Our Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers Explain the Seriousness of Kernicterus
Kernicterus is an incredibly devastating and catastrophic birth injury. This type of birth injury is completely preventable if the healthcare provider provides the proper treatment and medical care to the infant. Kernicterus is something that can be visibly seen with warning signs like jaundice. Jaundice causes a yellowing of the skin. This can be quite common at birth but usually goes away shortly after birth (a few hours to a few days). If jaundice is left untreated this can cause injury to the baby, including catastrophic brain damage. That means Kernicterus can be due to medical malpractice. Our Oregon medical malpractice lawyers understand how catastrophic this injury can be and why providers who leave Kernicterus untreated may have committed malpractice by preventable mistakes.
What is Kernicterus?
While jaundice can be a mild, usually non-worrisome condition, it can lead to a very severe form of jaundice (Kernicterus). Babies with jaundice typically present with yellowing of the skin and eyes due to an elevated bilirubin level in the blood. Mild jaundice can happen due to the baby’s liver and kidneys having to learn to function on their own without the assistance of the mother.
If the jaundice continues for a more extended period of time, this could indicate Kernicterus which would require a baby to monitored and treated immediately. If not treated immediately, the excessive bilirubin in the blood becomes toxic and even poisonous to the baby. This can cause severe damage to the baby’s brain, organs, nerves, and blood vessels. The brain damage from Kernicterus is usually catastrophic and permanent. The brain damage can lead to cerebral palsy, functioning deficits, and movement disorders.
How Can Failure to Diagnose Kernicterus Be Caused By Medical Malpractice
Generally speaking, Kernicterus is almost always a result of medical malpractice. This is because when an infant presents with jaundice, the infant needs to be monitored closely. Failure to do so can lead to Kernicterus, which needs to be treated immediately. Kernicterus is quite visible to the provider and should not be dismissed as typically jaundice that occurs sometimes after birth. Bilirubin should be closely monitored along with careful and frequent assessment of the baby. This is why Kernicterus is almost always related to medical malpractice.
Some of the most common reasons that Kernicterus can be caused by medical malpractice include:
- Delay in diagnosis
- Failure to properly monitor the infant
- Failure to perform necessary tests (i.e. monitoring bilirubin)
- Lack of understanding of Kernicterus
- Failure to recognize Kernicterus vs. jaundice
- Communication errors within the hospital
- Lab reports being mixed up with another patient
- Lack of healthcare training
- Negligent post-delivery care
These are just a few of the many ways that Kernicterus can be caused by medical malpractice. This is why our Oregon Kernicterus medical malpractice lawyers encourage you to call for a FREE consultation. Our experienced Kernicterus medical malpractice lawyers can review your case to determine if medical malpractice played a part in your child’s Kernicterus diagnosis.
How Can Our Medical Malpractice Lawyers Help You?
Kernicterus is a condition that can be quite catastrophic for the infant. As mentioned above, this birth injury is almost always completely avoidable. Failure to monitor and treat jaundice appropriately can lead to Kernicterus. If not monitored and treated immediately, this can have catastrophic consequences for the infant. The first few months of life are critical for brain growth and development. If damage occurs early on, this can greatly affect the newborn’s overall outcome and potential. Brain damage can affect sight, hearing, taste and smell. This is why if your child was diagnosed with Kernicterus you should contact our office for consultation so we can determine if your child’s Kernicterus was due to medical malpractice.
Compensation for injuries sustained from Kernicterus include:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost future wages
- Care for the child if they will require lifetime or longterm care
- Therapy coverages for therapies such as occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy
These are just a few of the many reasons compensation may be indicated for newborns who suffered from Kernicterus due to medical malpractice on behalf of the provider.
How Much Does an Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyer Cost?
If your loved one suffered from Kernicterus or another preventable birth injury, one of the first questions who may have is how much is a birth injury lawyer or medical malpractice lawyer in Oregon. Understandably, must people believe that lawyers are very expensive. For the most part, that is true.
But here at Kuhlman Law, we understand that victims of severe medical malpractice need appropriate representation under the law. This includes having access to a skilled medical malpractice lawyer. This is why our law firm offers FREE consultations, pays upfront court costs, and accepts cases on a contingency fee agreement which means that we only get paid a percentage of what we recover for you in a settlement or court award.
As a result, this means there are not out-of-pocket expenses for you or your family, and you do not have to pay us unless we win your case. That means no recovery, no legal fees. There are very few if any professions that offer to do this to protect your rights to compensation under the law like an experienced lawyer such as our Oregon medical malpractice law firm.
Call Our Kernicterus Medical Malpractice Lawyers Today
If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form. We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.
Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles, St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.
We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.
