HIE Lawyers Serving Florida Families

 In most delivery rooms across Florida, parents celebrate their baby’s first breaths and cries with optimism and hope. But for some families, that joy is overshadowed by the devastating news that their newborn suffered hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) — a type of brain injury caused by reduced oxygen and blood flow to the brain before, during, or shortly after delivery.

In some devastating cases, HIE happens because medical professionals fail to follow established standards of care. Delayed responses to fetal distress, mismanaged umbilical cord issues, or improper labor interventions can cause irreversible damage in a matter of minutes.

If your child’s HIE diagnosis could have been prevented, a lawsuit may help secure the resources needed for a lifetime of care. At ABC Law Centers, our HIE lawyers who serve Florida residents focus exclusively on birth injury cases, including HIE, and partner with experienced Florida counsel to fight for justice on behalf of families like yours.

• Medical negligence: If your child’s HIE was caused by medical negligence during labor and delivery, like a delayed c-section, or failure to address fetal distress, we can help.
• Exclusive focus: ABC Law Centers exclusively handles birth injury lawsuits, including children who received a diagnosis of HIE from birth.
• Statute of Limitations: In Florida, general medical malpractice lawsuits must be filed within two years of the malpractice occurring or being discovered, with a maximum filing date set by the statute of repose, which is four years. For birth injuries, a lawsuit can be filed until the child’s 8th birthday.
• How we help: The compensation we recover from a birth injury lawsuit can help pay for medical care, therapies, and home modifications your child will need for life.
• No Fee Unless We Win: We offer a free consultation, and then working with ABC Law Centers costs you nothing unless we win a verdict or settlement in your favor.

Birth injury litigation is complicated and challenging, involving both complex medical evidence and nuanced legal strategy. Our team at ABC Law Centers is recognized nationwide for our legal skills in handling these cases because:

Our Firm Exclusively Focuses on Birth Injury Cases – Since 1997, our attorneys have handled only birth injury cases, dedicating every resource to helping families impacted by conditions like HIE.

Proven Success – We have secured multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for children with birth injuries including HIE, ensuring access to therapies, assistive devices, and lifetime medical care.

National Recognition – Our firm has been honored by U.S. News & World Report – Best Law Firms in America, Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, and Leading Lawyers.

Attorney Leadership – Founder Jesse Reiter has been named “Lawyer of the Year” in Best Lawyers in America in 2019 and 2022 for Medical Malpractice and Personal Injury Law. Along with attorney Rebecca Walsh, he has served in leadership positions in national trial lawyer associations, including Co-Chair roles in the Birth Trauma Litigation Group. Rebecca was also named “Lawyer of the Year” in Best Lawyers in America 2026 for Personal Injury Law.

Expert Collaboration – We work with a nationwide network of neonatologists, labor & delivery nurses, life care planners, economists, and forensic specialists to uncover the truth and calculate the lifetime costs of HIE.

Commitment Beyond the Courtroom – Jesse Reiter founded the Reiter HIE Fund to advance research into better treatments for newborn brain injuries at the University of Michigan Department of Pediatrics.

Our clients trust us to guide them through the complicated maze of birth injury laws with compassion and tenacity. Our mission is to help families recover financial compensation to ensure their child receives important care that will help them live a more fulfilling life.

HIE occurs when a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen (hypoxia) and blood flow (ischemia), often during a critical window in labor or delivery. Some of the preventable scenarios that can cause HIE include:

• Failure to recognize and respond to fetal distress on the heart monitor.
  
• Delayed or denied emergency C-section when the baby’s oxygen supply is compromised.
  
• Mismanagement of umbilical cord complications such as prolapse, compression, or nuchal cord (when the cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck).
  
• Improper use of induction or augmentation drugs like Pitocin or Cytotec, leading to excessive contractions and reduced fetal oxygen.
  
• Untreated maternal infections which can cause inflammation and injury to the baby’s brain.
  
• Delays in neonatal resuscitation, including intubation or oxygen support.
  
