How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

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

Many cases of university place cerebral palsy lawyer palsy arise from medical negligence. This could be due to inadequate care during pregnancy, problems during the birth process or other incidents.

Causes

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

Cerebral palsy affects every person differently. It can be mild, with minimal impact on a child's function, or severe enough to result in impairments throughout the body. Symptoms can include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles, difficulty walking, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting one side of a child's body, then it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, then it's called diplegia. In severe cases, CP may lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition, which is characterized by muscle spasticity. This may limit a person's movement and cause difficulty with speech and eating.

Birth complications are an often-repeated reason for CP. Midwives, doctors, and Vimeo.com nurses should be careful when delivering babies since brain damage can result in serious consequences. A physician may be held liable for malpractice if a medical mistake results in cerebral palsy or brain damage caused by oxygen deficiency. This could include negligence in scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or failing to control and escalate a complicated labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he / will likely suffer from several physical symptoms. The symptoms can include tight or stiff muscles as well as a limp, uncontrolled movements, and problems with posture and balance. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays as well as hearing and vision problems.

Cerebral Palsy symptoms are caused by damage to the immature brain, which is usually seen in the early years of childhood or in infants. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulties swallowing and may require a feeding tube.

A variety of factors can cause a brain injury that leads to CP. This includes diseases like toxoplasmosis, or rubella in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during labor or delivery is the leading cause of CP.

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

Treatment

Though the symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, the majority people who suffer from the condition experience stiffness and loss in muscle control. They may also have problems with balance and coordination. The type of problem that they face is determined by the brain region that was injured and the degree of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP require specialized physical therapy to increase their mobility, flexibility, and muscle tone and stretch their muscles and joints. It also helps relieve pain and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises or other treatments might be considered.

CP is caused by musculoskeletal issues, such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These disorders can lead to major mobility problems that reduce the lifespan.

Speech and therapy for language can be used to help children who are not able to communicate effectively. This may help them learn new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

Medications can be used to ease stiff or overactive muscles to reduce abnormal movement, reduce pain and seizures. These medications can be administered orally, or directly injected into the muscles affected, or into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord.

Compensation

If your case of cerebral palsy is successful, you will receive compensation to pay for your child's medical attention, equipment and treatment. The amount of compensation will be based upon the physical and mental impact of your child's condition as well as any expenses or losses you may have suffered. This could include lost earnings due to you having to quit work to take care of your children, home modifications and transportation expenses.

Based on the extent of your child's injury the lawyer may recommend an expert in disability issues to develop a "lifecare plan' that carefully lists all the needs of your child from the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will allow you to calculate the most accurate amount of compensation. It usually will be a lump sum and regular annual payments, which can be adjusted to reflect inflation.

You should know that the compensation for a successful legal case is not a cash-flow opportunity. It's a recognition of unfairness that was caused by medical professionals failed to provide the care they were supposed to in labour, pregnancy and the delivery.