Queens Oxygen Deficiency Injury

The birth of a baby is a complicated process. There are a number of complications that could arise. One common complication is hypoxia. Hypoxia is the medical term for a condition when the baby is not receiving enough oxygen. Modern medical technology allows doctors and nurses to monitor the condition of the fetus before and during labor and delivery. Using a fetal monitor, the medical staff can determine whether or the not fetus is in distress due to an oxygen deficiency. If monitoring indicates that the baby is in distress, then it is up to the medical staff to take the appropriate steps to make sure that the baby remains healthy. Failure to properly monitor the fetus and respond to fetal distress could result in a serious birth injury. For example, if a fetus suffers from a lack of oxygenation the baby may suffer a brain injury, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, seizures or another serious personal injury. Other problems that can be avoided by proper monitoring include respiratory problems, a spinal cord injury, and learning disabilities. In the same way that a victim of a car accident or some other type of serious accident can seek damages from the person who caused the accident, New York law allows victims of negligent medical professionals to seek damages as well. If you or your baby suffered a serious injury as a result of a failure of the medical staff to respond to fetal distress, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Queens oxygen deficiency injury lawyer who will help you pursue compensation for your injuries and your child’s injuries through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

An oxygen deficiency can be caused by a number of factors during pregnancy, labor and delivery. Common causes include:

• Long birth. When a birth is difficult and or the baby spends too much time in the birth canal, the baby can become distressed and experience a lack of oxygen
• Compressed or twisted umbilical cord. If the umbilical cord becomes compressed or twisted, oxygen, blood flow, and nutrients can be cut off from the baby, resulting in brain damage.
• Meconium aspiration. Meconium is baby feces. If the baby inhales some of the meconium, the baby’s airway may be blocked resulting in an oxygen deficiency.

However, with proper fetal monitoring doctors can detect when fetal distress due to lack of oxygenation and take immediate steps to treat the cause of the fetal distress

If a baby does not get sufficient oxygen, the consequences may be devastating, including:

• Brain damage
• Cerebral palsy
• Developmental delays
• Mental retardation
• Blindness
• Inability to walk
• Speech difficulties

Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional such as an obstetrician, nurse, or other health care professional fails to take reasonable care and as a result the patient suffers an injury. Thus, if a doctor fails to respond to fetal distress, and as a result you or your baby are injured, New York law allows you to hold that doctor and other medical professionals legally and financially liable. Medical professionals who may be held accountable for failing to respond to fetal distress include:

• Obstetrician
• Gynecologist
• Maternal-fetal doctor
• Family doctor
• Emergency room staff
• Pediatrician
• Neurologist
• Anesthesiologist
• Labor and delivery nurse
• Laboratory where tests were taken for analysis
• Midwife

In addition, you it also may be appropriate to name the hospital as a defendant in your claim. Both you and your child may pursue compensation for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, loss of future earning capacity and pain and suffering.

If you suspect that you or your baby was injured because your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare professional failed to properly respond to fetal distress, do not hesitate to immediately contact an experienced New York birth injury attorney. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by medical professionals, as well as those injured in car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents, and other types of accidents.

Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.