How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have an enormous impact on the life of the child and the lives of their family. Compensation can allow them to live a full and active life by providing access equipment and assistance.

Medical negligence is often the reason for cerebral palsy. It could be due to the lack of care during pregnancy, or problems during birth, or other occurrences.

Causes

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

Every person suffers from cerebral palsy in a unique way. It can be moderate and have only a slight impact on the abilities of a child but it can also be severe and cause impairments across every body part. The symptoms could include a Floppy head (floppy neck) and a stiff or uncontrolled muscle, difficulty walking or having difficulties with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy attorney palsy is only affecting one side of a child's body, it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, it is known as diplegia. Severe CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity that restricts a person's movements and leads to issues with speech and eating.

Medical mistakes during childbirth are the leading cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be careful when delivering a baby because damage to the brain can cause serious problems. If a medical error results in oxygen deprivation, or other brain damage that causes cerebral palsy, the physician could be held responsible for malpractice. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or failing to monitor and increase the intensity of the labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they'll likely exhibit a range of physical symptoms. These could include tight or stiff joints or muscles, a limp, involuntary movement and problems with balance and posture. Other problems include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and vision and hearing problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain of an infant. It is most commonly seen in the early years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling or walking is a common symptom of CP. Children with CP may also have trouble swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

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

Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms can vary from mild to severe. The most frequent type of cerebral palsy can be described as spastic cerebral palsy. It is manifested by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral Palsy (also known as athetoid choreoathetoid and choreoathetoid) is characterized by uncontrolled and slow writhing of the legs, cerebral palsy arms and the body. Other forms of CP might include ataxic palsy, characterized by an unstable motion or paraplegic cerebral aphasia where the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

Although cerebral palsy symptoms vary, the majority people suffering from the condition experience stiffness and a loss in muscle control. They may also be struggling with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they have depends on what area of the brain was injured and the severity of the injury.

Many people with CP need specialized physical therapy to improve their muscle tone, mobility, and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve discomfort and help prevent contractures. Braces, exercises, or other treatments could be incorporated.

Musculoskeletal disorders like patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis, scoliosis are common in CP. These can cause major issues in mobility, which reduces life expectancy.

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

Medications can be used to ease stiff or overactive muscles or muscles, limit abnormal movement, alleviate pain, and to control seizures. The medications are administered by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord.

Compensation

If your case of cerebral palsy is successful, you could be awarded compensation to pay for your child's medical attention, equipment and treatment. This will be determined by the psychological and physical impact that your child's condition has had on them, in addition to the costs and losses you've incurred. This could be a loss of earnings due to having to quit work to take care of your children, home modifications and transportation expenses.

The lawyer you hire may employ an expert in disability, depending on the extent of the injury to your child. The expert will develop a "life care plan" that will outline their needs from the moment they are diagnosed until they turn adults. This can help you calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It usually is a lump sum and regular annual payments that are adjusted to keep up with inflation.

You must be aware that the compensation for a legal case that is successful is not a monetary windfall. It is a recognition of injustice that occurred because a medical professional did not perform their duty of care during labour, pregnancy and the delivery.