Birth Injury Atlanta
Many of the signs of birth trauma are not immediately apparent. This is particularly applicable to conditions such as cerebral palsy which can only be apparent after the baby is born.
If you suspect that your child has suffered a birth injury, it is important to act quickly. The earlier a lawyer can review medical records, he or she will have a greater chance of conserving the authenticity of the records and determining if an action plan is possible before the deadline for legal action expires.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Childbirth-related brain damage can be devastating for families and lead to lifelong neurological and physical impairments. Some of the most serious birth injuries include periventricular leukomalacia, intraventricular hemorrhage, as well as anoxic brain injury (complete lack of oxygen). Mild to moderate brain damage could be a possibility.
The signs of brain injuries traumatic to the brain differ from child to child. They could be cognitive, physical, or behavioral. The most severe brain injuries are often caused by other medical conditions or birth injuries, like cerebral palsy.
The good news is that if your child’s brain injury was caused by the actions or inactions of a doctor or nurse during labor and birth and delivery, you could have a claim for compensation. Many families can claim financial compensation for their child’s treatment and care.
A birth injury lawyer can assist you in determining whether your child’s health issues were due to a medical error that could have been avoided. If yes then an Georgia medical malpractice lawsuit may be an option to pay the cost of your child’s care.
In order to successfully file a lawsuit you have to prove that the medical professional violated their duty of care and caused the birth injury to your child. This means proving that they failed to act in accordance with the national standards and guidelines for doctors, midwives, and nurses.
Inducing a vaginal birth with the medication Pitocin for instance causes contractions that compress the abdomen of the mother and reduce the blood flow to her infant. This can lead to HIE and brain damage as and other grave birth injuries.
Your lawyer will use the medical records you provide to create an argument for compensation against the accountable healthcare providers. In some instances, a responsible party’s insurance could pay for medical expenses for your child. If not, an attorney can assist you find other sources of funding for your child’s care and treatment. This is particularly important if your child suffered a serious brain injury or another long-term birth injuries.
Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) is an injury to the brain that occurs when the brain of a newborn does not receive enough oxygen and blood flow prior to or at the time of birth. It can result in permanent damage, such as cognitive and developmental disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
HIE can be caused by complications during labor and delivery that interrupt the blood supply to the brain, for example, tears in the uterus or problems with the umbilical cord. It could also occur when a medical team fails properly to respond to signs of fetal stress.
The intensity and timeframe of HIE depend on the amount of time the brain is deprived of oxygen and blood, as well as the extent of tissue damage. Even brief periods of hypoxia can result in serious injuries, and severe HIE can lead to long-term complications.
Some of the symptoms of HIE include sleep issues as well as crying and irritability and also issues with the movement of limbs. Seizures can also occur within the first 24 hours following birth. The child may require breathing tubes. If a child suffers from mild HIE, the symptoms will usually resolve within 24 hours.
If a doctor suspects that a newborn suffers from HIE or HIE, he’ll request tests for blood to assess the condition of other organs, such as the liver and kidneys. They may also request tests for the lungs, the heart, and heart. They also look for evidence of acid in the cord blood of the umbilical cord, which could be a sign the baby suffered from a lack oxygen and blood flow prior the birth.
If you think that medical negligence was the cause of your child’s HIE, it is important to work with a qualified atlanta birth injury lawsuit hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy attorney. These lawyers are able to gather the evidence necessary to prove that your child’s HIE was avoidable and that your family is entitled to compensation. They only charge contingent fees when they are able to get you financial compensation. Contact an attorney immediately to determine if you can get the money needed to care for your children.
Bleeding in the brain
Bleeding in the brain can occur when a blood vessel is ruptured during labor and delivery. This is a serious medical issue that exposes newborns to the risk of serious and long-lasting damage, including hypoxic-ischemic brain cerebral palsy and encephalopathy.
Fortunately, birth injuries caused by brain bleeding are not as common than they were decades back. This is due to the use of ultrasounds for prenatal assessment and the use of vacuum extractions and forceps during delivery, and doctors’ ability and desire to perform C section procedures in the event of a large baby or difficulties in the delivery. But birth injuries occur, and can have devastating consequences for the child and their family.
Hemorrhage of the brain is usually a sign that there is a medical condition that is underlying like coagulation issues or illness. It can also be caused by a difficult or prolonged labor and delivery. This is especially true if mothers have had high-risk pregnancy or a C-section.
Infants who suffer an injury to the brain are typically taken to the neonatal intensive-care unit for imaging tests, monitoring, supportive care and fluids injected intravenously to ensure body function. They may not be able to move or have difficulty breathing independently, based on the severity of their injury.
Brain damage that is localized is common, especially in the case of injuries or infections such as meningitis. A wide-spread injury can lead to a variety of symptoms, ranging from difficulties with movement to developmental delays and cognitive impairments.
A minor head injury is characterised by swelling or bruising at or close to the scalp or skull. More serious injuries can result from the accumulation of blood either below or above the skull bone’s thick fibrous layer (periosteum). These types of brain bleeding are more likely to occur when a physician utilizes a vacuum extractor, forceps, or other birthing devices.
Miller Weisbrod Olesky’s team experienced national birth injury lawyers can assist you in determining whether you are entitled to file a claim for compensation if the doctor makes a mistake during the delivery process that causes bleeding of the brain in your baby. We have the expertise to help you build a strong case and we’ll do our best to hold the accountable parties accountable for their part in your child’s injury and ongoing requirements.
Congenital Heart Defects
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are issues in the walls of the heart, valves or large blood vessels. They occur in about 1percent of live births and alter the way that the heart pumps blood. Some are very serious and require treatment shortly after birth. Some are less serious and can be treated later.
The most common heart issues are holes in the walls of the lungs and issues with the valves that allow blood to flow from one side to the other. Some are minor and do not need treatment, while others could cause complications such as a poor heart rhythm, Birth injury atlanta problems breathing, or the condition known as cyanosis (blue colouring). The severity of CHD can vary from very severe to mild.
Most forms of CHD are caused by alterations in the genes that regulate the way that the heart and blood vessels develop. Other causes include exposure of the fetus during pregnancy to certain infections or medications.
Newborns are checked for CHD through an easy test known as pulse oximetry. It measures the amount of oxygen that is present in the blood. If the test shows low levels of oxygen, additional tests are required to figure out if there’s an issue with the heart or blood vessels. These tests include a heart catheterization, which involves an extremely thin tube that is guided through a vein into the heart, as well as magnetic resonance imaging of the heart (MRI).
Different kinds of CHD can be treated with surgery or medication. Certain types of CHD require treatment in the early weeks of life to prevent serious problems, such as cyanosis. Some require regular checkups by a specialist cardiac surgeon who will check the heart and blood vessel for any signs of trouble.
A severe form of CHD is the transposition of great arteries, where the two main arteries that supply oxygenated blood to the body are switched. It can be fatal within the first few weeks of life, should it not be treated promptly. Other serious forms of CHD are tetralogy of Fallot in which the hole in the wall that divides the lower and upper regions of the heart is too small to allow normal blood flow and ventricular septal defect which is a hole that allows blood from the right ventricle to mix with oxygenated blood going to the lungs.
