Childbirth is one of the most significant events in a person’s life, but it can also come with a lot of complications. Birth injuries can lead to brain disorders that can affect a child for the rest of their life and severe complications in the mother that can be difficult to recover from.
New Mexico has a mix of Spanish and Native American influences and is famous for its rugged terrain. It is one of the states that fall along the path of the Rocky Mountains. However, even this picturesque landscape is not free of errors. If you face a medical injury due to malpractice, you should hire an HIE attorney in New Mexico.
What is HIE?
HIE, or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, is a birth injury that can permanently change how the brain functions. It happens when the fetus does not get enough oxygen during childbirth. Common causes for this include extreme levels of blood pressure, infections, or umbilical cord issues.
If a baby has HIE, the following symptoms may be present:
- Fatigue
- Difficulty feeding
- A pale blue or green color in the skin
How Medical Negligence Leads to HIE
The law establishes a standard of care that all medical providers are expected to follow. This means that all those in the medical field are expected to behave in a way that a person of reasonable skill would in their position. Failing to do so counts as negligence, and the medical professional can be held legally accountable for their actions.
HIE can result from negligence if the doctor fails to monitor the fetus adequately or respond correctly to an emergency. These complications can be prevented when the right procedure is followed to address emergencies and monitor the baby.
Why Do You Need Legal Help to Deal with HIE?
In order to prove medical malpractice, you will have to establish that the doctor made a mistake, which can be quite tricky to do on your own. A qualified lawyer can help you do this by gathering the right evidence and presenting it to court in a convincing manner. It is important to note that medical malpractice claims have a statute of limitations, and failing to file a claim before it expires means forgoing your right to sue.
A lawyer can help you file the documents on time, giving you a better chance of securing compensation. Medical bills can be very expensive, which is why financial assistance in the form of a claim is valuable.
The Qualities You Should Look for in an HIE Lawyer
Have you been the victim of medical malpractice? Then you should definitely hire a lawyer. These are the qualities you should look for:
- Experience: It is crucial that your lawyer has experience in dealing with medical malpractice, specifically birth injuries and HIE so that they can guide you appropriately. Without the right experience, they may fail to gather the right documents or get you a high compensation.
- Empathy: It’s important for lawyers to be empathetic to your case, as this increases the chance of them really paying attention to what they’re doing. When a lawyer really cares, they go the extra mile to ensure that you win your case.
- Skills: The lawyer should be well-versed in the laws pertaining to HIE and medical malpractice claims. This ensures that they know everything they need to about how to present the case to a judge, the right strategy to use, and so on.
Conclusion
HIE can change the course of a child’s life and cause significant damage to a family, both in terms of finances and emotional turmoil. It’s important that parents be aware of the risks of HIE and be adequately prepared for a medical malpractice case.
Maria Fonseca is the Editor and Infographic Artist for IntelligentHQ. She is also a thought leader writing about social innovation, sharing economy, social business, and the commons. Aside her work for IntelligentHQ, Maria Fonseca is a visual artist and filmmaker that has exhibited widely in international events such as Manifesta 5, Sao Paulo Biennial, Photo Espana, Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Joshibi University and many others. She concluded her PhD on essayistic filmmaking , taken at University of Westminster in London and is preparing her post doc that will explore the links between creativity and the sharing economy.
