Infant Seizures from Birth Malpractice

Neonatal Seizure Lawyers Representing Birth Injury Victims in NJ

Seizures can afflict newborns and infants, attributable to errant electrical signals discharged in the baby’s brain. Sometimes, seizures can result from nerve damage or brain problems from birth injuries. Injury around the time of labor and delivery is unfortunately often due to medical mistakes, depending on the specific case. Even wondering if your child’s seizures or brain damage was preventable is reason to pursue knowledgeable legal counsel. Seizure disorders and other damaging effects on the brain are costly for patients and their families in more ways than one. If a doctor or another member of your medical team failed to meet the standard of care during your child’s birth, you may have reason to pursue a medical malpractice claim.

Our team of experienced New Jersey birth injury attorneys will fight for the financial compensation you need to care for your injured child now and for the rest of their lives. You are also entitled to damages for pain and suffering caused by medical negligence, which cannot be underestimated. If your child has seizures and you suspect they have been a victim of birth malpractice, contact us for a free consultation about your legal options at 866-708-8617 or fill out our convenient form. We represent birth injury victims with seizures across the state of New Jersey and a member of our team is available immediately to assist you.

Common Causes of Infant Seizures

There are a number of birth injuries that may cause infant seizures, some of the most common of which are explained below.

Seizures from Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy

One of the most common causes of neonatal seizures is hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or HIE for short. HIE is associated with a deficiency in oxygen or oxygenated blood making its way to an infant’s brain. This lack of oxygen can cause severe problems, including seizures, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, and delays reaching developmental benchmarks. Trauma during labor and delivery, in addition to medication errors, can cause a child’s HIE and the resulting seizures and potential complications that come along with the condition.

Traumatic Birth Related Seizures

Ischemic strokes can also cause seizures. These strokes are often the result of a blood clot that develops around the time of labor and delivery, intracranial hemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) and other types of hemorrhages, the application of excessive force to a baby’s head, neck, or shoulders, and other harm associated with traumatic births.

Seizure Disorders from Infection

Infections including meningitis and sepsis can similarly result in infant seizures. Given that infections in the mother can be transmitted to the baby during or before childbirth, a baby experiencing seizures should likely be evaluated for potential infection.

There are other birth injuries and conditions that may result in seizures in newborns. For example, hypoglycemia, otherwise known as low blood sugar, may also cause seizures in children and infants. In fact, undiagnosed hypoglycemia can result in permanent brain damage and numerous serious disabilities.

When Seizures are Caused by Birth Injuries

Tragically, infant seizures and permanent seizure disorders may be caused by medical malpractice in some cases. If medical professionals fail to monitor a baby during labor and delivery and fail to identify that the baby is not receiving appropriate levels of oxygen, this unacceptable inattentiveness may result in seizures and a host of other complications. It is for this reason and more that doctors, nurses, and staff must continuously monitor fetal heart rate and other vital signs during birth to avoid potentially permanent negative effects. If they do not and a child is injured, this may constitute negligence.

Get Help with New Jersey Infant Seizure Case

If you believe your newborn is suffering seizures from medical mistakes during labor and delivery in New Jersey, our experienced team can evaluate your individual case to determine if you may be entitled to compensation. If negligence did occur during your child’s birth, we have the knowledge and resources to obtain maximum damages on your child’s behalf. Call 866-708-8617 to learn more in a free consultation.