Alabama Preeclampsia Lawyer
Preeclampsia is a threatening condition that can have devastating consequences for the mother and her child. Healthcare professionals must recognize, prevent, and treat preeclampsia according to established standards of care. However, medical malpractice sometimes leads to this disastrous condition.
With the help of an Alabama preeclampsia lawyer, victims and their families can seek justice for their losses.
Why Choose Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana?
Experience You Can Trust
The attorneys at Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana have a wealth of experience representing injured clients, recovering millions of dollars for them for their losses. Each member of our team firmly believes in the rights of injured individuals to get justice for their losses.
By holding medical professionals accountable when they are negligent, we win the compensation that helps make our clients whole.
Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana is a firm with:
- Nearly 30 years of successfully representing clients
- A track record of millions of dollars obtained for clients
- A reputation for doing what it takes for its clients
- Industry-recognized injury lawyers.
We also have a robust referral program with law firms designed to help clients get the representation that best suits their case.
Understanding Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a dangerous health condition that can occur before or during childbirth. It occurs in approximately 8% of pregnant women. Expectant mothers experiencing preeclampsia might manifest one or more of the following primary symptoms:
- High blood pressure
- Proteinuria, which is protein in the urine
- Kidney or organ damage.
But other symptoms might also indicate preeclampsia, especially when they accompany high blood pressure. They include:
- Headaches
- Shortness of breath due to fluid buildup in the lungs
- Upper-abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Vision problems.
In general, preeclampsia begins after the 20th week of pregnancy. Healthcare providers who treat expectant mothers must monitor for preeclampsia and take the appropriate steps to prevent it or treat it appropriately.
Causes of Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia can have numerous causes. Additionally, certain risk factors make some mothers more prone to the condition.
Common risk factors and causes of preeclampsia include:
- Mother is 35 years old or older
- First-time pregnancy
- A history of diabetes
- A history of kidney disorders
- High blood pressure.
Doctors, nurses, and other birthing professionals, such as midwives, must know how to recognize the signs of preeclampsia and take immediate action to prevent it from developing further.
Failure to take action or taking inappropriate action when these symptoms present is strong evidence of medical malpractice.
Long-term consequences of improperly or untreated preeclampsia can be overwhelming. The unborn child is subject to a host of debilitating medical conditions, including:
- Seizures
- Impaired cognitive development
- Impaired development of motor skills
- Cerebral palsy
- Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Vision and hearing problems
- Difficulty breathing.
Additionally, the mother may experience:
- Permanent organ damage, including liver and kidney damage
- Fluid in the lungs
- Blood clots
- Heavy exsanguination from placental abruption.
The cost of treatment alone can cause immense financial devastation, even with insurance.
Liability for Preeclampsia
If the preeclampsia occurred or was not treated correctly due to negligence, someone may be held liable for the resulting losses. To be successful with your claim, your preeclampsia attorney must demonstrate precisely who was negligent and how their actions demonstrated negligence.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Preeclampsia?
Several medical professionals may be involved in your treatment and care before, during, and after you deliver. Each must adhere to high standards of care when treating you. Some of these professionals include:
- Doctors and nurses
- Midwives and doulas
- Testing and laboratory technicians and analysts
- Medical equipment companies.
A hospital and birthing center may also be held liable if they are negligent or if an employee is negligent.
Types of Negligent Actions Surrounding Preeclampsia
The negligent actions of healthcare providers when dealing with preeclampsia typically occur under one or more of the following situations:
- Failure to identify the symptoms of preeclampsia
- Failure to appreciate the risk of preeclampsia
- Failure to administer preeclampsia testing, such as urine protein tests
- Failure to properly prevent or treat sepsis.
Our preeclampsia birth injury attorneys work diligently to identify the errors and who committed them.
Compensation for Your Losses
The losses associated with preeclampsia can be significant. Fortunately, victims have the right to demand compensation for many of these losses. In Alabama, as in most states, economic and non-economic losses are available in a claim for compensation.
Economic losses include:
- Payments for medical treatment
- Lost income and economic opportunities
- Treatment-related transportation costs.
Non-economic losses include:
- Physical discomfort
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
If the healthcare professional acted wantonly or maliciously, they might also face punitive damages. Punitive damages are to punish the wrongdoer for engaging in particularly egregious behavior.
How Our Preeclampsia Birth Injury Attorneys Can Help
We Take Care of Everything
During the tough time of adjusting to a birth injury, the last thing most people want to deal with is the complexities of a medical malpractice claim. At Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana, we handle your compensation claim for you, so you can have all the time you need to deal with your private affairs.
When Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana represent you, you never have to worry about:
- Drafting and filing your claim paperwork
- Investigating your case and collecting the appropriate evidence
- Hiring medical experts to verify your claim
- Negotiating with difficult insurance companies.
Giving you the time you need is only one advantage of choosing our firm. In addition, choosing Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana increases your chances of getting a high payout over going through the process alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have further concerns after reading the following frequently asked questions, please call our office to speak with an experienced preeclampsia attorney.
How much does an Alabama preeclampsia lawyer charge?
Preeclampsia birth injury attorneys typically operate on a fee-contingent basis. This means that their clients only pay when they receive compensation. The fee total is calculated based on a percentage of the overall compensation award. In other words, there are no upfront costs to hire a preeclampsia lawyer to represent you.
How much compensation can an Alabama preeclampsia lawyer recover for my case?
It is not possible to predict the amount of compensation you will get until a preeclampsia attorney from our firm reviews your case. Generally speaking, the amount of compensation you receive depends on the extent and nature of the injuries and losses experienced.
How long does it take for a preeclampsia birth injury lawyer to resolve a case?
A preeclampsia claim can take a preeclampsia lawyer anywhere from a couple of months to a few years. It truly depends on the complexity of the case. Medical malpractice cases tend to be among the most complex personal injury claims.
Will my preeclampsia birth injury lawyer have to go to trial?
It is unlikely that your case will go to trial. The majority of personal injury cases are resolved through settlement negotiations. However, if a trial is necessary in your case, you can expect the preeclampsia birth injury attorneys from Caldwell Wenzell & Asthana to be ready to fight for your right to proper compensation.
What other conditions can medical malpractice cause?
Medical malpractice during birth can lead to many tragic conditions, such as cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, shoulder dystocia, birth asphyxia, and other complications.
Please reach out if you have any more questions. A preeclampsia lawyer is ready to assist you.
Contact Caldwell Wenzel & Asthana for Representation Today
Let Our Preeclampsia Birth Attorneys Fight for You
If a medical professional has failed to take the proper steps in dealing with your preeclampsia, our firm can potentially help you recover compensation that can make a big difference in your life. Call (251) 444-7000 for a free consultation with a preeclampsia birth injury lawyer.