Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
Thousands of Infants Are Affected Every Year
The Florida Neonatal Neurologic Network[1], part of University of Florida Health, estimated that 3 to 20 infants born at full term out of every 1,000 suffer from the effects of Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), and as many as 600 infants born early out of every 1,000 are affected. Your doctor should be able to identify the warning signs through monitoring and care, but if their diagnosis is delayed, then your child could develop serious, potentially deadly brain damage.
Give us a call at (305) 783-2464 to speak with an experienced lawyer today.
Our Miami birth injury lawyers have devoted their careers to representing injured victims throughout the world to ensure they receive the compensation they need. Your doctor should be able to take preventative measures to mitigate or prevent the effects of HIE; failure to do so puts the life of your infant at risk. With more than 150 years of combined experience, our Miami personal injury lawyers at Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain, P.A. are uniquely positioned to provide you with the knowledge and legal advice necessary to fight for the results you deserve.
What Can Cause HIE?
HIE affects infants whose brains don’t receive enough oxygen due to a lack of blood flow, either during pregnancy or the birthing process. Blood flow can be restricted by many different means, including the following reasons.
Risks & Causes During Pregnancy
- Preeclampsia
- Malformed lungs
- Vascular disease caused by maternal diabetes
- Severe fetal anemia
- Lack of proper blood circulation to the placenta
- Alcohol and / or drug abuse
- Congenital infections affecting the fetus
- Cardiac disease
Risks & Causes During Labor & Delivery
- Placental abruption
- Prolonged labor
- Dangerously low maternal blood pressure
- Ruptured uterus
- Fetal distress
- Umbilical cord injuries
- Abnormal fetal position
Risks & Causes After the Infant Is Born
- Dangerously low neonatal blood pressure
- Congenital brain malformations
- Severe cardiac or pulmonary disease
- Infections like sepsis and meningitis
- Premature birth
- Head trauma
Proper monitoring and care can provide your doctors with the information they need to take any preventative measures necessary to keep your infant healthy. If they fail to do so, your baby could develop any number of serious conditions:
- Head trauma
- Cerebral palsy
- Epilepsy
- Cognitive issues
- Neuro-developmental delays
- Motor skill-developmental delays
In some cases, the brain damage caused by HIE may be severe enough to threaten the infant's life.
Hire an Experienced Attorney to Represent You Today
If your child suffered a serious birth injury do to your doctor’s negligence or wrongdoing, you have the right to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for your family. Since our doors at Stewart Tilghman Fox Bianchi & Cain, P.A. opened 35+ years ago, our birth injury attorneys have fought for injured victims and their families throughout Florida and across the globe and are ready to use the knowledge and experienced we’ve gained to help guide you through this tragic time.
Give us a call at (305) 783-2464 to speak with a member of our firm today. You can also fill out our online form to get started with a free consultation.