How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have profound effects on the child and Vimeo their family. Compensation can help them lead an active and full life by providing access to care, equipment and support.

Medical negligence is usually the reason for cerebral palsy. This could be caused by an absence of medical attention during pregnancy, issues during birth or other events.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can help improve a child's abilities. Doctors diagnose CP through a child's movement, muscle tone and coordination. They can refer the child to specialists such as pediatric orthopedists, neurologists and physiatrists who can aid in managing symptoms and improve the quality of life for children.

Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild, with a minimal effect on a child's function, or severe and cause physical impairments throughout the body. The signs include a floppy (floppy neck) head, stiff or uncontrolled muscles as well as difficulty walking or having trouble with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy only affects one side of a child's body, then it is referred to as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, then it is called diplegia. A severe CP may lead to a locked in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity. This could limit a person's movement and cause difficulty with speech and eating.

The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is one of the main causes of CP. Nurses, midwives, and doctors must be cautious when giving birth to babies as damage to the brain can cause serious harm. A physician could be held accountable for negligence if a medical error results in cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This includes negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section or inability to monitor and escalate a complicated labor.

Symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they will most likely display a variety of physical signs. This could include tight or stiff joints as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, Vimeo speech delays and hearing and vision problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's maturation. This is usually the case in the infant or early years of childhood. A delay in reaching milestones, such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children suffering from CP may also have difficulty swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

Several factors may contribute to a brain injury causing CP. These include diseases like toxoplasmosis, or rubella in the womb high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. A serious lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during labor or delivery is a major cause of CP as is the occurrence of bleeding in the brain from damaged or blocked blood vessels.

Depending on the form of cerebral palsy, the symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy lawsuit palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called choreoathetoid, or athetoid) involves uncontrolled and slow movement of the arms, legs and the body. Other forms of CP might include ataxic palsy, characterized by a shaky motion or paraplegic cerebral palsy, in which the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of people suffering from the condition are required to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of issues they suffer from depend on the part of the brain that was injured and vimeo the severity.

Many people suffering from CP require specialized physical therapy that helps them improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and exercise their joints and muscles. It also helps relieve pain and prevent contracture. It could involve exercises, special braces, or other treatments.

CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions that include hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which reduces the life expectancy of patients.

Speech and language therapy can be used to help children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help them to discover new ways of communicating and may involve sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

These medicines can be used to stop abnormal movements, ease pain, and control seizures. The medication is taken by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord.

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you could be awarded compensation to cover the cost of medical attention, equipment and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical impacts that your child's condition has caused on them, in addition to any losses and expenses you've had to pay. This could include loss of earnings due to having to stop working to take care of your children, home modifications and transportation costs.

Based on the extent of your child's injury the lawyer may recommend an expert in disability care to create a "life care plan' that carefully lists all the needs of your child from the time of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will help you determine an exact amount of compensation. This typically will be a lump sum and regular annual payments that are adjusted to keep pace with inflation.

You should know that compensation for a legal case that is successful is not a cash-flow opportunity. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice has occurred due to medical professionals did not fulfill their duty of medical care during pregnancy, labour and the birth.