Nationwide Legal Help for
Victims of a Preventable Medical Tragedy
Everything seemed wonderful for a short time. There were no complications during childbirth. Your new baby was perfect, but for a little jaundice (yellow skin), that the doctor told you was normal in newborns and could be easily cured. Then came the news the jaundice the doctor told you was normal in newborns had damaged your child's brain or neurological system. The excess bilirubin that caused the jaundice had not been controlled and had developed into a condition called "kernicterus" or "hyperbilirubinemia."
In adults and older children, jaundice alone is harmless. But in newborns, the tissues protecting the brain (the blood-brain barrier) are immature. Bilirubin penetrates the brain and is deposited in cells where it doesn't belong, causing irreversible damage. Depending on the level of exposure, the effects range from unnoticeable to hearing loss to severe brain damage. Some medications can also cause kernicterus when given to the mother or directly to the baby. Rh incompatibility can also cause baby to make excess bilirubin and raise the risk of kernicterus.
What the doctor or hospital staff probably didn't tell you is that kernicterus injuries are almost always a preventable medical tragedy.
Founded in 1991, Plattner Verderame, P.C., is an Arizona-based law firm and a nationwide leader in litigation involving kernicterus-related injuries. Helping honest people obtain fair compensation for real injuries and other losses is all we do. Contact us today for experience, resources and a team of Arizona Bar Board Certified Specialists in Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation who are ready to start helping you.
Prevention
Jaundice is a fairly common condition in newborns. With proper monitoring and treatment, jaundice should cause no long-term health problems. However, if tests show high levels or if the condition is not properly analyzed or treated, babies can suffer severe damage to their brains and neurological system. Talk to your doctor about treating your baby's jaundice and preventing kernicterus before other symptoms appear.
Holding Negligent Health Care Providers Accountable
Kernicterus injuries can lead to a lifetime of expensive medical care needs and reduced earning capacity. Long-term kernicterus injuries may include movement problems, hearing loss, learning problems and developmental delay, vision restrictions and stained tooth enamel. At Plattner Verderame, P.C., we believe that these harms and losses should be paid for by the people responsible for your child's injuries — not by you. It isn't wrong to file a lawsuit. In fact, it may be the only way for you to get the financial resources you'll need to get your child the best available medical care and provide for their dignity and quality of life as well. In other words, if what you're looking for is a fair result, you'll find the experienced attorneys you need to make that happen right here.
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Phoenix Area: 602-748-4391
Nationwide Toll Free: 866-476-3054
Call or contact Plattner Verderame, P.C., today for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer.
We handle kernicterus injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means that you won't owe us anything to have us represent you unless we obtain a verdict or settlement on your behalf. If you're an honest person with honest injuries, we're a law firm that wants to help you.
