MON-FRI 8:30AM-5:30PM
English or Spanish
MON-FRI 8:30AM-5:30PM
English or Spanish
Hydrocephalus occurs when fluid builds up in the brain’s ventricles and pressure damages developing brain tissue. In newborns, it most often comes on after intraventricular hemorrhage or infection, and without timely intervention, it can lead to permanent brain injury, developmental disabilities, or death.
If your child was diagnosed with hydrocephalus and you believe the medical team fell short, contact us today for a free case evaluation.
Case EvaluationWhen cerebrospinal fluid circulation through the brain and spinal cord is disrupted, fluid accumulates inside the brain's ventricles. That buildup creates pressure capable of compressing developing brain tissue and causing damage that gets worse without timely identification and treatment. Congenital hydrocephalus affects about 0.6 to 1.1 per 1,000 live births, making it one of the most common conditions requiring neurosurgical intervention in children.
In premature infants, hydrocephalus most often develops as a complication of intraventricular hemorrhage. Bleeding into the ventricles can block the normal flow or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid, and hydrocephalus may then develop after a hemorrhage. Approximately 35% of premature infants with severe Grade III or IV IVH develop this complication. Neonatal meningitis is another recognized cause, as the inflammation associated with bacterial infection can interfere with cerebrospinal fluid circulation and lead to ventricular enlargement.
Hydrocephalus that develops after birth is often connected to conditions that were either preventable or manageable with appropriate medical care. Birth injury claims involving hydrocephalus frequently examine whether healthcare providers:
The medical record of a premature infant's NICU stay often contains the evidence that either supports or challenges these questions, which is why a thorough legal and medical review of that record is where hydrocephalus cases begin.
Hydrocephalus in newborns and infants can present with a range of signs, some of which are visible and others that require imaging to detect. Signs that hydrocephalus may be developing or worsening include:
Because hydrocephalus can develop gradually after an IVH or infection, infants who have spent time in the NICU should be monitored with serial cranial ultrasounds. A delay in that monitoring or in acting on imaging findings that show ventricular enlargement can allow intracranial pressure to rise to levels that cause permanent damage.
The neurological effects of hydrocephalus vary depending on how soon the condition is caught and treated, though lasting disabilities can develop even when care is appropriate and timely. Complications can be cerebral palsy, developmental delay, intellectual disability, vision problems, epilepsy, learning disabilities, and motor impairment.
Surgically diverting cerebrospinal fluid through a ventriculoperitoneal shunt is the typical treatment approach, though it doesn't end with a single procedure. Research published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that approximately 40% of first shunts fail within two years of placement in children, and the lifetime likelihood of revision surgery is high, particularly among infants treated during the neonatal period. Some children may be candidates for an alternative procedure called endoscopic third ventriculostomy, but most live with the ongoing demands of shunt management well into adulthood.
For families, hydrocephalus means years of neurosurgical follow-up, therapy, educational support, and vigilance for signs of shunt malfunction. When that burden traces back to a preventable failure in how a pregnancy, delivery, or NICU course was managed, Florida law provides a path to pursue compensation.
If your family is filing a birth injury or medical malpractice claim in Florida based on hydrocephalus, you may be able to recover compensation for:
In cases in which hydrocephalus causes the death of a newborn or infant, a wrongful death claim may allow the family to recover funeral expenses, medical costs incurred prior to death, and loss of companionship.
Hydrocephalus cases often involve a chain of medical decisions, from how a premature delivery was managed to how quickly a brain bleed or infection was identified and treated. Attorney Sean M. Cleary works with neonatal and neurological experts who can trace that chain through prenatal records, NICU progress notes, cranial ultrasound reports, MRI findings, and neurosurgical evaluations to identify where the standard of care was not met.
Our firm operates on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Fees range from 34% to 40% of the total recovery and are only collected once the case is resolved.
A hydrocephalus diagnosis that results from preventable medical failures should not become a burden your family carries alone. Contact The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary for a free case evaluation, and attorney Sean M. Cleary will personally review the facts of your child’s case.
