves around supporting organ function and addressing developmental issues. For individuals who suspect that a medical professional failed to act reasonably and caused a hypoxic brain injury, a skilled Danbury attorney can investigate the situation further and advise whether they have a viable malpractice lawsuit.
Medical malpractice occurs when a doctor, nurse, or other healthcare team member operates outside their legal duty of care. A Danbury lawyer can look into the circumstances of a hypoxic brain injury to determine whether accident compensation may be available.
Hypoxic brain injuries have multiple causes both during gestation and birth. During pregnancy, issues such as preeclampsia, maternal diabetes, placenta malformation, and fetal anemia may be precursors to and create a significant risk of hypoxic brain injury.
Issues during labor and delivery, such as premature birth, breech delivery, and umbilical cord complications, can also heighten the risk of this type of fetal harm. Even after birth, if the medical team fails to properly monitor issues such as low fetal blood pressure, premature birth complications, or newborn infections, they could miss key warning signs that would otherwise mitigate the risk of a hypoxic brain injury.
Frequently, hypoxic birth injuries are avoidable. Delayed action by the healthcare team, such as failure to sufficiently address signs of maternal or fetal distress, failing to diagnose or treat a placental abruption, or failure to perform a C-section in a high-risk birth are just a few potential instances of malpractice that may cause an infant to suffer a hypoxic brain injury.
If a child experienced hypoxia before or after birth, there may be grounds for a case against the medical professional and hospital. A Danbury hypoxic brain injury attorney can assist in understanding rights and determining the strength of the case. Families may be eligible to recover compensation for their child’s medical care costs, ongoing medical treatment, pain, suffering, and other damages.
While some hypoxic brain injuries may heal with time, infants may suffer irreparable long-term consequences from oxygen deprivation during labor and delivery. These children usually require immediate and long-term care, while many do not recover fully from the impact of this kind of brain injury.
A Danbury hypoxic brain injury lawyer can help you hold the negligent party accountable after a serious injury. Contact Berkowitz Hanna today to schedule your free initial consultation.
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