Questions?
The Birth Injury Justice Center hears from many families trying to understand what causes hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in babies and if better medical care could have prevented their child’s condition.
To provide families with information they can trust, we’re glad to welcome back HIE birth injury attorney Ricky LeBlanc of Sokolove Law.
Since 1979, Sokolove Law has recovered over $1.1 billion for families affected by preventable harm during childbirth, including HIE.
In his last interview, Ricky explained how birth injury lawyers prove malpractice. This time, he’s focusing on the questions families often have about HIE.
Q: What is HIE, and what does a diagnosis mean for my baby?
A: HIE, or hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, is a condition that occurs when a baby’s brain does not receive enough oxygen and blood flow around the time of birth.
An HIE diagnosis is serious, but it does not predict exactly what your baby’s future will look like. Some babies recover with few lasting effects, while others may experience developmental delays, cerebral palsy, or other lifelong challenges.
The severity of the injury and how your baby responds during the first days and weeks will help doctors better understand what care may be needed.
Q: What usually causes HIE?
A: HIE may begin with a serious problem during pregnancy, labor, delivery, or shortly after birth. Sometimes it happens because of a sudden emergency involving the placenta or umbilical cord.
Not every case can be prevented, but some warning signs give the medical team time to act. If fetal distress is missed or treatment is delayed, an oxygen problem that might have been temporary can become a permanent brain injury.
Q: How can parents tell if their baby’s HIE could have been prevented?
A: Parents usually cannot tell from the diagnosis alone if their baby’s HIE could have been prevented. The answer is often found in the hours before delivery when the baby’s heart rate, the mother’s condition, and the medical team’s response were all being documented.
A lawyer for HIE can access those records to help you piece together what may have happened. We look for warning signs that should have led to faster action and determine if the baby remained in distress longer than necessary.
If the medical team had time to intervene and failed to do so, the resulting brain injury may have been preventable.
Q: What should parents do if they suspect a medical mistake caused their baby’s HIE?
A: If you believe a medical mistake may have caused your child’s HIE, trust your instinct and speak with experienced legal professionals without delay.
You do not need to prove malpractice before calling an HIE attorney. We can obtain the complete records, work with medical experts, and reconstruct the timeline to find out if warning signs were missed or treatment was delayed.
Q: When should a family speak with an HIE lawyer?
A: Families should speak with an attorney for HIE as soon as they believe something may have gone wrong during labor or delivery.
You do not need a final diagnosis, and you do not need to know exactly what caused your baby’s condition before making that call. That’s what the investigation stage is for.
Keep in mind that some effects of HIE may not become clear for months or even years, but the statute of limitations is a strict legal deadline that may already be running.
Our labor and delivery nurses have decades of combined experience and can talk with you about your baby’s symptoms, what the future may hold, and if proper care could have prevented the condition.
Q: What do HIE attorneys look for when reviewing a birth injury case?
A: When birth injury attorneys review an HIE claim, we examine the events leading up to labor through the first hours after birth. We look at what the fetal monitor showed, when the medical team recognized a problem, and how quickly they responded.
We also compare the records with what the family was told and look for delays, missing information, or warning signs that were not addressed. The central question is usually: Did the medical team have an opportunity to act before the oxygen loss caused permanent harm?
Medical experts help us answer that question and determine if the care fell below accepted standards.
Q: Can parents file an HIE lawsuit before they know their child’s long-term needs?
A: Parents do not have to wait until every long-term effect of HIE is known before protecting their child’s legal rights. Children develop over time, and it may take years to understand the full extent of a child’s HIE diagnosis.
In serious HIE lawsuit cases, we work with medical experts and life care planners to estimate what the child may need over a lifetime. A life care plan projects future medical care, therapy, and daily support, allowing us to pursue maximum HIE compensation for needs the family may not fully see for years.
Q: What compensation may be available in an HIE lawsuit?
A: HIE lawsuit settlements and trial verdicts depend largely on the severity of the injury and the care the child may need throughout life. We look at medical treatment, therapy, specialized equipment, and the support required at home or in school.
In one case, a California child received a $7.25 million settlement for HIE and cerebral palsy. That result does not determine the value of another case, but it shows why each child’s future needs must be evaluated carefully.
The goal is to secure enough compensation to provide the care and support that child may need for years to come.
Q: What would you tell families who feel unsure or guilty about questioning the care their baby received?
A: I understand why families feel guilty questioning the doctors and nurses who cared for their baby, but asking questions is not the same as accusing someone of wrongdoing. If something about the delivery does not make sense to you, trust that concern and let us help you find out what happened.
You were relying on the medical team to recognize danger and protect your child. If they failed to do that, the responsibility is not yours.
Speaking with a birth injury lawyer does not commit you to filing a lawsuit. It gives you the chance to understand what the records show, learn what options you have, and make the decision that’s right for your family.
Find an HIE Lawyer Near Me
Families deserve clear answers when a medical mistake may have harmed their child. At the Birth Injury Justice Center, our mission is to help families understand what caused their child’s injury and what legal options they may have.
We want to thank Attorney Ricky LeBlanc for another informative conversation about preventable HIE, birth injuries, and the legal options available to families.
Our fully vetted legal partners have recovered over $1.1 billion in birth injury lawsuit compensation, with trusted lawyers available in all 50 states.
If you believe your child’s HIE may have been caused by medical negligence, call us right now at (800) 914-1562 or fill out this form for a free case review. Our team is here to listen and help you take the first steps toward justice.
