Oxygen Deprivation Injury Lawyer
Before, during and after childbirth, it is crucial that newborns receive sufficient oxygen circulation to the body and organs. Medical professionals are trained to monitor these oxygen levels, to recognize signs that a fetus is in distress, and to take timely action to reduce the potential adverse effects of oxygen deprivation when distress occurs.
However, it is crucial that they understand and recognize the signs of oxygen deprivation and know what actions to take if these symptoms present during childbirth. Medical staff typically can detect signs of fetal distress by using a fetal monitor to observe changes in a newborn’s heart rate and rhythm. When distress is recognized, it is extremely important for healthcare providers to take immediate steps to prevent further deprivation, such as performing a caesarean section or administering supplemental oxygenation.
When doctors and nurses fail to do so, they may be found liable for their negligence. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a birth injury, you should seek a legal opinion from an attorney experienced in this specific area. The birth injury lawyers at Levin & Perconti have successfully handled a number of serious birth injury cases and can help achieve compensation for your child’s injury. Our attorneys can efficiently investigate your claim to determine if your child’s birth injury resulted from inadequate oxygen at birth due to medical malpractice. Contact us today so that we can help.
for the family of a child who suffered brain injury due to lack of oxygen during her birth. Despite nonreactive fetal heart tracings, the Chicago area hospital failed to promptly respond to fetal monitoring and did not arrange for a C-section in a timely manner.
Causes and Consequences
Oxygen deprivation during birth is due to such birth complications as a breech birth, a placental abruption, a uterine rupture, umbilical cord compression, a prolapsed umbilical cord, or when the umbilical cord becomes wrapped around the baby’s neck. Decreased oxygen may also occur when a mother’s oxygen level or blood pressure is low.
Inadequate oxygen levels can decrease a newborn’s blood pressure, heart rate, and blood flow away from the heart, limiting the blood flow to vital organs and tissue. When this happens, irreversible neurological or cellular damage can occur. In fact, one of the most serious health problems that can result from a lack of oxygen to the infant’s brain during childbirth is Cerebral Palsy, a neurological disorder characterized by poor muscle coordination and movement. Many children who have Cerebral Palsy suffered from hypoxia or asphyxia during birth due to a mistake that was made and/or medical malpractice. Some of the mistakes that can lead to the condition include a failure to detect the signs that there is or could be a problem and plan for an alternative course that is safer for the baby, such as a cesarean section. For example, if the baby is too large to pass through the birth canal or suffers from an infection, it is often best for the medical providers to avoid facilitating a vaginal birth. In addition, medical professionals can sometimes cause damage to the baby by using specific instruments incorrectly.
Levin & Perconti: Leading Birth Injury Attorneys in the Nation
If you believe that your child suffered oxygen deprivation at birth due to a healthcare provider’s mistakes, please contact our national birth injury lawyers at 312-332-2872 or 877-374-1417 or fill out our personal injury case intake form and an attorney will get back to you shortly.
At Levin & Perconti, we’ve handled hundreds of cases that involved severe birth injuries. For example, our attorneys recovered a $2.3 million birth injury settlement for a newborn who suffered a serious brain injury at birth due to inadequate oxygen, resulting in cerebral palsy. In this case, the hospital staff failed to recognize that the child’s mother was suffering a uterine rupture and failed to perform a caesarean in a timely manner, despite the mother’s complaints of a tearing sensation in her uterus. If you or your child has been injured, we can help. Contact us today.
Testimonials
Not only were they so professional but also so caring and thoughtful. It was very difficult going over the facts in our mother's case but they were so compassionate and understanding and allowed us to be with them every step of the way. We were able to sit in on the depositions and we were really able to see how hard they worked on our behalf.
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Related Pages
- Birth Injury Lawyer
- Birth Asphyxia
- Brachial Plexus Injury
- Breech Birth Complications
- Cerebral Palsy
- Erb's Palsy
- Gestational Diabetes Misdiagnosis
- Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
- Neonatal Seizures
- Oxygen Deprivation
- Preeclampsia Misdiagnosis
- Shoulder Dystocia
- Statute of Limitations by State
- Stillbirth Lawsuit
- Umbilical Cord Compression
- Untimely C-Section
- Vacuum Extraction Injury
Notable Results
SETTLEMENT
for the family of a child who suffered brain injury due to lack of oxygen during her birth
SETTLEMENT
for a child who suffered brain damage causing cerebral palsy as a result of a family practice physician's failure to perform a timely C-section
VERDICT
for a child who died as a result of a doctor’s failure to diagnose the mother with an immune disorder while pregnant
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325 N LaSalle Dr Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60654
312-332-2872