• Failure to initiate therapeutic hypothermia (cooling therapy) within the critical first 6 hours for eligible newborns.
  

Even short periods of oxygen deprivation can cause life-altering injury. If your child’s HIE diagnosis followed a difficult birth, we can perform a thorough legal and medical review to determine whether you are eligible to bring an HIE case.

Signs that a newborn may have HIE include:

• Low APGAR scores at 1, 5, or 10 minutes after birth.
  
• Seizures within the first 24–48 hours.
  
• Abnormal muscle tone — floppy or unusually stiff.
  
• Difficulty breathing without support.
  
• Difficulty feeding or experiencing swallowing problems.
  
• Lethargy or difficulty waking.
  
• Diagnosis of HIE on an MRI or other brain imaging tests.
  

Prompt diagnosis can lead to cooling therapy, which has been shown to reduce the severity of long-term disabilities in some infants. A delayed diagnosis and failure to administer cooling therapy can create more complications and also be considered further medical malpractice.

Many infants diagnosed with HIE require immediate, specialized care in a Level III or Level IV NICU. Florida is home to some of the most advanced neonatal centers in the Southeast.

Notable Level IV NICUs include:

• Jackson Memorial Hospital – Miami
  
• Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital – St. Petersburg
  
• Tampa General Hospital – Tampa
  
• UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital – Gainesville
  
• Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida – Orlando
  
• Nicklaus Children’s Hospital – Miami
  

Selected Level III NICUs include:

• AdventHealth for Children (Disney Pavilion) – Orlando
  
• Baptist Medical Center – Jacksonville
  
• Bayfront Health St. Mary’s – West Palm Beach
  
• Wellington Regional Medical Center – Wellington
  

Even in top-level NICUs, mistakes can occur. If you suspect delayed diagnosis, improper monitoring, or mismanaged treatment contributed to your baby’s condition, it’s important to seek a legal review. Our team can explain your options and help you decide what steps to take next.

Raising a child with HIE can involve significant emotional, physical, and financial challenges. These Florida organizations offer support, advocacy, and practical resources:

• The Arc of Florida – Advocacy and services for people with developmental disabilities.
  
• Disability Rights Florida – Protection and advocacy for individuals with disabilities, including children with brain injuries.
  
• UCP of Central Florida – Schools, therapy, and early intervention programs for children with CP and other disabilities.
  
• Florida Department of Health – Bright Expectations – State resources for children with special healthcare needs.
• James Cerebral Palsy Foundation – Florida Resources – Guidance and connections to local services for children with brain injuries.

When your child is diagnosed with HIE, you may feel overwhelmed and unsure where to turn. Our team’s role is to make the legal process as clear and simple as possible. When you work with ABC Law Centers, we will:

• Listen to your story without judgment.
  
• Obtain and review all relevant medical records.
  
• Consult with medical and economic experts to determine what happened and what your child will need.
  
• Explain your legal rights in clear, understandable terms.
  
• Handle all negotiations, settlement discussions, and court proceedings on your behalf.
• Seek the full and fair compensation your child deserves for lifetime care.

If you wonder whether your child’s HIE diagnosis was preventable, reach out for a free, no-obligation consultation now. Since we charge no fees unless we recover compensation for you. It won’t cost you anything to learn more about your legal rights. Reach out today.

Call (248) 593-5100 or contact us online to speak directly with an experienced birth injury attorney. Let us help secure the future your child deserves.

We represent families throughout Florida, partnering with local counsel to provide personal attention and strong advocacy. We are able to help clients in:

Miami ▪ Tampa ▪ Orlando ▪ Jacksonville ▪ St. Petersburg ▪ Fort Lauderdale ▪ West Palm Beach ▪ Gainesville ▪ Tallahassee ▪ Sarasota ▪ Fort Myers ▪ Naples ▪ Pensacola

Our attorneys will travel to meet you, review your case, and work closely with Florida-based legal partners while handling the core litigation ourselves.