We Hold Doctors Accountable When Hypoxia/Asphyxia (Suffocation) Occurs During The Birthing Process
The Cascade Effect Of Oxygen Deprivation
A child who is starved of life-giving oxygen for even a short period during delivery may suffer severe neurological damage and organ impairment. During the initial phase of oxygen deprivation, brain cells stop functioning and die. Other body cells may follow. Then, when blood supply is restored, the flow of oxygen may actually cause further damage such as brain swelling. This is known as reperfusion injury.
A newborn who has suffered oxygen deprivation may display warning signs such as:
- Low Apgar score (a test given to newborns to evaluate physical condition)
- Apnea (abnormal or prolonged pauses in breathing during sleep)
- Difficulty nursing or feeding
- Bluish coloring of the lips, fingers and toes
- Seizures
- Difficulty rousing from sleep, decreased consciousness or coma
Ultimately, the child may end up with lifelong physical and cognitive disabilities. For example, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, cortical blindness and mental retardation are all linked to inadequate oxygen during delivery.
Was Negligence A Factor?
A physician’s negligent actions in the delivery room — or failure to perform a procedure when medically necessary — can lead to birth asphyxia. Examples of negligence include:
- Negligent administration of the labor-inducing drug Pitocin, resulting in uterine rupture
- Delays in performing a C-section when it is medically imperative
- Failure to resuscitate a newborn in a timely manner
- Failure to plan for a large-for-gestational-age (LGA) baby
- Failure of a nurse or technician to communicate with the delivering physician
If your child’s future has been shattered by the negligent actions of an obstetrician, hospital worker or medical facility, you are not alone. At The Law Office of Robert H. Kleinschmidt, P.C., we have spent decades representing parents in similar positions. The firm’s founding lawyer, Robert H. Kleinschmidt, is not afraid to challenge a hospital or a large insurance company in order to find the truth behind your baby’s birth injury. Attorney Kleinschmidt and our entire staff will work hard to seek accountability and compensation for you.
Contact Us For Help With Perinatal Hypoxia And Other Birth Injury Claims
Call our office in Scottsdale, Arizona, at 480-951-3949 or contact us online to arrange a free consultation. We are paid on a contingency basis, and do not charge legal fees unless we are successful in winning a lawsuit or settlement for you. We provide legal help to people throughout the greater Phoenix area.