Kernicterus Lawyer in New York

What Is Kernicterus?

Kernicterus is a severe form of brain damage caused by dangerously high levels of bilirubin, a substance the body produces when breaking down red blood cells. In healthy newborns, the liver filters out bilirubin. But if a baby’s liver is still immature, bilirubin can build up in the bloodstream, leading to jaundice.

Jaundice is common and usually treatable. However, when bilirubin reaches toxic levels and enters brain tissue, it can cause permanent neurological damage known as kernicterus.

Symptoms of kernicterus may include:

• Persistent sleepiness or difficulty waking
• Abnormal muscle tone (floppy or stiff limbs)
• Poor feeding or lack of appetite
• High-pitched or shrill crying
• Seizures or involuntary movements
• Vision and hearing loss
• Delays in physical or cognitive development

Although jaundice is common and typically harmless when treated early, kernicterus reflects a failure in medical care — a missed diagnosis, a delayed response, or a lack of follow-up.

How Medical Negligence Can Cause Kernicterus

Kernicterus is widely considered preventable. That’s why cases involving this condition often point to medical negligence. Hospitals and healthcare providers have a legal duty to monitor newborns for signs of jaundice and intervene when bilirubin levels rise above safe thresholds.

Common forms of negligence that may lead to kernicterus include:

• Failing to monitor bilirubin levels within the first 24–48 hours of life
• Discharging a baby without proper jaundice screening
• Ignoring risk factors like prematurity or ABO/Rh incompatibility
• Delaying or failing to begin phototherapy
• Not ordering an exchange transfusion when necessary
• Misinterpreting lab results or missing clinical signs

If any of the above failures occurred, and your child was later diagnosed with kernicterus, you may have a legal claim against the responsible medical providers or facility.

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Worried Your Baby’s Injury Was Avoidable? We Can Help.

Medical professionals must act fast when bilirubin levels rise. If they didn’t, and your child is now facing long-term harm, help from our exceptional birth injury attorneys is just a quick phone call away. Let’s discuss your options in a free, confidential consultation.

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What Families Can Recover in a Kernicterus Lawsuit

A kernicterus diagnosis often means a lifetime of medical care, therapy, and daily support. Our New York birth injury lawyers work to ensure families are not left alone to bear those costs.

Potential compensation may include:

• Medical treatment and rehabilitation (past and future)
• Costs of special education or assistive technology
• In-home care, therapy, and nursing support
• Loss of future earning potential
• Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
• Loss of quality of life
• Expenses related to long-term disability or accommodations

We consult with pediatric experts, life care planners, and economists to build a complete picture of your child’s current and future needs and fight for the financial support required to meet them.

Why Choose Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm?

When medical professionals fail to prevent a condition as avoidable as kernicterus, the consequences can last a lifetime. At Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm, we represent families across New York State whose children suffered irreversible harm due to untreated newborn jaundice.

• Decades of advocacy for injured newborns: With over 40 years of experience in medical malpractice law, our firm has earned the trust of families across New York. We’ve handled complex birth injury cases involving neonatal negligence, and we understand what it takes to build a successful kernicterus claim.
• Results that make a difference: Our attorneys have recovered millions for children harmed by preventable medical errors. Whether through tough settlement negotiations or courtroom litigation, we fight for the full compensation your child needs for lifelong care and support.
• Compassionate, family-focused representation: You’re not just a case number. We take the time to understand your story, answer your questions, and support your family through one of the most challenging chapters in your life. You’ll never feel left in the dark.
• Accessible legal help for every family: Our multilingual legal team is dedicated to serving families from diverse backgrounds. Whether you speak English, Spanish, or another language, you’ll receive clear, respectful, and honest communication from day one.
• No win, no fee — guaranteed: We believe that every family deserves justice, regardless of their financial situation. That’s why we work on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing unless we win your case.