How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have profound consequences for the child and their family. Compensation can help them live a full life with access to equipment, care and support.

Medical negligence is usually the reason for cerebral palsy. This can be caused by an absence of prenatal care, issues during labour and delivery or other occurrences.

Causes

There is no cure for CP however, early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the abilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the child's muscle tone and coordination, as well as movement. They may refer the child to specialists such as pediatric orthopedists, neurologists and physiatrists who will assist in managing symptoms and increase quality of life.

cerebral palsy attorney palsy affects every person differently. It can be mild with no impact on a child's ability function, or severe and result in impairments throughout the body. The signs include head that is floppy (floppy neck), stiff or uncontrolled muscle and walking difficulties, or difficulties with speech and other functions. If a child's condition is cerebral palsy attorney palsy on one side of the body, this is known as hemiplegia; on both sides, it's diplegia. The severity of CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition with muscle spasticity that limits the person's movement and can lead to difficulties in speaking and eating.

The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is the leading cause of CP. Nurses, doctors, and midwives should be cautious when delivering babies because damage to the brain may have serious consequences. A doctor may be held liable for malpractice if a medical mistake results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This could include negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section or the failure to monitor and escalate a complex labor.

Symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they'll likely exhibit a range of physical signs. The symptoms can include tight or stiff muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movements, as well as issues with posture and balance. Other problems include speech delays, intellectual disabilities as well as hearing and cerebral palsy attorney vision problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to an immature brain. It is most commonly seen in the infant or early years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as sitting, rolling over, crawling, or walking can be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulties swallowing and may require feeding tubes.

Many factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that leads to CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as toxoplasmosis, rubella or cytomegalovirus in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy, and genetic predisposition. A massive lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during labor or delivery is a major cause of CP, as is bleeding in the brain due to blood vessels that are damaged or blocked.

Symptoms can be mild or severe based on the type of. The most common type of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral palsy, which is defined by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called choreoathetoid, or athetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled motions of the arms, legs and the body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy (which is characterized by a shakey movement) or paraplegic CP which affects the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy vary, most people with the condition have to cope with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also be struggling with coordination and balance. The kind of problems they suffer from depend on the region of the brain which was injured and the severity.

Many people suffering from CP require specific physical therapy that assists them improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and strengthen their muscles and joints. It can also ease tension and prevent contractures. Braces, exercises, or other treatments could be included.

CP is characterized by musculoskeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis may also be present. These conditions can cause significant mobility issues and reduce life expectancy.

Other treatments could include speech and language therapies for children who cannot communicate effectively. This can help them to learn new ways of communicating and could involve signing language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

The use of medications can relax stiff or overactive muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also reduce pain, and manage seizures. The medications are administered by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the surrounding fluid around the spinal cord.

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you will receive compensation to help pay for your child's medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical impact that your child's condition has had on them, in addition to any expenses and losses you've incurred. These might include loss of earnings because you have had stop work to care for your child, house modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Your lawyer could hire an expert in disability care in accordance with the severity of the injury to your child. This specialist will draft an "life care plan" that outlines their needs starting at the time of diagnosis until they are adults. This will help you calculate an accurate amount of compensation. This usually takes the form of a lump-sum and annual installments, which can be index to keep pace with inflation.

You must be aware that the compensation for a legal case that is successful is not a windfall. It's a way of acknowledging an injustice that occurred because the medical professional failed to meet their duty of care in pregnancy, labour, and cerebral palsy attorney the delivery.