Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy Lawyer – Oklahoma City
When Oxygen Deprivation at Birth Causes Lifelong Injury, We Fight for Answers and Accountability
There is nothing more terrifying than watching your newborn struggle to take their first breath—or not breathe at all. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is one of the most severe and life-altering birth injuries a child can suffer. It occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen and blood flow during labor, delivery, or immediately after birth.
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we represent families in Oklahoma City whose children have been diagnosed with HIE due to preventable medical errors. We know this isn’t just a medical condition. It’s the moment your life split in two: the life you imagined, and the one you now live. You deserve answers. You deserve justice. And your child deserves a future built on truth—not silence.
What Is HIE?
Hypoxic means lack of oxygen.
Ischemic means lack of blood flow.
Encephalopathy refers to brain dysfunction.
When these conditions occur around the time of birth, they can cause devastating injury to a baby’s developing brain. The longer the brain is deprived of oxygen, the more severe the damage—and the more likely it is that the child will face permanent disabilities.
HIE can result in:
- Cerebral palsy
- Seizure disorders
- Developmental delays
- Speech and motor impairments
- Feeding difficulties
- Hearing or vision loss
- Cognitive disabilities
Some children with mild HIE may recover fully. Others will require lifelong care, adaptive equipment, and therapy—at great emotional and financial cost to their families.
How HIE Happens—and Why It’s Often Preventable
In most cases, HIE doesn’t just happen out of nowhere. It is often the result of a failure to act quickly and appropriately in the face of fetal distress. We’ve seen hospitals try to frame HIE as a “known risk” of childbirth—but more often than not, it’s the result of negligent medical care.
Common causes include:
- Failure to monitor fetal heart rate
- Delayed emergency C-section
- Uterine rupture or placental abruption
- Umbilical cord prolapse or compression
- Infections that were undiagnosed or untreated
- Overuse of labor-inducing drugs like Pitocin
- Maternal blood pressure issues or complications ignored
In each of these cases, the warning signs were there. The medical team had an opportunity to act—and they failed.
What Happens After a Diagnosis
Some babies with HIE are diagnosed immediately. They may be rushed to the NICU and placed on therapeutic hypothermia (cooling therapy) to reduce brain damage. Others may not receive a formal diagnosis until months later, when developmental delays or seizures emerge.
Regardless of when the diagnosis occurs, the question remains: Could this have been prevented?
At Van Wey, Metzler & Williams, we help families find that answer. We partner with:
- Neonatal neurologists
- OB/GYN experts
- Labor and delivery nurses
- Fetal monitoring specialists
We reconstruct what happened in those crucial hours and minutes before birth. We examine fetal heart tracings, staff decisions, hospital policies, and emergency response timelines.
And when we uncover negligence, we act.
The Lifetime Cost of HIE
Caring for a child with moderate to severe HIE is a full-time job. Many families face:
- Dozens of weekly therapy appointments
- Frequent hospitalizations
- Specialized education and IEP plans
- Out-of-pocket costs for wheelchairs, feeding tubes, or communication devices
- Home renovations and accessible transportation
- Loss of parental income due to full-time caregiving
The lifetime cost of care for a child with cerebral palsy or severe brain injury can exceed $1 million–$5 million or more.
A lawsuit won’t undo the injury. But it can:
- Provide the financial support your child needs to thrive
- Relieve the crushing economic pressure on your family
- Hold negligent providers accountable for what they failed to prevent
- Force hospitals to improve their systems and prevent future harm
Why Oklahoma City Families Turn to Van Wey, Metzler & Williams
We don’t take hundreds of cases. We take the right ones. We focus on families whose children have suffered the most serious, life-altering injuries—and we give everything we have to fight for their future.
We are known for:
- Expertise in complex birth injury litigation
- Access to top-tier medical specialists and economists
- Meticulous investigation and trial preparation
- Deep compassion for the families we represent
We know that behind every case file is a child who deserved better—and a family doing everything in their power to give them a meaningful life.
You Deserve the Truth. Your Child Deserves a Voice.
If your child has been diagnosed with HIE, and you believe something went wrong during labor or delivery, don’t wait for the hospital to come forward. They rarely do.
Let us help you uncover what happened. Let us fight for what your child needs—and what your family deserves.
