If a hypoxic brain injury was caused by medical negligence, and you or someone you love suffered harm, it’s important to understand your options. These injuries can have serious consequences, and if yours was the result of a medical error, you may be entitled to damages.
If you were harmed due to a doctor’s mistake, you need to act fast. A Fort Lauderdale brain injury lawyer can help you file a medical malpractice claim.
What to Do If a Hypoxic Brain Injury Was Caused by a Medical Mistake
If a medical error caused your hypoxic brain injury, take these steps to start building your claim:
- Seek immediate medical attention: Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Explain all of your symptoms clearly to ensure proper evaluation and monitoring.
- Keep a detailed symptom log: Track changes in your cognitive functioning, motor functioning, and mood. Note the time, date, and circumstances of each symptom.
- Gather all medical records: Collect test results, doctor’s notes, discharge summaries, and medication information. Organized records create a clear timeline of your care.
- Document conversations with healthcare providers: Record the names, roles, and instructions of anyone involved in your care.
- Consult a medical malpractice attorney: Our attorneys can help determine whether your claim is viable and, if it is, how to pursue compensation.
Common Medical Errors That Cause Hypoxic Brain Injury
Several types of medical mistakes can result in hypoxic brain injury, including:
- Diagnostic errors: Healthcare providers can fail to recognize or misidentify early signs of respiratory distress or oxygen deprivation, which can lead to delayed treatment.
- Treatment delays: Slow intervention to restore oxygen levels or clear blocked airways can result in irreversible brain damage.
- Medication or anesthesia errors: Incorrect dosages, administration mistakes, or lapses in monitoring during surgery or high-risk procedures can cause oxygen deprivation.
- Obstetric complications: Mistakes during childbirth can deprive the infant’s brain of essential oxygen and lead to lasting injury.
Symptoms and Long-Term Effects of Hypoxic Brain Injury
Symptoms of hypoxic brain injury can initially be subtle. Some of the most common signs include:
- Cognitive impairments: Confusion, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and challenges with decision-making can affect daily functioning.
- Emotional changes: Mood swings, depression, anxiety, impulse control problems, and stress management difficulties can significantly impact relationships and well-being.
- Motor and communication difficulties: Problems with movement, coordination, speech, or language can persist long-term and interfere with everyday activities.
If you recognize these symptoms in yourself or a loved one, be sure to seek medical help.
Determining Liability in Cases of Medical Negligence
Holding healthcare providers accountable requires proving that their actions (or inactions) fell below the standard of care and directly caused you harm. Liability may fall on multiple parties, including:
- Doctors and nurses: These professionals are responsible for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating patients, and they can be held liable if their errors caused or worsened the injury.
- Specialists and support staff: Individuals who participated in care may be accountable if their actions or oversights contributed to the hypoxic brain injury.
- Medical facilities: Hospitals, clinics, or surgical centers can be responsible if systemic issues, inadequate protocols, or poor oversight increased the risk of harm.
- Supervisory staff: Those overseeing your medical care may be liable if they failed to provide proper staffing, training, or supervision that could have prevented the injury.
Establishing a breach of care requires showing that your provider’s actions were negligent. Our medical malpractice attorneys can gather evidence that supports your case.
Types of Damages You Can Pursue
If your hypoxic brain injury was caused by a medical mistake, you may be entitled to several types of compensation, including:
- Medical expenses: You can recover the costs of past and future medical treatment, rehabilitation, and ongoing care related to the injury.
- Lost income: You can recover wages you lost due to your inability to work, as well as potential reductions in future earning capacity caused by the injury.
- Home and lifestyle modifications: You can seek compensation for adapting your living space or purchasing equipment that makes daily life manageable after the injury.
- Pain and suffering: You can recover compensation for the physical discomfort and emotional distress caused by the injury.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: You can recover damages for the ways the injury has limited your ability to participate in hobbies, social activities, and other aspects of life you previously enjoyed.
- Punitive damages: You may be able to recover punitive damages if the healthcare provider’s actions were particularly reckless or egregious.
How The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine Can Support You
At The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we’re committed to handling the claims process so you can focus on your recovery. We provide personalized legal strategies, clear communication, and contingency-fee representation, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case.
We go above and beyond for every client, and we’re ready to do the same for you.
What Are Hypoxic Brain Injuries?
Hypoxic brain injuries occur when the brain is deprived of oxygen, even for a few minutes. Brain cells are highly sensitive to oxygen deprivation, and damage can begin almost immediately.
Symptoms vary depending on which areas of the brain are affected, but common effects include confusion, memory difficulties, and impaired movement or coordination. Because the brain cannot store oxygen, even brief interruptions can lead to permanent consequences.
Speak to a Brain Injury Attorney
A hypoxic brain injury caused by a medical mistake can have life-altering consequences, which is why it’s important to hold the at-fault parties accountable. A brain injury attorney from Anidjar & Levine can gather evidence, strengthen your claim, and help you secure the compensation you deserve.
Schedule a free case evaluation to find out how you can reclaim your financial future.
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