Newborn brain injuries can be devastating for families. Children with traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can suffer from long-term, irreversible complications that may require expensive therapy and rehabilitation.
Often, newborn brain injuries are the result of medical malpractice. Hypoxia occurs when a region of the body is deprived of oxygen, which can cause brain damage. During the delivery process, this can occur when there are delays due to the inattention of a healthcare provider.
Additionally, brain injuries can occur when a doctor uses forceps at the wrong stage of labor, resulting in bruising, permanent indentations, severe cranial damage, excessive blood loss or cephalohematoma.
Another brain injury affecting newborns is kernicterus, which is caused by untreated jaundice, and can lead to vision and dental problems, mental retardation and hearing loss.
Sadly, when these brain injuries occur, they can be devastating for families financially. Recently, a jury in Ohio awarded a boy who suffered a brain hemorrhage when his delivery was delayed $14.5 million in a medical malpractice verdict.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the boy has cerebral palsy, cognitive delays, visual impairments and other issues that will require lifelong care. In his lawsuit, lawyers argued that the boy suffered a massive brain hemorrhage when there was a delay in ordering a caesarian (C-) section, and he went into fetal distress.
The jury awarded the boy $8 million for the cost of future care, $5 million for his pain and suffering, $1 million for attorney fees and $500,000 for past economic losses.
How Do I File a Brain Injury Lawsuit on Behalf of My Child?
It is the duty of a medical provider to act quickly to protect a child from brain injuries. If there is a delay in ordering a C-section, or a doctor has improperly used forceps or a vacuum extractor, a child can suffer injuries, including cerebral palsy.
As this case shows, you should file a lawsuit against your medical providers if this happens to your child. Through a lawsuit, you can obtain damages that can help provide for the cost of future care, as well as pain and suffering for your child.
Contact the birth injury attorneys at our firm immediately if your son or daughter is suffering from a brain injury, so that we may advise you of your legal rights. For a free consultation with a cerebral palsy attorney, contact Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP today.
[Did You Know: Approximately 36 percent of healthcare costs associated with brain injuries are incurred within the first six months of an injury.]
Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – Birth Injury Attorneys
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/index.ssf/2014/06/garfield_heights_boy_and_mothe.html
