Neonatal E. Coli Infection Could be Result of Medical Malpractice

Library Articles | October 19, 2017

If this article sounds similar to a recent experience that you or a loved one have suffered from, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call 859-578-4444 to schedule a free consultation!

Kentucky Neonatal E. Coli Infections Could be Result of Medical Malpractice

A birth injury is devastating for an entire family. When a baby suffers a permanent injury because of poor medical care that could have been prevented, there is no excuse. Doctors responsible for the Kentucky birth injury need to be held liable for medical mistakes that affect the outcome of a newborn’s life and the life of that entire family.

Sometimes birth injuries in Northern Kentucky are caused from the improper use of medical devices, lack of oxygen to the brain, or complications during a long delivery. However, other times, birth injuries can arise due to infections at birth.

Infection may occur from bacteria the infant picked up through one of the following ways:

  • The hospital
  • During childbirth
  • Transmitted from a mother to her baby as the baby passes through the birth canal

E. coli is one form of birth infection. In fact, E. coli is the most common way babies suffer neonatal meningitis. This infection can severely harm a baby, as the bacteria can cause blood poisoning in the newborn and serious illness. In about 8% of cases, the E. coli bacteria can result in fatalities.

Babies who survive the neonatal E. coli meningitis often sustain brain damage as a result of the severe illness. Sometimes, E. coli can be successfully treated with the use of antibiotics, but it is harder for an infant to make a perfect recovery due to the size of a newborn.

When an infection in the bloodstream occurs due to the toxic E. coli bacteria, it can also lead to E. coli-related sepsis, which can be potentially fatal. Babies that weigh less, are premature, and have fragile immune systems are more prone to succumbing to this severe illness.

How Can Medical Malpractice Cause Neonatal E. Coli Infections?

Doctors should be monitoring expectant mothers; this includes blood tests and maternal testing. If a mother unknowingly had an E. coli infection, doctors should have been able to detect it with the correct tests prior to birth. There could have been ways to prevent it from being transferred to the baby. If a doctor did not detect the E. coli or diagnose it correctly, then he could be held liable for this Northern Kentucky birth injury.

When a doctor does not treat a birth injury correctly or leaves it untreated, medical malpractice may be to blame for your infant’s injuries. If your child has suffered from a birth injury in Kentucky, you may have rights to a financial recovery and to seek justice for your pain and suffering. Please call the law office of Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery to speak with a skilled Northern Kentucky birth injury attorney to find out more about your rights. You will receive a free, no-obligation discussion of your potential case by contacting us at (859) 578-4444 or (888) 606-5297 today.

Contact the Louisville Birth Injury Law Firm of Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery for Help Today

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery to schedule a free consultation with a birth injury lawyer in Louisville today. We have two convenient locations in Louisville and Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

We proudly serve Jefferson County, Kenton County, and its surrounding areas:

Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery – Louisville, KY Office
600 W Main St Ste 100
Louisville, KY, 40202
(502) 540-5700

Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery – Fort Mitchell, KY Office
2380 Grandview Dr
Fort Mitchell, KY, 41017
(859) 578-4444

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