How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can have profound consequences for the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live an active and healthy life by providing access to care equipment and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy stem from medical negligence. It could be due to inadequate medical attention during pregnancy, difficulties during the birth process or other incidents.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can improve a child’s abilities. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at a child's muscle tone and coordination. They might refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild, with no impact on a child's ability perform, or it can be severe and cause impairments throughout the body. Some of the symptoms include an oversized (floppy neck) head as well as stiff or uncontrolled muscles that are difficult to walk, or having trouble with speech and cerebral other functions. If cerebral palsy only affects the child's body, then it is known as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, then it's called diplegia. In severe cases, CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts the movement of a person and can lead to difficulties in speaking and eating.

Childbirth-related mistakes made by doctors are the leading cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be aware when delivering babies since brain damage can have serious consequences. If a medical mistake results in oxygen deprivation, or other brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy, the physician could be held accountable for malpractice. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or failing to monitor and escalate an arduous labor.

Symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they'll most likely exhibit a variety of physical signs. They could be characterized by stiff or tight joints as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with balance and posture. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and vision and hearing problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's maturation. It is most commonly seen in the infant or early years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, standing up, crawling or walking is a common symptom of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulties swallowing and may require feeding tubes.

A variety of factors can cause an injury to the brain that results in CP. These include infections such as toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during delivery or labor is a leading cause of CP.

Depending on the form of cerebral palsy, symptoms can vary from mild to severe. The most commonly encountered kind of cerebral palsy is spastic sunnyside cerebral palsy law firm palsy, which is defined by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as athetoid, choreoathetoid, or choreoathetoid), is characterized by uncontrolled and slow writhing 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

Although cerebral palsy symptoms differ, the majority of sufferers of the condition experience stiffness and loss in muscle control. They may also experience issues with coordination and balance. The kind of problems they have depend on the area of the brain which was injured and the degree of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP require specific physical therapy in order to improve their mobility, muscle tone and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve pain and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises or other treatments can be included.

Musculoskeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia, patella alta, cervical stenosis, and scoliosis are common in CP. These conditions can cause major mobility problems and reduce life expectancy.

Other treatments can include speech and language therapies for children who cannot communicate effectively. This can help children discover new ways of communicating. These could include communication board or voice synthesizers.

Medications can be used to ease stiff or overactive muscles or muscles, limit abnormal movement, reduce pain and cerebral seizures. These medications are taken by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful claim for cerebral palsy can result in compensation for your child to pay for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. This will be determined by the psychological and physical impact that your child's condition has caused on them, in addition to any losses and expenses that you've incurred. This could include the loss of income due to you having to work less to care for your children, home modifications and transport costs.

Depending on the severity of your child's injury, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability issues to create a "life care plan' that lists all the needs of your child starting from the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This can help you calculate a more accurate amount of compensation. It usually is a lump sum and regular annual payments which can be adjusted to keep pace with the rate of inflation.

It is important to be aware that the compensation resulting from a successful legal action isn't a gimmick. It's a recognition of unfairness that was caused by a medical professional did not provide the care they were supposed to in pregnancy, labour, and delivery.