On May 14th, two parents from Harris County, Texas filed a medical malpractice case against their local hospital, claiming that birth injury malpractice resulted in impairment, pain, and loss of enjoyment of life for their infant son. Because of medical negligence on the part of the doctors and staff at the hospital, the couple’s son suffered from a condition called hyperbilirubinemia, leaving him with permanent injuries.
Hyperbilirubinemia is a condition that occurs when the liver is unable to process bilirubin, an important biological byproduct. When bilirubin aggregates in a child’s bloodstream, it can cause jaundice and a serious condition called kernicterus that can cause permanent brain damage. Infants are especially at risk of hyperbilirubinemia, because the process of bilirubin extraction is performed by their mother’s placenta while they are in the womb. If the child’s own liver cannot successfully take over this process after birth, a doctor should perform phototherapy and a blood transfusion to help the child along.
When doctors fail to notice chronic complications during childbirth, or else fail to follow up on obvious signs of complications, a child can be left with a serious birth injury that could have been prevented. Negligent doctors and hospitals should be held accountable for the financial, emotional, and physical suffering brought on by their failure to act.
If your child has suffered a preventable birth injury in a Texas hospital, please contact Polewski & Associates today to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced Dallas medical malpractice attorney.
