How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has profound effects on the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live a fuller life, with access to equipment, treatment and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy arise from medical negligence. This can be due to an absence of medical attention during pregnancy, difficulties during birth, or other occurrences.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment for CP can improve a child’s abilities. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the muscle tone of a child and coordination, as well as movement. They may refer the child to specialists such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.

Everyone is affected by cerebral palsy in a different way. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on the child's capabilities, or it can be severe and cause impairments across all areas of the body. It can be characterized by an oversized (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles and walking difficulties, or having trouble with speech and other functions. If a child has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's called hemiplegia; on both sides, it's known as diplegia. A severe CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition with muscle spasticity that limits a person's movements and leads to issues with speech and eating.

Childbirth-related mistakes made by doctors are one of the main causes of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be extra cautious when giving birth to babies as brain damage could result in serious consequences. A physician could be held accountable for negligence if a medical error causes cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing an urgent C-section or inability to monitor and escalate a complex labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, he / is likely to have several physical symptoms. The symptoms can include tight or stiff muscles or joints, a limp, uncontrolled movements, and issues with posture and balance. Other problems include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and vision and hearing problems.

Cerebral palsy symptoms are triggered due to damage to the young brain, which is usually seen in infancy or early childhood. A delay in milestones like sitting, rolling over, crawling, or walking can be an indication of CP. Children with CP might also have trouble swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

A variety of factors can trigger the development of an injury to the brain that causes CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as rubella, toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus in the womb as well as high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A massive lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is a major cause for CP and bleeding in the brain that results from damaged or blocked blood vessels.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe based on the type of. The most common type of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral palsy. It is defined by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as choreoathetoid or athetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled flailing movements of the legs, arms and body. Other types of CP can include ataxic palsy, which is characterized by shakey movements or paraplegic cerebral aphasia, in which the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

The specific symptoms of cerebral palsy lawyers palsy differ, the majority of sufferers have to manage stiffness and loss of muscle control. They might also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they suffer from is dependent on what area of the brain was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP require special physical therapy which helps them to improve their mobility and muscle tone and stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also relieve the pain and prevent contractures. Braces, exercises or other treatments can be incorporated.

CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions, such as patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These can cause major issues in mobility, which can reduce the life expectancy of patients.

Speech and therapy for language can be used to help children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children learn new ways of communicating and may include communication board, or voice synthesizers.

These medications can be used to decrease abnormal movements, ease the pain, and manage seizures. These medications are ingested by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the surrounding fluid around the spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful cerebral palsy claim can result in compensation for your child to pay for medical equipment, specialist care and cerebral palsy treatment. This will be determined by the psychological and physical impact that your child's condition has had on them, in addition to any costs or losses you have incurred. This could include the loss of earnings as you had stop work to take care of your child, home modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Depending on the severity of your child's injury, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability services to create a "life care plan' that details their needs starting from the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will allow you to calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It usually takes the form of lump sums as well as regular annual payments, which can be adjusted to reflect the rate of inflation.

It is important to be aware that a payout from a legal case isn't a quick buck. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice has occurred due to medical professionals did not fulfill their obligation to care during pregnancy, labour and the birth.