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| CEREBRAL PALSY |
| The Hixson & Brown Law Firm has represented many babies that suffer from cerebral palsy as a result of medical negligence occurring during the process of labor and delivery. The claims occur for a number of reasons, but the primary result is usually the same: and anoxic (lack of oxygen) injury to the baby. Sometimes the medical malpractice involves the failure of the nursing staff or obstetrician to diagnose a problem with the labor. Other times, the medical negligence involves the failure to diagnose a poor fetal response to labor. In our experience, if a baby is born with a low APGAR score, a low blood pH or a low Base Excess with a resultant brain injury to the baby, the parents should have the complete medical record reviewed by a lawyer who handles medical malpractice claims involving birth injuries. READ MORE |
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| STILL BORN BABIES AND IUGR |
| At birth the baby's weight placed her below the 5% of all babies born in the United States. The baby girl underwent an autopsy and the pathologist determined that she died of intra uterine growth restriction which is commonly referred to as "IUGR." While the baby girl in our case fell below the 5th percentile, generally“birth weight below the population 10th percentile, corrected for gestational age, has been the most widely used criterion for defining growth restriction at birth.” In our case, the mother received her obstetrical care and treatment from a midwife. READ MORE |
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| FAILURE TO DIAGNOSE PRETERM LABOR AND TRANSFER TO A LEVEL III TERTIARY CARE CENTER |
| Like many states, Iowa has a Regionalized System of Perinatal Health Care that was established pursuant to Iowa Code §135.11 and Iowa Administrative Code 641-150.1. Along with this regionalized system, the Iowa Department of Public Health has published “Guidelines for Perinatal Services.” These Guidelines identify their intent as follows:“The intent of Guidelines for Perinatal Services is to assure that when a hospital markets itself at a particular level of perinatal care, it is capable of providing that care. The public is entitled to know the level of functioning. A hospital having determined to participate in the regionalized system of perinatal care shall comply with the guidelines appropriate to the level of participation selected by the hospital and approved by the advisory committee for perinatal guidelines.” READ MORE |
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| MALROATATION OF THE BOWEL AND OBSTRUCTION
IN TWO NEWBORN BABIES |
| Of the cases we have handled for infants injured as a result of medical negligence relating to intestinal or bowel issues, two suffered life threatening injuries. In both cases the physicians failed to promptly diagnose and treat a malrotated bowel with a resulting midgut volvulus. The signs and symptoms for each of these infants were as follows. READ MORE |
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| DEEP VENOUS THROMBOSIS AND PULMONARY EMBOLISMS |
A deep venous thrombosis is a blood clot that forms most often in the veins of the leg and sometimes in the arms. It is often referred to as a "DVT." Regardless of where the thrombosis/blood clot develops it is a serious medical condition because it may lead to a pulmonary embolism ("PE"). A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot breaks loose in the vein and travels to the lungs where it can cause respiratory failure. This often leads to death.
While anyone can develop a DVT and a pulmonary embolism, certain categories of individuals have been identified as having acquired and/or genetic risk factors that predispose them to the development of a DVT and hence a pulmonary embolism. Most people do not know whether they have a genetic predisposition to develop a DVT since there is normally no reason to routinely test for such genetic factors. On the other hand, certain acquired factors are readily apparent risk factors. READ MORE |
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