Las Vegas Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Lawyers
Respected advocacy for newborns who have birth injuries due to medical malpractice
Your baby may develop hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) if their brain doesn’t receive enough blood and oxygen during the delivery. Doctors should anticipate the conditions that can cause HIE or other types of perinatal asphyxia and take proper precautions and provide timely treatments. At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, our Las Vegas HIE lawyers are skilled at holding physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare professionals liable when they commit medical malpractice. We fight for all the compensation newborns, parents, and families deserve.
Quick Questions
- What is HIE?
- How do you fight for parents and children when medical mistakes cause HIE in Las Vegas?
- What are the symptoms of HIE in Las Vegas deliveries?
- Why does hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy happen during the birth of a child?
- What are the complications and treatments for HIE?
- Who is liable for HIE in newborns in Las Vegas?
- What is the value of an HIE claim in Nevada?
- Do you have an HIE birth injury lawyer near me?
The Cleveland Clinic defines hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) as a brain injury that occurs in several situations – most commonly when a newborn doesn’t get enough blood and oxygen. HIE can permanently alter how your baby’s brain functions. HIE is also referred to as birth asphyxia, neonatal encephalopathy, and perinatal hypoxia.
HIE is categorized as mild, moderate, or severe based on your newborn’s prognosis. HIE is a life-threatening medical condition that requires emergency medical care. About 9,000 to 12,000 newborns each year develop HIE.
When doctors agree to help parents during their pregnancy and the delivery of their child, they agree to act competently. HIE is an expected danger. Doctors who fail to take preventive measures and respond according to standard medical practices can be held liable. We work with doctors who can explain what should have gone right and what went wrong. We question everyone involved in your pregnancy care and delivery who had the responsibility for your child’s medical well-being.
Our Las Vegas birth injury lawyers also work with various doctors to explain the scope of your child’s injuries, what medical care will be necessary, what complications are likely, and every way your child’s life is affected by their HIE diagnosis.
Mild and moderate HIE symptoms include tense muscles or a floppy, weak muscle tone, fatigue, feeding difficulties, a weak cry, irritability, and a pale, gray, or blue tone to your newborn’s fingers, lips, and skin (cyanosis).
Severe HIE symptoms include poor reflexes, abnormal breathing patterns, little or no response to sound or touch, a slow or irregular heartbeat, seizures, and loss of consciousness.
At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, our Las Vegas HIE lawyers work with obstetricians and other physicians to help determine the cause of HIE in your child. Many causes are due to medical malpractice – the failure of your baby’s doctors and the hospital to provide competent medical care.
Common causes of HIE during fetal development include:
- An infection such as toxoplasmosis or CMV.
- Abnormal development of the fetus’s lungs or heart.
- A pregnant parent’s blood pressure is too high or too low.
- Low oxygen levels in the pregnant parent.
Common causes of HIE during the pregnancy or delivery include:
- Umbilical cord prolapse
- Umbilical cord compression
- Placental abruption
- Uterine rupture
- Placenta previa
Children and adults may also develop HIE due to mercury poisoning, drowning, strangulation, and other causes.
Birth delivery doctors should monitor the various risk factors, take steps to avoid the causes of HIE from occurring, and take prompt and competent action when emergencies do occur.
The risk factors for HIE in a fetus or newborn include a low birth weight, delayed fetal development, and amniotic fluid contamination. Risk factors in the pregnant mother include prolonged labor, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and substance abuse.
HIE may be fatal. Complications of an HIE birth injury include growth problems, developmental delays, vision loss, hearing loss, cognitive and intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, infections, and other problems. Many complications aren’t noticeable until your child begins school.
Some of the tests that your doctor may have failed to perform include fetal heart monitoring, a placenta blood test, an Apgar score (newborn wellness assessment), an EEG, an ultrasound, an MRI, and certain other blood tests.
The Cleveland Clinic identifies the following HIE treatments:
- Cooling your baby’s body (therapeutic hypothermia), followed by rewarming their body to an expected temperature. This can help protect the brain from further injury.
- EEG monitoring to detect seizures during your or your child’s hospital stay, as well as antiseizure medications to prevent them.
- “Supportive treatment of the underlying cause to improve blood and oxygen flow to you or your child’s brain (like receiving supplemental oxygen through a mask or nasal cannula).”
As your child grows, your child may need physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, early intervention educational programs, and hearing aids.
Some treatments may have side effects. Generally, newborns with mild symptoms and no brain damage make a full recovery in about two weeks. If your newborn has a severe case of HIE, he/she may need a lifetime of medical care. In some cases, it can be fatal.
Our Las Vegas birth injury lawyers work to determine what happened to cause your child to develop HIE. We file medical malpractice actions against every responsible healthcare provider. The defendants may include the obstetrician who performed the delivery, the hospital where the delivery took place, and any other responsible parties such as a gynecologist, nurse, or an anesthesiologist.
The value of your newborn’s personal injury claim depends on the severity of the HIE, whether your newborn developed any complications such as cerebral palsy, and other factors. Our Las Vegas HIE lawyers seek compensation for your child’s current and future:
- Medical expenses, including hospitalizations, doctor visits, different types of therapy, assistive devices, medications, and psychological care
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Loss of bodily function
- Loss of life’s pleasures
We also file wrongful death claims on behalf of parents if HIE due to a birth injury is fatal.
The state of Nevada puts caps on the amount of pain and suffering that can be awarded. In 2025, the cap on non-economic damages, which generally covers pain and suffering and loss of function, is $510,000. In 2028, the cap will increase to $750,000. Each year thereafter, the cap will increase by 2.1 % to adjust for inflation. The state does not place a cap on economic damages, which cover the actual financial costs from the injury, including expenses like past and future medical treatment.
Do you have an HIE birth injury lawyer near me?
Claggett & Sykes Law Firm meets parents and their children at our Las Vegas office located at 4101 Meadows Lane, Suite 100. We’re near Springs Preserve and Meadows Mall. We do make alternate arrangements when necessary. Some clients speak with us by phone and through video conferences.
Our personal injury lawyers understand the unique challenges involved in handling catastrophic injuries such as HIE.
Speak with our Las Vegas hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy lawyer now
We understand you are frightened. You also have a right to be angry when doctors fail to protect your child from life-changing birth injuries. At Claggett & Sykes Law Firm, our Las Vegas personal injury lawyers have obtained more than 125 verdicts and settlements worth one million dollars or more. We’ll fight for all the compensation your child deserves. To schedule a free consultation, call us or fill out our contact form today. We handle birth injury claims on a contingency fee basis.