Attorneys Fighting for Victims of Untreated Jaundice in Ohio
When jaundice in a newborn is not treated properly, the consequences can be severe and life-long. Kernicterus, or damage to the newborn brain caused by high bilirubin levels, is a known risk. Doctors and NICU physicians should be on the lookout for signs of kernicterus in children who are born jaundiced. When jaundice goes untreated or signs of kernicterus are ignored, the results can be devastating.
Untreated jaundice, and the accompanying brain damage, can result in permanent disability, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, coma and even death. Even in the face of the extreme severity of the consequences of untreated jaundice, physicians continue to make mistakes, such as:
- Delaying treatment in order to verify the accuracy of laboratory tests showing high bilirubin levels
- Ignoring symptoms of kernicterus, including lethargy, high-pitched crying, arching of the back, fever and abnormalities of tone (hypertonia or hypotonia)
- Measuring bilirubin levels indirectly instead of measuring total serum bilirubin
- Failing to compare bilirubin levels to hour-specific normal values
If your child suffers a movement disorder, hearing loss or dystonic or athetoid cerebral palsy as a result of untreated jaundice and kernicterus, your best interests may be served by consulting an experienced medical malpractice and birth injury lawyer immediately.
Get Answers and Legal Help Today
The Cleveland law firm of Lancione & Lancione, PLL, works tirelessly to improve the safety and quality of health care in Ohio by holding negligent physicians and hospitals to account for the harm they cause by failing to follow accepted standards of care.
We have three generations of attorneys who have substantial experience and a proven record of success in obtaining substantial verdicts and settlements for victims of medical malpractice and families that have been affected by birth injury. We invite you to call our Cleveland offices at 866-744-1330 or contact us online to schedule an appointment. Lancione & Lancione is proud to serve clients in Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron and communities throughout Ohio.
