Strong Representation For Parents Of Newborns With Infant Blindness
Every year, more than 500 children in the U.S. become blind as a result of ROP. If your child is blind or has severe vision loss, you may be eligible to recover compensation for your baby’s injuries. A highly skilled and experienced birth injury lawyer can thoroughly investigate your case, review medical records and question the hospital staff in order to get to the bottom of your case. If your attorney proves that ROP developed because of medical negligence, you can recover damages for your baby’s suffering, medical expenses, the lifelong treatment he or she will need and the money you will spend over the course of your baby’s life to care for his or her condition.
At The Law Offices of Hiepler & Hiepler, our attorneys are very experienced in handling cases involving retinopathy of prematurity. We have the legal and scientific savvy to competently and effectively represent these types of cases.
Our Verdicts And Settlements
Mark Hiepler has the largest verdict in the nation in a case involving retinopathy of prematurity. It is the only trial verdict in this area of the law in more than 15 years. The firm has settled numerous cases across the nation and is recognized as having special knowledge in evaluating these cases and helping children who are blind for life.
- $6.8 Million — Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) — Infant blinded for life — Orange County Superior Court
- $3.4 Million — Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) — Infant blinded for life — Los Angeles Superior Court
What Is Retinopathy Of Prematurity?
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a disease that affects the eyes of premature newborn babies. Because premature babies do not remain in the womb for the whole gestation period, the retina in most premature babies is usually still growing. When the retina is growing, the blood vessels that bring blood to the retina can start to develop abnormally. This abnormal development is referred to as retinopathy of prematurity. Retinopathy of prematurity is an incredibly serious condition, as it can lead to blindness or vision loss if left undiagnosed or untreated. That’s why it is so important for the doctor, nurse or midwife caring for the baby to constantly examine the baby’s eyes and retina. If ROP goes untreated or undiagnosed, the baby’s retina can detach. When this happens the baby can become blind, or his or her vision can be severely affected.
When a baby is born prematurely, the baby’s nurse and pediatrician should be checking the baby’s eyes on a regular basis to ensure that ROP does not develop. ROP is preventable and curable if caught and treated in time. There is no reason why a baby should develop ROP if his or her doctors, nurses or midwives are conducting regular screenings, proper follow-up care and timely treatment. If a baby loses his or her vision because the doctors, nurses or midwives failed to properly diagnose or treat the condition, then the baby’s parents can file a claim for medical malpractice.
Experience With Complex Cases
Attorney Mark Hiepler will take the proper steps to ensure the hospital and neonatal staff took every precaution to care for your baby in order to prevent this condition. If he finds any acts that could constitute medical negligence or malpractice, he will aggressively pursue your case in court. Above all, Mark Hiepler is committed to fighting on behalf of your best interest and making sure you receive the compensation you deserve. Additionally, The Law Offices of Hiepler & Hiepler is proud to provide a scholarship each year to the Orange County Center for the Blind.
Contact A California Retinopathy Of Prematurity Lawyer
If your baby has developed retinopathy of prematurity, call attorney Mark Hiepler to set up a free initial consultation at 866-531-3532. Or, if you prefer, complete our brief online form. From our office in Oxnard, we represent families throughout California and nationwide.