14-Year-Old Hypoxic Brain Injury Suffered Declared Brain Dead By Children’s Hospital Of Philadelphia

On Wednesday May 9, a Philadelphia family sat in court and heard the news that forms every parent’s worst nightmare. Rumpa Banarjee’s 14-year-old son, Areen Chakrabarti has been on lift support in the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for over three weeks, after suffering hypoxic brain injury due to smoke inhalation when the family’s Bordentown home caught fire. CHOP specialists are seeking to remove the boy from life support, against the wishes of his mother, as investigations have shown that there are no signs of activity in his brain.

Although Pennsylvania law states that, when an individual has been proven irreversibly brain dead, they may be declared legally dead and removed from life support. However, Mrs. Banarjee is seeking to have her son admitted to a New Jersey hospital, where religious exclusions may limit physicians’ authority to declare legal death.

The hearing is ongoing in the Orphan’s Court Division of Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.

Common Causes of Brain Injury in Philadelphia

Although brain injuries can occur in countless scenarios, they tend to fall into one of the following three categories:

  • Traumatic Brain Injury: This type of brain injury mostly results from falls, including construction workers falling from scaffolding on site. Sports injuries and car accidents are also common causes of traumatic brain injury, which affects around 1.5 million people across the United States each year.
  • Hypoxic Brain Injury: This is the type of brain injury suffered by the 14-year-old Philadelphia boy mentioned above. Caused by a lack of oxygen in the brain, hypoxic brain injury tends to result from smoke inhalation, near-drowning, medical malpractice and similar scenarios.
  • Brain Injury Resulting from Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions can inflict brain injuries on sufferers, potentially qualifying for a medical malpractice lawsuit.

However the brain injury suffered by you or your loved one has occurred, an experienced brain injury lawyer in Philadelphia, PA from Dan Doyle Law Group could provide the legal knowledge, support, and guidance you need.

Seeking Compensation After a Philadelphia Brain Injury? You Need an Excellent Attorney on Your Side

If you, or a loved one, have been diagnosed with a brain injury of any level of severity, you could be entitled to seek monetary damages from the responsible person or party. The first step towards recovering the compensation you deserve is consulting with an experienced Philadelphia brain injury attorney. At Dan Doyle Law Group, we are dedicated to ensuring you receive the maximum amount available in your circumstances.

After a brain injury, whether traumatic, hypoxic, or resulting from a medical condition, you may be unable to work to your previous capacity, or to regain the standard of life you were accustomed to. We do not believe that this is acceptable when your injury has been sustained due to the negligence or deliberate wrongdoing of another.

To schedule your free initial consultation with a Philadelphia personal injury attorney from Dan Doyle Law Group, and gain confidence that your best interests are always being considered, call us today on 215-987-3730.