How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

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

Many cases of cerebral palsy arise from medical negligence. This could be due to the lack of prenatal care, issues during labor and delivery, or other incidents.

Causes

There is no cure for CP but early detection and treatment can improve a child's abilities. Doctors diagnose CP by observing the child's muscle tone and coordination, as well as movement. They might refer the child to specialists, such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and attorneys improve quality of life.

Cerebral Palsy affects each person differently. It can be mild, having a minimal impact on a child's function, or severe enough to result in impairments throughout the body. The signs can include a head that is floppy (floppy neck) as well as a muscles that are stiff or inflexible as well as difficulty walking or having difficulties with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting the child's body, it is known as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, it is referred to as diplegia. The severity of CP may lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition, which is characterized by muscle spasticity. This can restrict the movement of a person and result in difficulty speaking and eating.

Childbirth-related mistakes made by doctors are one of the main causes of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be careful when delivering babies because brain damage may result in serious consequences. A physician could be held responsible for mistakes made in the medical field if an error results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This includes a lack of planning or performing an urgent C-section or attorneys the failure to monitor and escalate a complicated labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy attorneys palsy, they will likely exhibit a range of physical symptoms. These symptoms may include tight or stiff muscles as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with posture and balance. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision problems.

Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by damage to the immature brain, usually in infancy or early childhood. A delay in milestones such as rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling can be an indication of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulty swallowing and may require a feeding tube.

Many factors can contribute to a brain injury that leads to CP. These include infections like toxoplasmosis and rubella in the womb; high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. A serious lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during the birth or during labor is the main cause of CP as is bleeding in the brain that results from blood vessels that are blocked or damaged.

Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms may vary from mild to severe. The most frequent form of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral paralysis, which is characterized by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral Palsy (also known as athetoid, choreoathetoid, choreoathetoid), is known as a slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the arms, legs and body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which is characterized by a shaky motion) or paraplegic CP which affects the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

Although the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy are different, the majority of sufferers of the condition have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The type of problems they experience is dependent on the part of the brain that was injured as well as the extent of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP need specific physical therapy in order to increase their mobility, flexibility, and muscle tone and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also relieve tension and prevent contracture. It may include exercises, special braces, or other treatments.

Musculoskeletal disorders like hip dysplasia, patella alta, scoliosis, and cervical stenosis are common in CP. These disorders can lead to major mobility problems which can reduce the life expectancy of patients.

Speech and language therapy can be used to aid children who are not able to communicate effectively. This can help children learn new ways to communicate and could include sign language, a communication board or voice synthesizers.

These medications can be used to relax stiff or overactive muscles to reduce abnormal movement, relieve pain, and control seizures. These medications can be taken orally or injected directly into the affected muscles, or the fluid surrounding your spinal cord.

Compensation

If your case of cerebral palsy is successful, you may receive compensation to cover the cost of medical attention, equipment and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical impacts 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 earnings as you had to stop work to care for your child, home modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Based on the severity of your child's injury the lawyer might recommend hiring a specialist in disability care to develop a "lifecare plan' that lists all the needs of your child beginning with the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This can help calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It typically will be a lump sum and regular annual payments, which can be adjusted to keep pace with inflation.

It is important to understand that the amount of compensation you receive for a successful legal matter is not a cash-flow opportunity. It's a recognition of unfairness that was caused by a medical professional did not meet their duty of care during labour, pregnancy and the delivery.