Hypoxic/Anoxic Brain Injuries Caused by Medical Malpractice
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you may be wondering if it was caused by medical malpractice.
A brain injury is one of the most severe and debilitating injuries a person can suffer. Such an injury will change a person’s life forever. Brain injuries are likely to affect your lifestyle, ability to earn an income, physical mobility, and mental health. The tragedy of suffering a brain injury is made worse when it was caused by an avoidable medical error. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, you may be wondering if it was caused by medical malpractice. While not every brain injury is a result of negligence, below are some of the ways medical malpractice can lead to brain injuries.
Hypoxic and Anoxic Brain Injuries— Injuries Caused by Lack of Oxygen
When the brain does not receive enough oxygen (at the tissue level), but is still receiving some oxygen, it is called hypoxia. When oxygen is cut off entirely for an extended time, it is classified as anoxia. When the flow of oxygen is limited or completely cut off, it causes the gradual death and impairment of brain cells, which can lead to severe brain damage or even death.
Unfortunately, these injuries often occur during labor and delivery, where medical malpractice during a child’s birth causes the child’s brain to be deprived of oxygen. These injuries can also be due to surgical errors, medication mistakes, general anesthesia complications, failure to monitor and treat extremely low blood pressure, intubation errors, and the poor use of heart-lung machines during coronary artery bypass graft surgeries.
Obviously, both hypoxia and anoxia are hazardous to the patient. Hypoxic or anoxic brain injury often results in an impaired level of consciousness, and may vary from persistent vegetative states, seizures, myoclonus, movement disorder, cognitive dysfunction, and other neurological abnormalities. Hypoxia and anoxia during childbirth has been linked to cerebral palsy, which is a permanent disorder. The effects of oxygen deprivation on the brain can also include:
- Memory loss
- Difficulty forming words
- Lack of physical coordination
- Inability to perform basic functions
- Weakness in the arms and legs
These impairments can last for months, years, or for the rest of the patient’s life. If you believe that you or your loved one has suffered as a result of medical malpractice or medical neglect, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Cardaro & Peek, LLC today for a free case evaluation.
Contact The Law Offices of Cardaro & Peek, LLC Today
The lawyers at Cardaro & Peek, LLC have the experience and resources necessary to investigate and litigate all types of medical claims throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. Cardaro & Peek, LLC has medical personnel on staff and has access to nationally recognized, board-certified physicians and other experts, to assist in the investigation, analysis, and litigation of all types of medical malpractice claims. If you or a loved one have experienced malpractice, give us a call at 410-752-6166. Please visit our website www.cardarolaw.com and follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and LinkedIn for more information.
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