How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

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

Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy. This could be caused by inadequate medical attention during pregnancy, issues during birth or other events.

Causes

There is no cure for CP however early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the capabilities of a child. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the muscle tone of a child, movement and coordination. They might refer a child to specialists like neurologists, orthopedists for children and physiatrists, who can aid in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.

Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild with minimal impact on a child's function, or severe enough to cause physical impairments throughout the body. The signs can include a floppy head (floppy neck), muscles that are stiff or inflexible as well as difficulty walking or having difficulties 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, it is known as diplegia. Severe CP can cause a locked in (spastic) condition, characterized by muscle spasticity. This can restrict a person's movement and make it difficult to speak and eating.

Childbirth-related medical errors are a common cause of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses should be cautious when delivering babies as damage to the brain can cause serious problems. A physician could be held responsible for malpractice if a medical mistake results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C section urgently or failing to supervise and escalate the intensity of labor.

Symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he or is likely to experience various physical symptoms. This could include stiff or tight joints or muscles, Cerebral Palsy a limp, involuntary movement and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and vision and hearing issues.

Cerebral palsy symptoms are triggered by a degeneration of the brain, most often during infancy or early childhood. A delay in reaching milestones such as rolling over, standing up, crawling or walking is a common symptom of CP. Children with CP might also have trouble swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

Numerous factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that leads to CP and other conditions, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a serious lack of oxygen) during labor or delivery is the leading cause of CP.

The symptoms can be mild or extreme based on the type. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called choreoathetoid, or cerebral palsy athetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled flailing movements of the arms, legs and the body. Other forms of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy lawsuits palsy (linked webpage) (which has a shaky, jerky movement) or paraplegic CP that affects the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms of cerebral palsy differ, most people who suffer from the condition experience stiffness and loss in muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The type of movement problem that they face is determined by the brain region that was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP require special physical therapy that allows them improve their muscle tone and mobility as well as stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also ease the pain and prevent contractures. It can include exercises, special braces or other treatments.

CP is characterized by musculoskeletal disorders like hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis are also common. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which can reduce life expectancy.

Other treatments include speech and language therapies for children who cannot communicate effectively. It can help children develop new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication board or voice synthesizers.

They can relax overactive or stiff muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also relieve 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

A successful cerebral palsy claim can result in compensation for your child's for special care, equipment and treatment. This will be determined by the psychological and physical effects that your child's condition has caused on them, in addition to any expenses and losses you've incurred. These might include loss of income due to having to leave work in order to take care of your child, home modifications and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments.

Based on the degree of the injury to your child Your lawyer could hire a specialist in disability care to develop a "lifecare plan' that meticulously details their needs starting from the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will allow you to calculate an exact amount of compensation. This usually is lump sums and regular annual payments, which can be adjusted to keep up with inflation.

It is important to know that the amount of compensation you receive for a successful legal claim is not a cash-flow opportunity. It's a recognition that injustice was committed, all because a medical professional failed in their obligation to care during pregnancy, labour and delivery.