Kernicterus is a form of brain damage caused by a build-up of bilirubin, the substance left over when red blood cells die, in your bloodstream. Bilirubin causes your skin to develop a yellow tint, and it may lead to the development of jaundice. Jaundice is usually harmless. However, if the bilirubin levels in your bloodstream reach very high levels, it may enter the brain, causing brain damage.

Kernicterus is easily avoidable. If your baby shows signs of jaundice, you should visit your doctor immediately for treatment. With competent medical care, your child's condition will improve, and there will be no risk of developing kernicterus. Unfortunately, many doctors make medical errors which may lead to your baby developing kernicterus and acute kernicterus.

Some common errors include:

• A doctor might not believe the bilirubin levels in a child's test results and order a second test.
• A doctor might see the jaundice in a baby and assume it will go away on its own.
• The doctor stops phototherapy, used to treat jaundice, causing kernicterus to develop or get worse.
• A doctor uses indirect bilirubin in treatment which can cause the bilirubin in your child's blood to be displaced and enter the brain tissue.
• The doctor does not compare the bilirubin to hour specific norms.

If you live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania and believe your child developed kernicterus due to a medical error, please contact the New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys at Weiss & Paarz, P.C. today to schedule a confidential consultation.

Kernicterus is a form of brain damage caused by bilirubin, the substance left over when red blood cells die. Bilirubin causes the skin to look yellow and causes jaundice. Jaundice is a common condition; close to 60% of babies born in the U.S. have jaundice for a brief period of time. In most cases, it is harmless. However, if the bilirubin level gets too high in the blood, then some of the bilirubin moves into the brain causing brain damage.

Signs of Kernicterus

Common signs that your baby is suffering from kernicterus include:

• Dark yellow or even orange-colored skin
• Regular bouts of lethargy
• A high-pitched cry
• A floppy appearance due to lack of muscle tone
• Arching the head and back in a contorted position

If you suspect your newborn has any of these signs, you should consult a doctor immediately.

Kernicterus Treatment

Kernicterus is treatable. Sometimes doctors will fail to provide treatment to a baby that already has kernicterus, assuming that it is too late to treat the condition. This is an act of gross negligence on the part of the doctor, and it constitutes medical malpractice. Treatment should always be administered, even if the baby has already developed kernicterus. The sooner the bilirubin is reduced in the blood, the more likely your baby's brain damage will be reduced, which may mean that less of it will be permanent.

Treatment for kernicterus often includes:

• Phototherapy
• Medications
• Blood exchange

If you live in New Jersey or Pennsylvania and believe your child suffered from kernicterus due to a medical error, please contact the New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys at Weiss & Paarz, P.C. today to schedule a consultation.

The pain of losing a loved one can never be fully healed. And while financial restitution for the family of the deceased will not bring that person back, wrongful death lawsuits can help to ease the burdens surrounding the funeral and burial costs, medical bills, loss of income and general living expenses that will be difficult to handle without that individual.

In order to file a wrongful death claim, the surviving family members must prove that the death was caused by the illicit actions or negligence of an outside party, such as an individual, business or medical facility. This can be a challenging task that requires comprehensive training in the law as well as assertive forces in your court to get the compensation the family deserves.


Statistics

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the top 3 causes for injury mortality in the United States in 2005 were:

• Motor vehicle traffic accidents
• Poisoning deaths
• Firearms

While the majority of motor vehicle accidents and poisoning deaths were classified as "unintentional," there are still far too many wrongful death lawsuits that continue to be filed for these categories. Other common causes of wrongful death suits include:

• Unsafe work environments
• Hazardous premises
• Product liability
• Medical malpractice

The statute of limitations, or length of time a person has to file a wrongful death claim, is different for each state. Please contact Weiss & Paarz, P.C. in New Jersey or Philadelphia as soon as possible to discuss the wrongful death circumstances of your loved one.

• Changes in mood
• Sensory sensitivity or changes (sight, sounds, taste, smell)
• Nausea
• Memory or concentration problems
• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Confusion
• Sleep pattern changes
• Seizures
• Coma or paralysis (in severe TBI)

Living with a spinal cord injury can be mentally, physically and financially challenging, both for the victim as well as the victim's family. While paralysis comes to mind for many people when they hear of spinal cord injury, there is a whole host of problems a person can experience as a result of such an injury.

Possible effects of spinal cord injury

Any combination of the following post-injury symptoms can make daily life difficult for a person suffering from spinal cord injury:

• Motor loss or loss of sensation below the injury site, which can include partial or full paralysis
• Impaired bladder or bowel functions, including incontinence and infections
• Irregular blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature
• Sexual dysfunction
• Pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Muscle spasms
• Lung infections

Causes of spinal cord injury

Any type of traumatic blow, laceration or bruising of the spinal cord can result in a spinal cord injury. When the spinal cord cells or attached nerve fibers become damaged, the flow of information in the central nervous system is blocked. As a result, the brain is unable to properly send and receive signals to help the body function properly. Common causes for spinal cord injury include:

• Auto accidents
• Slips and falls
• Gunshots or knife wounds
• Disease
• Sports and recreation accidents

If you are a victim of spinal cord injury and believe your condition could have been prevented, please contact New Jersey/Philadelphia spinal cord injury lawyers Mike Weiss & Bob Paarz, P.C. Our team of lawyers can help you determine if you have a spinal cord injury case.