Hypoxia Birth Injury: What to Know

How an Injury Attorney Can Help You File for Medical Malpractice

Babies are highly vulnerable to medical malpractice. Sadly, studies have shown seven birth injuries happen for every 1,000 children delivered in the U.S. Oxygen deprivation – like hypoxia – is a dangerous condition that can lead to brain injury before, during, or after delivery. If medical professionals fail to treat the conditions immediately, it can progress into a permanent disorder like cognitive deficiencies, cerebral palsy, and hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). While it does not always lead to this, it can still be a devastating experience for new parents.

At Grey Law, our birth injury malpractice lawyer helps families seek compensation for life-threatening birth injuries like hypoxia. The cost of long-term care may feel burdening if your child has a mild or severe case. It is up to medical professionals to address complications before it happens. We will protect the rights of your family within two years from the date of your injury.

What Causes Hypoxia?

Hypoxia should never be left untreated for long periods. It can cause permanent, life-changing disabilities. We understand that you or your loved one might not be able to identify it at that moment, which is why attentive medical care is crucial. Neonatal hypoxia can happen anytime when a woman goes through the following during pregnancy or delivery:

• Infection
• Oxygen deprivation
• Umbilical cord injury
• Blood flow disorders – causing insufficient placental growth
• Blood vessel abnormalities in the brain
• Shoulder dystocia – the baby’s shoulder gets stuck during labor
• Rupture – The placenta lining separates from the uterus
• Heart disease
• Cardiovascular collapse

During delivery, an infant can go through a hypoxic event at the birth canal. When the mother’s placenta detaches or the umbilical cord tangles, oxygen gets restricted. In most cases, a doctor will see that the baby is in danger before acting quickly to avoid the injury. If the doctor fails to do so or acts intentionally, causing you harm, reach out to a birth injury lawyer in LA immediately. We can prove how the hospital fails to exercise a duty of care to prevent it from happening.

Treatment Options

Families of children that underwent birth trauma try to search for answers and understand what went wrong. They want to know if it was avoidable. A lawyer for hypoxia injuries in LA would recommend detailing everything you remember to help build your claim. What did the doctor do first? Was the staff acting negligently? Did you see signs of aggressive behavior?

Typically, when they indicate signs of hypoxia, the first step in treatment is resuscitating the newborn and trying to increase oxygen flow. After stabilizing, the following treatment might incorporate hypo-or-hyperthermia management, transferring fluids, and ventilation depending on the severity. Although this is an unfortunate event, cooling therapy has gained popularity over the years. The doctor will wrap the infant in a plastic blanket lined with cool water. It happens for three days or less to limit brain swelling and cell death, which could cause damage.

When hypoxia progresses into a permanent brain injury, the treatment will incorporate targeted medications and long-term therapy for the family. Parents often need support for emotional pain and suffering. Keep in mind there is no cure for permanent brain injury caused by extended hypoxia, meaning the baby will need treatments for the rest of his or her life. Raising a baby can already be costly, so unforeseen expenses to treat birth trauma should not be something you go through without legal assistance.

Our LA birth injury attorney handles cases like these, particularly tragic injures like spinal cord damage and severe burns. Trust us to get you and your baby through this difficult time.

Medical Malpractice Should Always Get Reported

Medical malpractice is when a healthcare professional performs a treatment or follows a procedure that operates outside of their duty of care, causing injury to a patient. Any time a nurse, surgeon, doctor (or hospital overall) was negligent, that individual becomes liable for compensation. As long as you and your Los Angeles injury lawyer can prove that the act was directly responsible for your loss, you can obtain:

• Medical expenses
• Loss of income
• Pain and suffering

Lack of communication between you, the medical staff, and the doctor delivering your baby is a form of medical malpractice as well. Hypoxia is a concern that should get discussed leading up to your delivery. With new advancements in the past fifteen years, hypoxia treatments have become easier to identify before it progresses. Under malpractice laws, medical professionals should follow the standards to make sure any signs of distress are classified and treated. Failing to upload these standards not only affects everyone involved.

Personal injury claims or medical malpractice lawsuits are difficult to prove (against the hospital itself). When going against a doctor, plaintiffs should expect to hear from a team of experienced attorneys that do not have their best interests in mind. That is why having a legal professional on your side can make a significant difference in seeking the justice you deserve.

With any injury involving babies, parents think only about getting the help their son or daughter desperately needs. The best time to seek legal assistance is after you receive additional information and treatments from your doctor. In California, personal injury victims only have two years to file a claim before losing that right entirely. Contact a qualified personal injury lawyer to get started today.

Reach Out to A Birth Injury Attorney from Grey Law to Start Your Claim

“When it comes to getting you more, I won’t settle for less.” – David Grey

When you or a loved one gets injured due to negligence, carelessness, or wrongful acts of another person, David Grey is ready to help. Seeking compensation or negotiating with insurance companies can be stressful, especially while recovering. Let us do that for you. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers are well-versed in several practice areas:

• Traffic Accidents
• Premises Accidents
• Personal Injuries
• Product Liability
• Nursing Home Abuse

Why do you need a lawyer for accident compensation? With thousands of lawyers in California, we understand it can be hard to choose the best legal representation. We have 35+ years of experience and secured millions for our clients. From the time you retain our firm, we build your case. For a free case evaluation and consultation, reach out to us at (323) 857-9500 or email info@greylaw.com.