Medical Malpractice Attorneys
Hyperbilirubinemia Lawsuit | Lawsuits, Lawyer, Attorney | Side Effects : Newborn Jaundice, Jaundice in Newborn Lawsuit, Brain Damage, Cerebral Palsy, Un-control Muscle Movement of face, body, arms, and legs), deafness, learning disabilities, Kernicterus | Early stage kernicterus: Extreme jaundice, Absent startle reflex, Poor feeding or sucking, Extreme sleepiness, lethargy | Mid-stage kernicterus: High-pitched cry, Arched back with neck hyperextended backwards, Bulging fontanel (soft spot), Seizures | Late stage (full neurological syndrome) kernicterus: High-frequency hearing loss, Mental retardation, Muscle rigidity, Speech difficulties, Seizures, Movement disorder, cerebral palsy
The leading law firm of Alonso Krangle LLP is investigating birth injuries resulting from newborn hyperbilirubinemia, commonly known as jaundice. Hyperbilirubinemia is a common condition among newborns that is caused by excessive amounts of a protein in the blood called bilirubin. Hyperbilirubinemia is usually harmless, and most of the time it resolves without treatment. However, in cases where newborn jaundice is misdiagnosed, not recognized, or inadequately treated, bilirubin can reach levels high enough to cause a type of irreversible brain damage called Kernicterus. Children with kernicterus may develop cerebral palsy, hearing loss and learning disabilities.
The hyperbilirubinemia lawyers at Alonso Krangle LLP understand how devastating it is when a child suffers a brain injury because of undiagnosed or untreated newborn jaundice. If your baby developed brain damage due to medical malpractice, filing a personal injury lawsuit could enable you to obtain money damages for their current and future medical bills, vital rehabilitation and special educational services, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. The hyperbilirubinemia lawyers at Alonso Krangle LLP are currently offering free lawsuit consultations in all 50 states to any family whose child suffered a brain injury due to medical incompetence and malpractice. To learn more about obtaining justice for your baby, please contact the hyperbilirubinemia lawyers at Alonso Krangle LLP today.
Hyperbilirubinemia
Any newborn baby can suffer from jaundice shortly after birth. However, baby boys are more prone to abnormal levels of bilirubin, as are breast fed infants, and those of Asian decent. Premature babies are at greater risk for the bilirubin protein to deposit in the brain tissue, even at lower levels.
The most common symptom of hyperbilirubinemia is a yellowing of the skin, and possibly the whites (sclera) of an infant’s eyes. Standard of care requires that all newborn infants have their bilirubin levels tested before they are discharged from the hospital. If excess levels of bilirubin are confirmed, hospital staff should closely monitor the baby while still admitted. Parents and caregivers should be provided with proper instructions to parents upon the child’s discharge from the hospital, specifically with regard to the dangers and signs of Jaundice. Discharge instructions should also include follow-up appointment information.
Hyperbilirubinemia Treatment
In most cases, newborn jaundice can be easily treated by placing an infant under UV (ultraviolet) lights. The baby’s bilirubin levels will be monitored to make sure they drop to acceptable levels. If a child has already been discharged from the hospital, repeat blood tests should be done within a day or two of the newborn’s discharge, or within a day or two of the jaundice diagnosis. If despite treatment, bilirubin levels continue to rise, the baby may need to be kept in the hospital or re-admitted for UV therapy. In the most severe cases of hyperbilirubinemia, blood transfusion therapy may be required.
Hyperbilirubinemia and Brain Damage
When newborn jaundice is diagnosed in a timely manner, most babies will respond to treatment and do well. However, if doctors and nurses fail to recognize jaundice, fail to perform the required tests in a timely manner, or delay or fail to prescribe adequate treatment, the consequences can be disastrous. In cases where hyperbilirubinemia is able to progress unchecked, enough bilirubin may build up in the brain to cause kernicterus, a type of brain damage. Kernicterus can cause cerebral palsy (an inability to control muscle movement of the face, body, arms, and legs), deafness, learning disabilities and other conditions
Kernicterus usually develops in the first week of life. The symptoms depend on the stage of kernicterus:
Early stage kernicterus:
Extreme jaundice
Absent startle reflex
Poor feeding or sucking
Extreme sleepiness (lethargy)
Mid-stage kernicterus:
High-pitched cry
Arched back with neck hyperextended backwards
Bulging fontanel (soft spot)
Seizures
Late stage (full neurological syndrome) kernicterus:
High-frequency hearing loss
Mental retardation
Muscle rigidity
Speech difficulties
Seizures
Movement disorder, cerebral palsy
Legal Help for Victims of Hyperbilirubinemia
If your child suffered brain damage because of misdiagnosed or inadequately treated hyperbilirubinemia, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the doctors and other medical practitioners responsible. To learn more about the legal options available to you, please contact the hyperbilirubinemia lawyers at Alonso Krangle LLP by filling out our online form or calling us.