Birth asphyxia can lead to serious birth injuries, including cerebral palsy. Birth injuries are always a risk during the labor and delivery process. Even the smallest of injuries can be very costly and cause pain to your baby.
More serious conditions, such as cerebral palsy, can occur as a result of birth asphyxia. This is when the baby is deprived of oxygen for a period of time. Here are some of the most important details you need to know about birth asphyxia.
What is Birth Anoxia?
Birth asphyxia leads to anoxia or hypoxia. Anoxia is when there is absolutely no oxygen getting to the brain, and hypoxia is when there is a very low amount. This occurs when blood, organs, and muscle groups do not receive enough oxygen to function properly. Unfortunately, birth asphyxia is one of the top causes of infant brain damage after birth.
Symptoms of Birth Asphyxiation
You want to look out for the symptoms of birth asphyxia so that you can act as quickly as possible. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Infant not breathing or having trouble breathing
- Pale or blue skin color
- Seizures
- Low heart rate
- Poor muscle tone
- Weak reflexes
Birth Asphyxia Testing and Diagnosis
Thankfully, there are several tests that can be done to officially determine if your child is suffering from brain asphyxia. Doctors can do a CT scan, MRI, or EEG to get a better look at the child’s brain. More specific tests include a SPECT test, which is a type of CT scan that checks the brain for blood flow and metabolism.
If your test results come back and your child does have birth asphyxia, your doctor will be able to help you figure out the best treatments and medications for them.
Risks Associated With Birth Asphyxia
Birth asphyxia is a very dangerous condition and can lead to death if it is left untreated. The severity ranges depending on how long the brain has been deprived of oxygen. If they stop breathing for extended periods of time, your child could end up with birth injuries such as Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE) or cerebral palsy, both of which can affect your child for the rest of their lives.
Demand Justice. File a Birth Asphyxia Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
If your infant suffered catastrophic brain damage or death due to birth asphyxia, you may have the right to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against your healthcare providers. Medical professionals are trained to recognize the signs of fetal distress, including birth asphyxia. When they fail to properly diagnose this condition, recognize the signs, or provide treatment to prevent birth asphyxiation, you may have grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit against them.
This is because healthcare providers are held to a higher standard of care. When they make decisions or fail to make decisions that other healthcare providers of similar job training and experience would not have made, the medical standard of care has been breached, leaving the healthcare provider and perhaps the healthcare facility open to liability.
You can expect your Baltimore birth injury lawyer to carefully evaluate the details of your case to determine which legal options are available to you and your family. In some cases, you may be able to file a medical malpractice insurance claim. However, if the liable party does not have enough insurance coverage to compensate your family for your damages, filing a medical malpractice lawsuit may be your next best option.
What Could Your Medical Malpractice Claim Be Worth?
There is no amount of money that will make up for or change the fact that you lost your child or your infant was diagnosed with permanent brain damage as a result of birth asphyxiation. However, being awarded compensation is one of the only ways to demand justice. When you take legal action, you cannot only recover compensation to cover your medical expenses and other costs, but you can potentially prevent similar acts of negligence from occurring in the future and affecting families like yours.
You have the right to be made whole when you file a medical malpractice lawsuit. This means every way you have been affected by your healthcare provider’s negligence should be repaid. Some examples of the compensatory damages that may be available in Baltimore medical malpractice claims include:
- Emotional distress
- Lost wages
- Loss of fertility
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of future potential earnings
- Loss of consortium
- Permanent disability
- Disfigurement and skin scarring
- Reputational damage
- Medical expenses
- Continued medical treatment and future care
- Costs of hiring home health care providers
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Some of these damages may be covered through your medical malpractice insurance claim. Do not be surprised if the insurance company attempts to trick you into settling for less than your family is entitled to. Fortunately, when you have a compassionate personal injury law firm in your corner, you do not need to worry. We will never let you be taken advantage of by profit-hungry insurance adjusters when negligent and irresponsible healthcare providers cause your child’s permanent brain damage due to a medical error.
Has Your Child Suffered Injuries as a Result of Medical Malpractice? Contact The Snyder Law Group Today
If your infant has been diagnosed with birth asphyxia and brain damage resulting from your healthcare provider’s negligence, you have legal recourse. With help from a knowledgeable and experienced Baltimore birth injury attorney at The Snyder Law Group, LLC, you can pursue medical malpractice lawsuits and insurance claims against anyone and everyone who contributed to your baby’s condition.
Demand justice for your infant when you contact our team for a 100% free consultation. Our personal injury law firm serves families and injury victims throughout Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and the state of Maryland. Schedule your complimentary case evaluation as soon as today by calling our office or completing our convenient contact form.