Learning that your child sustained a severe birth injury can be extremely stressful and worrying for a family. There are some treatments that may be approved for birth injuries, such as neonatal therapeutic hypothermia. However, if the doctor performing this treatment is not careful, it can do more harm than good for an infant already coping with a birth injury. If your child was injured due to failed neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatments, you should consult with an experienced Maryland birth injury attorney for injuries caused by neonatal therapeutic hypothermia.
At Bennett & Heyman, we are here to ensure that our clients receive legal representation tailored to their needs. We know that an injury to a newborn child can impact a family in a number of ways, and we are here to fight for the compensation you deserve. To schedule a free case evaluation to speak about the details of your case, you should contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856. Our online submission form may also be used to schedule your free consultation.
How Does Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia Work?
Neonatal therapeutic hypothermia is a recently developed form of treatment for newborns that experience severe oxygen deprivation at birth. This new treatment is performed by decreasing an infant’s body temperature shortly after delivery in order to reduce the possibility of an infant sustaining irreversible brain damage or other medical conditions linked to oxygen deprivation.
A doctor may suggest the use of neonatal therapeutic hypothermia due to a number of studies that have shown that people can heal from injuries quicker in cold or even severely cold temperatures. As a result, scientists developed neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatments to have a controlled environment that could be used to treat medical conditions like neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE).
HIE is a medical condition identified by a lack of oxygen to the brain, which affects about 1-6 children out of every 1,000 births. An infant may experience HIE under a number of circumstances. For example, if a mother has a difficult labor and an infant becomes trapped in the birth canal, this could result in a lack of oxygen that may lead to HIE.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), HIE is fatal for about 20% of the infants that experience it. That is why it is important to act quickly if an infant was deprived of oxygen for a long period of time during delivery. Note, however, that there are other medical conditions where a doctor may suggest that an infant should undergo neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatments:
- Cephalopelvic disproportion
- Decreased oxygen levels in a mother’s blood
- Fetal anemia
- Fetal heart abnormalities
- Maternal preeclampsia
- Premature births
- Umbilical cord prolapse/umbilical cord entanglement
- Breech births
This is not an exhaustive list. To learn more about the risks of neonatal therapeutic hypothermia, you should continue reading and consider speaking with an experienced Maryland birth injury attorney to discuss your potential case.
Dangers of Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia for Infants in Maryland
While neonatal therapeutic hypothermia has been praised as a viable treatment for oxygen deprivation injuries at birth, there are still risks associated with the use of this treatment. If your child was injured due to complications from neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatments, Bennett & Heyman could help you pursue damages from the parties responsible.
One risk factor associated with neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatments is that some infants who undergo the treatment may experience hypotension, which can be extremely dangerous for infants. Additionally, an infant may also experience an increase in their normal heart rate due to this treatment.
There is also a risk that an infant could suffer from blood clots due to the neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatments. This can be especially dangerous as if a doctor fails to diagnose the existence of a clot, it can travel to an infant’s heart and possibly cause death.
If you believe that your infant suffered injuries as a result of a failed neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatment, you should move quickly to file your medical malpractice claim.
When to File a Lawsuit for Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia Injuries in Maryland
When pursuing a civil claim, it is important to note that the statute of limitations governs how long you have to file your lawsuit. The statute of limitations varies from state to state, which is why it is important to avoid making any assumptions about how long you have to file your case. If you fail to timely file your birth injury lawsuit for injuries caused by neonatal therapeutic hypothermia, you may be left without options to pursue damages for your case.
In Maryland, the statute of limitations for a birth injury lawsuit is five years from the injury date or three years from the date the injury was discovered. Note, however, if the victim was under the age of 11 at the time of the injury, the filing deadline will not begin to run until they reach the age of 11. Fortunately, a parent can pursue a birth injury lawsuit on behalf of their child.
Our firm is here to assist you in your fight for justice.
Our Skilled Maryland Lawyer for Injuries from Neonatal Therapeutic Hypothermia is Ready to Work with You
If your newborn suffered an injury from neonatal therapeutic hypothermia treatments, you should contact an experienced Maryland birth injury lawyer for injuries caused by neonatal therapeutic hypothermia. Our skilled Maryland and Baltimore birth injury lawyers are here to address any questions or concerns you may have pertaining to your potential birth injury lawsuit. To schedule a free legal consultation to speak with one of our birth injury lawyers, contact Bennett & Heyman at (410) 429-7856. You may also contact the firm online to schedule your free appointment.
