New York Cortical Visual Impairment

Cortical visual impairment is an impairment of the eyes caused by damage to the visual centers of the brain. When the visual centers of the brain are damaged, the communication between the eyes and the brain is interrupted. Brain damage that leads to cortical visual impairment is often caused by negligence on the part of a medical professional. While children with cortical visual impairment are not blind, they do have difficulty seeing. This can cause children to face significant limitations as they grow up. If you believe that your child’s cortical visual impairment injury was caused by your doctor’s negligent care, it is important that you immediately contact a New York cortical visual impairment lawyer who has the knowledge and resources to ensure that your legal rights are protected.

Like many other birth injuries, cortical visual impairment is caused by brain damage. In fact, the majority of babies who have cerebral palsy, which is also caused by brain damage, have cortical visual impairment as well. Causes of cortical visual impairment include: meningitis, encephalitis, hydrocephalus, and hypoxia. It also can be caused by brain trauma caused by forceps and vacuum extractors. Symptoms of cortical visual impairment include:

• Preference for a specific color. Child prefers to look at a specific color.
• Preference for movement. Child prefers to look at objects that are moving.
• Visual latency. Takes extra time for the child to look at an object.
• Difficulty with visual complexity. Child prefers objects that feature a single color versus and multi colored object.
• Staring. Child often stares at nothing in particular or at light.
• Distance vision impaired. Child has difficulty seeing objects that are far away.
• Blink reflex is impaired. Child fails to blink when an object comes close to the eyes or nose.

As a cortical visual impairment attorney in New York will explain, cortical visual impairment may be caused by medical mistakes. If this is the case for your child, then you have the right to pursue damages from the negligent medial professional through a medical malpractice claim. Medical mistakes that can lead to cortical visual impairment include head trauma caused by the improper use of delivery instruments such as forceps or a vacuum extractor. Hypoxia, which is a lack of oxygen to the brain, can lead to brain damage. Hypoxia can result from a variety of mistakes made by a doctor including failure to respond to fetal distress, mishandling a vaginal delivery, or a delayed c-section. Failing to quickly treat an infection such as meningitis can also lead to cortical visual impairment.

As a cortical visual impairment attorney serving New York will explain, if a doctor caused your child’s injury, you have the right to file a medical malpractice claim in order to hold the doctor accountable. Through a medical malpractice claim you can demand compensation to cover the medical care that your child will need in order to have the best possible quality of life.

If your child has been diagnosed with cortical visual impairment, and you are concerned that it was caused by medical negligence, we are here to help. Our experienced New York cortical visual impairment attorneys have the knowledge and resources to review your child’s medical records in order to make a determination as to whether your child’s condition was caused by medical negligence. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is committed to protecting the rights of victims who have been injured by doctors and other medical professionals. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.