It is normal for newborn babies to sleep for long hours after birth. Nonetheless, a parent may become concerned if they notice that their child is sleeping longer than usual or often appears unconscious. These symptoms may indicate that a child is suffering from the effects of a severe birth injury. If your infant sustained a birth injury and now appears lethargic, you should consult with an experienced Maryland lawyer for infant unconsciousness or lethargy from a birth injury.
Bennett & Heyman is committed to working with victims of medical malpractice that are living with severe injuries due to the negligence of a medical practitioner. Our firm welcomes the opportunity to offer you the legal representation you deserve to pursue damages for your child’s injuries. To schedule a free legal consultation to speak about your Maryland infant lethargy and unconsciousness birth injury claim, contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856. You may also contact the firm online.
Common Birth Injuries that Cause Infant Unconsciousness or Lethargy in Maryland
On average, a newborn child will sleep about 16 to 18 hours per day. A parent should not be alarmed if an infant does not stick to this particular sleep schedule. However, if you notice that your child is consistently sleeping longer than 18 hours or often appears lethargic, you should consider that your child may be suffering from a more serious illness. The following is a list of common birth injuries that can explain why a child appears lethargic or sleeps longer than usual.
Anoxia and Hypoxia
Anoxia and hypoxia are two forms of oxygen deprivation that can cause serious harm to an infant. Anoxia occurs when a child is completely deprived of oxygen. For example, if an umbilical cord has made a true knot around a child’s neck, a doctor should formulate a plan to deal with the issue as it could completely cut off the child’s oxygen.
Hypoxia happens when a child is deprived of a large amount of oxygen but can still slightly breathe. This is often an issue if a mother has a prolonged labor. If a Maryland doctor does not take steps to avoid a prolonged labor or to prepare an emergency cesarean section, they could be held liable if the infant is injured due to a lack of oxygen.
Brain Hemorrhage
A brain hemorrhage is another serious issue that can affect a child. Brain hemorrhages often occur due to anoxia or hypoxia, which will then cause the brain to be flooded with blood. As a result, the damage to the brain could cause a child to become lethargic or sleepy for the majority of the day.
Brain ischemia is another issue that can be derived from anoxia or hypoxia. This medical condition occurs when the brain has been cut off from oxygen for an extended period of time, which can cause a child to fall unconscious or could cause loss of motor functions in a limb.
These are not the only medical conditions that can explain why a newborn appears lethargic for much of the day. If you believe that your child was injured by a negligent medical practitioner, our firm is here for you in your time of need. To know more about pursuing compensation for your child’s birth injuries, you should speak with an experienced Baltimore birth injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Proving Your Doctor Was at Fault for Your Infant’s Lethargy Birth Injury in Maryland
If your newborn is experienced lethargy due to an injury at birth in Maryland, our firm can help you seek damages you may need for medical expenses and other costs related to the injury. To prevail in a medical malpractice lawsuit, a plaintiff will have to show how a defendant acted negligently. There are four elements that must be proven in order for a plaintiff to prove negligence in a medical malpractice lawsuit:
- The defendant (doctor) owed the plaintiff (patient) a duty of care
- The defendant breached their duty of care to the patient (e.g., failed to treat a brain hemorrhage)
- The plaintiff was injured as a result of the defendant’s breach
- The plaintiff’s injuries and other losses can be compensated in a court of law
There are multiple types of evidence that can be used to prove negligence. For example, if you have documentation showing how lethargy has affected your child, this could be used to prove injuries suffered by your child.
Once negligence has been proven, a plaintiff can be awarded compensatory damages for their injuries and losses. Compensatory damages can include compensation for medical bills, future medical bills, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other related costs.
If you need assistance to file a lawsuit against the doctor or hospital responsible for your child’s injuries, our Baltimore medical malpractice law firm is ready to work with you on your lawsuit in Maryland.
Contact Our Experienced Maryland Lawyer for Infant Unconsciousness or Lethargy from Birth Injury
If your newborn was a victim of a birth injury that caused them to become lethargic, you should contact an experienced Maryland lawyer for infant unconsciousness or lethargy due to a birth injury. The legal team at Bennett & Heyman has worked on a wide range of medical malpractice lawsuits, and we would like to assist you in filing your case. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss your potential lawsuit, contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856. We are also available online.
