If your child suffered injuries due to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in Surprise, Arizona, you may have a valid birth injury claim. You may be entitled to financial compensation for medical bills and other costs as well as non-economic damages.
A Surprise hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy lawyer from the Birth Injury Lawyers Group can help you file a claim and hold the liable party accountable. Call
(800) 222-9529 for a free consultation with our team.
How a Birth Injury Claim Could Benefit You and Your Family
A birth injury claim is a type of medical malpractice claim that parents or guardians may bring on an infant’s behalf. If your baby suffered medical complications or passed away due to poor medical care, a birth injury claim may serve two important purposes.
First, a birth injury claim can hold a negligent medical care provider accountable for your baby’s injury or death. Doctors and other medical workers are not expected to be perfect, but they are expected to provide reasonably skillful medical care to their patients. When providers fail to meet this expectation, a medical malpractice claim could bring the negligent parties to justice.
Second, a medical malpractice claim can help you recover financial compensation for your damages. Damages are the losses you and your baby suffered because of the birth injury.
Medical Negligence May Be to Blame for Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Injuries
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is a condition that occurs when a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen. Even just a few minutes of reduced oxygen can be enough for severe, sometimes deadly brain damage to occur.
Also called neonatal encephalopathy, HIE may be caused by a number of issues, and the cause is not always clear. Upon learning that their child suffered a birth injury, many parents have the same question—they want to know if their child’s birth injury could have been prevented.
Birth injuries like this are often unavoidable, but some are the result of negligent medical care. Doctors and other medical staff who fail to recognize the warning signs of HIE and take steps to prevent infant brain damage may be liable for the infant’s injury or death.
Compensation for Medical Expenses and Other Damages
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy can cause significant medical problems, including:
- Seizure disorders
- Organ damage
- Cognitive impairments
- Cerebral palsy
These medical issues may require expensive, ongoing medical treatments. A child suffering from a severe physical or mental disability due to HIE may require physical therapy, educational assistance, in-home care, assistive devices, and more.
Damages in a Birth Injury Claim
Through a birth injury claim, you may be able to recover compensation for the treatment required by your child’s birth injury. Your claim may cover medical expenses associated with:
- Neonatal intensive care unit treatment
- Hospitalization
- Surgery
- Medical tests and procedures
- Ongoing medical care
- Assistive devices, such as wheelchairs
- Doctor’s appointments
- Medication
- Accessibility modifications to your home or vehicle
In addition to compensation for your child’s past, present, and future medical care, you may also be entitled to compensation for your other damages such as lost wages from missed work and future lost income if you had to quit your job to care for your child.
Additionally, you may be entitled to compensation for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of consortium and companionship.
The amount of compensation that you may be able to recover through a birth injury claim in Arizona will depend on the type of injuries your baby sustained, the medical and other financial costs associated with treatment, and the non-financial losses you and your baby suffered.
Risk Factors for Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy in Newborns
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy can be caused by a range of medical problems. Everything from the umbilical cord being wrapped around the baby’s neck to low maternal blood pressure may play a role in the development of this condition. Other risk factors for HIE may include:
- Trauma during birth
- Unusual labor and delivery
- Preeclampsia
- Prolapsed cord and other umbilical cord issues
- Uterine rupture
- Placental abruption
- Problems with the baby’s heart or lungs
- Infection
- Delayed C-section
- Improper use of vacuum extractor or forceps during delivery
- Insufficient fetal monitoring
When Malpractice Is to Blame
In some cases, a mistake made by an obstetrician, nurse, laboratory technician, or other medical professional is to blame for a baby developing hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Some examples of mistakes that may cause an infant to suffer preventable injuries from asphyxia include:
- Failure to properly monitor fetal heart rate and recognize signs of fetal distress
- Overuse of force during delivery
- Misuse of assistive tools, such as forceps and vacuum extractors
- Failure to conduct a necessary cesarean section (C-section)
- Delayed C-section
- Failure to provide the correct medical treatment after an infant has been deprived of oxygen
- Mishandled laboratory test or misinterpretation of test results
- Anesthesia mistakes and other surgical errors
A Surprise hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy lawyer from the Birth Injury Lawyers Group can investigate the circumstances surrounding your child’s birth injury and help you determine if medical negligence may be to blame.
Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group for a Free Consultation
If your baby suffered hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy and you suspect that medical mistakes may have caused the birth injury, a Surprise hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy lawyer from the Birth Injury Lawyers Group can help you get the answers you need. Call (800) 222-9529 for a free consultation with a member of our client intake team.
Call or text 1-800-222-9529
or complete a Free Case Evaluation form