The long-term complications of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) can affect a child’s health, development, and quality of life. Georgia Baby Safety helps families in Atlanta, Georgia, pursue compensation when medical negligence causes birth injuries. If your child suffered HIE due to preventable medical errors, contact our Atlanta hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) lawyer at (404) 995-6033 for a free consultation.
HIE is a type of brain injury caused by insufficient oxygen and blood flow to a baby’s brain before, during, or shortly after birth. Depending on the severity of the injury, children may experience developmental delays, movement disorders, or other lifelong complications. Some families may have grounds to pursue a medical malpractice claim if a healthcare provider’s negligence caused the injury.
How Can Georgia Baby Safety Help After HIE Complications in Atlanta, GA?
Georgia Baby Safety helps families in Atlanta, GA, pursue compensation when medical negligence causes HIE and other serious birth injuries. Our attorneys have 50 years of combined experience handling complex birth injury cases and have secured hundreds of millions of dollars for children injured by medical negligence.
Our Atlanta birth injury lawyer can help by:
- Investigating the injury: Reviewing medical records and the circumstances surrounding the child’s birth
- Identifying negligence: Working to determine whether healthcare providers failed to meet the applicable standard of care
- Documenting long-term needs: Evaluating the child’s anticipated medical treatment, therapy, and support needs
- Pursuing compensation: Negotiating with insurers and taking legal action when necessary
HIE can create lasting challenges for children and their families. Contact Georgia Baby Safety today for a free case review with an Atlanta HIE attorney to discuss your child’s injuries and your family’s legal options.
What Are Common Effects of HIE?
HIE happens when the brain does not receive enough oxygen. Importantly, the incident doesn’t need to cut off the brain’s oxygen supply completely to cause HIE. Even a partial reduction in the oxygen provided to the brain can produce HIE.
Without oxygen, brain cells can die. While the brain can rewire itself to work around the lost tissue, the severity of both the immediate and long-term effects may depend on these factors:
- How long the brain was oxygen-deprived
- The size and location of the brain damage
- The patient’s ability to heal
These factors can influence how severely HIE affects the newborn and the extent of the resulting brain injury.
What Are Common Complications from HIE?
Immediately after the incident, the newborn may experience the following:
- Respiratory difficulties
- Reduced heart rate
- Acidosis
- Seizures
- Poor muscle tone and reduced reflexes
- Blue or pale skin
These complications result from the lack of oxygen to the body and brain. If the oxygen supply is not restored, it can put the child’s life in danger.
When blood flow and oxygen return to the brain after an interruption, the resulting reperfusion can sometimes cause additional cell damage and inflammation. This secondary injury may worsen the effects of HIE. For eligible newborns with moderate-to-severe HIE, therapeutic hypothermia may help reduce the risk of death or long-term neurological impairment.
What Are Some Long-Term Complications From HIE?
The initial lack of oxygen and blood flow, along with secondary brain injury, can lead to serious long-term complications.
Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a group of permanent neurological disorders caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain. It primarily affects movement, muscle tone, balance, and coordination.
In many cases, the child will have developmental delays that interfere with their ability to stand, walk, and speak. People with cerebral palsy may need lifelong therapy. They might also be unable to live independently in adulthood.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy occurs when the brain experiences abnormal and uncontrollable bursts of electrical activity. Common effects include seizures, sudden loss of consciousness, attention lapses, and involuntary muscle spasms.
Intellectual Disabilities
Brain damage can affect memory, learning, and problem-solving. The child may miss developmental milestones, such as sitting, crawling, and speaking. They may have difficulties with both intellectual functions, such as reasoning and planning, and life skills like observing social boundaries and meeting their daily needs.
Heart Problems
HIE does not necessarily damage the heart since HIE is a neurological event. However, the same incident that injures the brain can also damage the heart. As a result, babies who experience HIE will often have co-occurring cardiac issues, such as ventricular dysfunction.
What Kinds of Compensation Are Available to HIE Victims in Georgia?
In Georgia, medical malpractice victims have the right to seek compensation for their economic and non-economic losses. Economic losses may include the child’s past and future medical expenses, rehabilitation, therapy, and other necessary care. Parents may also have separate claims for certain expenses incurred on behalf of their child, depending on Georgia law and the circumstances of the case.
Additionally, economic losses can cover your child’s lost earning capacity. For newborns, this amount could be substantial because the wages are calculated over the child’s anticipated lifetime.
A child’s non-economic losses arise from the reduction in their quality of life resulting from medical malpractice. Pain, suffering, emotional distress, and disability are forms of non-economic losses.
Contact Our Atlanta HIE Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation
You and your child may need significant financial resources to meet your child’s lifetime needs resulting from HIE complications. Let our team fight for your family’s future. Contact Georgia Baby Safety for a free consultation with an Atlanta HIE attorney to discuss your child’s case and the compensation we can seek on their behalf.