How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has profound implications on the life of the child and the lives of their families. Compensation can help them live a fuller life, with access to equipment, treatment and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy are the result of medical negligence. This could be caused by a lack of medical attention during pregnancy, issues during the birth process or other incidents.

Causes

There is no cure for CP but early detection and treatment can improve the capabilities of a child. Doctors determine CP based on the child's movement, muscle coordination and tone. They may refer the child to specialists such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists or physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

Every person is affected by cerebral palsy in a unique way. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on the child's capabilities however, it can also be severe and cause impairments across every body part. Symptoms can include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles as well as difficulty walking or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy affects only the child's body, it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, then it's called diplegia. Severe CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts a person's movements and leads to difficulties in speaking and eating.

Medical mistakes during childbirth are the most common cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be careful when delivering babies as damage to the brain could cause serious harm. If a medical error causes oxygen deprivation or other brain injury that causes cerebral palsy, the physician may be held liable for malpractice. This could include negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section or failure to control and escalate a complicated labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they'll most likely show a variety of physical symptoms. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movements, as well as issues with posture and balance. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and vision and hearing problems.

The symptoms of absecon cerebral palsy law firm palsy result from damage to the brain's maturation. This is usually the case in the infant or early years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as 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.

Several factors may contribute to a brain injury causing CP. These include infections like toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a massive lack of oxygen) during delivery or labor is the most common cause of CP.

The symptoms can be mild or extreme based on the type. The most common kind of cerebral palsy is spastic denison cerebral palsy lawsuit palsy, which is defined by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid choreoathetoid, or choreoathetoid) is characterised by a slow and uncontrolled writhing of the legs, arms, and body. Other forms of CP may include ataxic cerebral palsy that has an unstable motion and miramar cerebral palsy lawyer paraplegic walnut creek cerebral palsy lawyer parsy in which legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of sufferers have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also experience issues with coordination and balance. The type of movement problems they have depend on the area of their brain that was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy to improve their mobility, tone of muscles and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve tension and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises or other treatments could be included.

CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions like patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis may also be present. These disorders can lead to major mobility problems that reduce the lifespan.

Other treatments could include speech and language therapies for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can assist them to learn new ways of communicating and could involve signing language, communication boards, or voice synthesizers.

These medicines can be used to stop abnormal movements, reduce pain, and control seizures. These medications are taken 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 can be compensated to you pay for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. The compensation will be based on the physical and mental consequences of your child's condition, as well as on any losses or expenses you may have suffered. This could be a loss of earnings due to you having to quit work to care for your children, house modifications and transportation costs.

Your lawyer could hire an expert in disability, depending on the degree of the injury to your child. This specialist will draft a "life care plan" that will outline their needs from the moment of diagnosis until they become adults. This can help determine the most accurate compensation amount. This typically will be a lump sum and regular annual payments which can be indexed to keep up with inflation.

It is important to know that the compensation awarded for a successful legal claim is not a monetary windfall. It is a recognition that injustice was committed, all because a medical professional failed in their obligation to medical care during pregnancy, labour and the birth.