Ask Our Birth Injury Lawyer in Bend, OR For Help With HIE Due to Medical Malpractice
While childbirth is often a joyous event, it can be greatly overshadowed if birth injuries occur. Unfortunately, not all births go as planned and families are often left to cope with the after effects of permanent, lasting injuries. While some birth injuries are mild (i.e. bruising), others can be far more serious and may be permanent. One example of a birth injury that is devastating is hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy or HIE. This catastrophic birth injury leaves families with permanent injuries, affecting their every day lives for the rest of their lives. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is a devastating brain injury that often occurs due to medical malpractice. If a family suspects that HIE due to medical malpractice harmed their loved one, you should call our birth injury lawyer in Bend, OR for help.
Victims and their families may be entitled to compensation for their personal injuries and their child’s personal injured of HIE due to medical malpractice. This includes helping families pay for future medical costs, nursing care, treatment, pain and suffering, and other damages related to your child’s personal injuries. Birth injury lawyer in Bend, OR can help you can your family recover compensation for medical damages due to a doctor’s mistakes.
What is Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice refers to a breach in the standard of care in which a patient is supposed to receive. Not only that, but the deviation in the standard of care must have resulted in injuries. As mentioned above, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is often a result of medical malpractice. This is why, if your child has been diagnosed with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, it is vital to speak to an experienced hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy attorney who can help you by determining the cause of your child’s injury, and what damages you may be eligible for to help cover the day to day expenses that are now incurred as a result of your child’s injury.
It is important to mention that not all cases of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy are due to medical malpractice, which is why it is important to speak with an experienced attorney who can determine if medical malpractice caused your child’s injuries.
What is Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)?
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is a devastating birth injury that occurs as a result of a loss of oxygen and blood flow to the brain. A loss of oxygen is referred to as “hypoxia” while a loss of blood flow is referred to as “ischemic”. The loss of blood flow and oxygen results in significant brain damage. The degree of brain damage and its effects on the child cognitively may vary, given the amount of the time the child was deprived of oxygen and blood flow, and the areas of the brain that suffered brain damage.
Why Does Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Occur?
There are many reasons as to why hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy may occur, including HIE due to medical malpractice. Common causes of the condition include the following:
- Umbilical cord prolapse
- Umbilical cord compression
- Umbilical knots
- Uterine rupture
- Shoulder dystocia
- Placental insufficiency
- Aneurysm rupture
- Delivery trauma
- Cardiac arrest
- Many other causes of HIE
Signs and Symptoms of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy at Birth
There are certain signs and symptoms that may indicate that your child has suffered from hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Signs and symptoms of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy include the following:
- Low Apgar score
- Irregular breathing
- Low heart rate
- No heart rate
- Seizures
- Meconium stain, an indication that the baby experienced distress during labor and delivery
- Blue-tinged skin (cyanosis)
- Acidosis diagnosed with blood work
- Impaired or absent reflexes
- Impaired muscle tone
- Need for resuscitation
- Other signs of HIE
Lasting Effects of HIE Due to Medical Malpractice in Bend, OR
There are many long-term effects and other conditions that can be caused by hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Common effects and conditions include the following:
- Seizure disorder
- Cerebral palsy
- Nutritional impairment
- Behavioral disorders
- Hearing or vision impairment
- Speech delay or impairment
- Developmental disabilities
- Learning disabilities
- Sensory impairment
- Fetal stroke
- Death
- Mental health conditions
- Other conditions caused by HIE
There are numerous other consequences of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Children with these conditions will often need specialized schooling, special therapies such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy. Children may require the use of assistive devices (i.e walkers or wheelchairs) which are proven to be quite costly. Some children with severe HIE may require lifelong care. The cost of all of these needs is expensive which is why they should be covered in a medical malpractice claim if medical malpractice was the cause.
Medical Malpractice Related Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy: When HIE is Caused by Medical Malpractice
As mentioned, there are many instances in which HIE was directly related to a breach in the standard of care. Examples of this include the following:
- Failing to intervene with a c-section when indicated which then results in an injury such as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
- Failure to identify signs of fetal distress (i.e. late decelerations) on electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) strips
- Failure to appropriately manage cases of placental insufficiency or uterine rupture
- Failure to initiate a c-section at the start or prior to labor if a vaginal delivery is not indicated
- Failure to intervene in the event of umbilical cord prolapse, compression, or rupture
- Failure to assess for cephalopelvic disproportion, which can be lead to emergencies during labor and delivery such as shoulder dystocia
- Failure to resuscitate the baby in a timely manner
- Failure to appropriately use Pitocin or other labor inducting drugs
- Failure to intervene in the setting of prolonged or arrested labor
- Anesthesia mistakes
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is a devastating birth injury. Children with this condition often were going to be typical children, and their lives and their family’s lives have now been forever changed. As mentioned above, effects of HIE are great, and children often need specialized medical treatment, therapies, schooling, or even lifelong care. Parents of these children should never have to pay a dime for any expenses that are incurred as a result of their child’s injury which is why it’s important to speak to an experienced hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy attorney who can provide you with the best chance to obtain the maximum amount of compensation possible.
Ask Our Birth Injury Lawyers in Bend, OR for Help
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.
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