Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL)
What is PVL? Periventricular leukomalacia is a form of white matter injury to a baby’s developing brain. It is commonly associated with premature babies but can happen at term. We act for many children who have this condition as a result of mistakes during pregnancy or birth.
Experts in Birth Injury Claims
Speak to an Expert
What Causes PVL?
Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) commonly occurs between 28 and 34 weeks gestation, it is normally seen in premature babies, but we have had cases where it has also been caused at term. And just because a baby is born prematurely, it does not mean that PVL is inevitable. The two main causes of PVL are hypoxia – a reduction of oxygen in the blood supply to the brain – and infection. In pregnancy and labour, there are a number of events that can cause hypoxia, and a number of infections that can present in both mother and baby, such as Group B Strep (GBS) or chorioamnionitis (infection of the placental membranes). Hypoxia and infection can also happen during the neonatal period and lead to PVL if not treated appropriately.
Meet our Team
Our experienced team will be on hand to support you throughout the claim process.
When Does a Claim Arise?
If there were signs that a baby was suffering from hypoxia in the womb, such as an abnormal heart rate, and these were not acted upon by midwives or doctors before damage to the brain occurred, there may be a claim for clinical negligence. Equally, if there were signs that the mother or baby was suffering from an infection and this was not treated with the appropriate antibiotics and care, there may also be grounds for a claim. Sometimes PVL can result from undetected problems with fetal growth, which can in certain circumstances give rise to a claim.
Life Changing Stories
We have helped many families obtain substantial compensation for injuries suffered at birth, giving them financial security that has truly changed their lives for the better. Contact one of our birth injury lawyers today to see how we can help, at no cost to you.
For Jack's* family, the road to justice took nearly two decades. It began with a mistake in a set of maternity notes, passed through [...]
Mary's* Story: A Life Changed After PVL Brain Injury at Birth*Names have been changed to protect the family's privacy.What HappenedMary's mother, Rosie, was just [...]
We are pleased to announce the successful resolution of a highly unusual and complex claim for damages as a result of alleged substandard care [...]
Abigail's Story: Seven-Figure Settlement for Avoidable Brachial Plexus Injury Caused by Shoulder Dystocia During Birth Abigail's* mother contacted CL Medilaw after she had concerns [...]
Oliver's Story: Cerebral Palsy – Birth Injury Compensation CL Medilaw secured a multi-million-pound birth injury compensation settlement for Oliver, a child who was diagnosed [...]
GP Settles Claim for Missed Diagnosis of Meningitis in InfantMolly’s (name changed to protect privacy) mother sought legal advice after multiple GP visits failed [...]
Our Specialist Team
We pride ourselves on being experts in brain injury and birth injury claims, having obtained compensation for many children suffering with disabilities caused by PVL and helping to change their lives for the better. We don’t shy away from difficult cases, so even if you have been turned down by another firm, contact us to see if we can help.
