Having a new baby should be a joyous moment for your family, not one marred by grief and pain. Unfortunately, some medical errors can lead to lasting birth injuries, especially when those errors lead to a hypoxic event—meaning that the baby has not received adequate oxygen to the brain.
If your family has been forced to face the consequences of a preventable hypoxic injury, our Baltimore attorneys are ready to provide the compassionate and skilled legal representation that you deserve. At Brown & Barron, we believe in holding medical providers accountable when they have been negligent with their patients’ care, and with that focus on social responsibility, we will fight for the fair compensation you need for your family.
More Than 145 Years of Legal Experience
At Brown & Barron, our Baltimore team combines over 145 years of legal experience inmedical malpractice law, including birth injury cases and other related areas. Determined to restore lives after serious instances of negligence, our tireless team will fight on behalf of you and your family.
Although nothing can truly compensate for your losses, seeking financial restitution can help you provide for your child—and seek adequate lifelong care for any disabilities caused by a doctor’s carelessness.
Contact our team todayto schedule a free case review.
Types of Hypoxic Injuries
Human beings at all stages of life need oxygen to stay alive. Because infants are most vulnerable during the childbirth process, doctors and OB-GYNs must take special care to preserve the baby’s oxygen supply before, during, and after birth. It’s also important for attending medical professionals to carefully monitor the baby’s vital signs. When the body’s tissues are deprived of oxygen for even a few minutes, the baby may suffer a hypoxic event, leading to serious brain damage, disabilities, and complications down the line.
Some of the most common problems caused by hypoxia during birth:
- Cerebral palsy (CP) and motor disorders
- Cognitive deficiencies and mental disorders
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Epilepsy
- Behavioral disorders
Not all instances of hypoxia will result in life-altering disabilities and disorders. The extent of the brain damage will depend on several factors, including the duration of the hypoxic event and the speed with which doctors recognize and remedy it. This means that severe hypoxia is largely preventable if your doctor exercises the appropriate level of medical care and attention during birth, as well as in the 48 hours after birth.
What Causes Hypoxia in Infants?
Typical causes of hypoxia during birth include:
- Shoulder dystocia
- Poor placement of the infant’s body in the birth canal
- Umbilical cord strangulation
- Delayed and/or prolonged labor process
- Placental abruption
- Maternal infection and sepsis
- Delayed C-section
Hypoxia is also more common when the mother has certain pre-existing conditions or illnesses, so doctors and OB-GYNs must take this medical history into consideration when going into labor. If the pregnancy is classified as “high risk,” your medical team should be on high alert for signs of hypoxia in the infant.
Can I Sue for a Hypoxic Brain Injury?
A civil lawsuit could be an option if another party’s actions led to your or your loved one’s hypoxic brain injury. If the case is successful, it could result in a monetary award. To succeed with a hypoxic brain injury lawsuit, you must establish that an act of negligence resulted in the condition.
Making a case for negligence does not require you to prove that a doctor, nurse, or hospital administrator directly caused the injury. Instead, you need only show that the medical professional could have done more to protect their patient. If the doctor failed to recognize obvious signs that something was wrong, they could be on the hook for any damages you have suffered.
Many hypoxic brain injuries occur at birth. Newborns cannot pursue a civil lawsuit, so their parents must file one on their behalf. Alternatively, a minor could file a lawsuit up to three years after reaching age 18.
Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a hypoxic brain injury lawyer serving Baltimore.
Compensation for a Hypoxic Brain Injury
If you pursue a civil case for a hypoxic brain injury, you could recover monetary compensation. The damages associated with these injuries can vary depending on the severity of the condition and how it has affected your life or your child’s life.Some of the damages that could be available in these cases include:
It might not be immediately apparent what a hypoxic brain injury case might be worth. For example, even though you might know the cost of immediate emergency medical care, ongoing medical needs could last for many years to come. In addition, non-economic damages such as pain and suffering or loss of enjoyment of life often require formulas to calculate their total value.
Our firm will carefully evaluate every aspect of a hypoxic brain injury to determine the amount of compensation needed to provide care and support now and in the future.
What Does a Brain Injury Attorney Cost?
You could incur many expenses after a hypoxic brain injury. From hospital bills to physical therapy, these injuries can quickly upend a family’s budget. Given the financial strain common with a brain injury, it might seem like the cost of an attorney during this time could be too much to afford. Thankfully, you could pursue your case for compensation without any upfront legal fees.
When you hire our firm, we work on a contingency fee basis. Therefore, we will take a hypoxic brain injury case and pursue the compensation you deserve without charging a retainer or taking any upfront attorney’s fees. This arrangement allows you to seek fair compensation for your injuries regardless of your financial situation.
With a contingency agreement, our firm collects our fee as a percentage of any awards we recover on your behalf. However, you won’t owe us anything unless we secure compensation for your injuries.
Get in touch with a hypoxic brain injury lawyer serving Baltimore,(410) 547-0202, for a free case evaluation.
Our Difference
Our firm culture ensures that all clients feel like family, as evidenced by more than 235 five-star Google reviews. We ensure from the beginning of your case until the very end that your voice is not only heard but echoed until you obtain the justice you deserve. We work with you throughout the process to make sure that the results we arrive at make sense for you and your family.
Brown & Barron has a history of results-oriented representation, and we have obtained more than $169 million for our clients since 2017. Our team has a proven record of restoring lives and restoring justice.
Hear from Our Clients
- Brown & Barron, LLC has to be one of the best law firms in the state of Maryland, possibly the entire country. The quality of their service is second to none. They go above and beyond to serve their clients and get the job done.
- The best professional experience I have ever been a part of. I trusted them the entire way, and they exceeded all expectations.
- Brown & Barron provided efficient, straight-up, and straightforward services in my medical malpractice case. They answered all my questions and kept me informed every step of the way.
- After a two-year process, my case is resolved. I would like to commend and highly recommend Mr. Chris Casciano for his diligence, attention to detail, and support for myself and my family.
Contact Brown & Barron
Whether you have questions or you’re ready to get started, our legal team is ready to help. Complete our form below or call us at (410) 547-0202.