The 10 Most Terrifying Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys

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 enable them to lead an active and healthy life by providing access to care, equipment and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy arise from medical negligence. This could be caused by an absence of medical attention during pregnancy, difficulties during birth or other events.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment for CP can help improve a child's abilities. Doctors determine CP by observing a child's movement, muscle tone and coordination. They may refer the child to specialists, such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.

Every person suffers from cerebral palsy lawsuit palsy in a different way. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on a child's abilities, or it can be severe and cause impairments across all areas of the body. The signs include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head as well as stiff or uncontrolled muscles and walking difficulties, or having trouble with speech and other functions. If a child has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's referred to as hemiplegia; on both sides, it's called diplegia. Severe CP could result in locked in (spastic), condition with muscle spasticity. This can restrict a person's movement and cause difficulty with speech and eating.

Medical mistakes during childbirth are the most common cause of CP. Nurses, midwives, and doctors should be extra cautious when delivering babies as damage to the brain could cause serious problems. If a medical mistake causes oxygen deprivation or other brain damage that causes cerebral palsy, the physician could be held accountable for negligence. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a Csection urgently or failing to supervise and escalate the intensity of the labor.

Symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he / she will likely have a combination of physical symptoms. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles or joints, a limp, uncontrolled movements, and issues with posture and balance. Other issues include intellectual disability, speech delays and vision and hearing issues.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain's maturation. This is usually the case during infancy or the early years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling may be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulties swallowing and may require a feeding tube.

Many factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that leads to CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A massive lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is a major reason for CP, as is bleeding in the brain due to damaged or blocked blood vessels.

Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms may vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as choreoathetoid or athetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled motions of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP may include ataxic cerebral palsy that has a shaky motion, or paraplegic cerebral palsy in which the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy differ, the majority of sufferers of the condition have to manage stiffness and loss of muscle control. They might also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of problems they have depend on the area of the brain which was injured and the severity.

Many people with CP require specific physical therapy that assists them to improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and work their joints and muscles. It also helps relieve the pain and prevent contracture. Exercises, braces or other treatments may be included.

CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions that include patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These can cause major issues in mobility, reducing life expectancy.

Speech and therapy for language can be used to assist children who are unable to communicate effectively. This may help them learn new ways of communicating and could involve signing language, communication boards, or voice synthesizers.

The use of medications can ease stiff or overactive muscles to reduce abnormal movement, alleviate pain, and to control seizures. These drugs can be taken orally or directly into the affected muscles, or into the fluid around your spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful cerebral palsy claim could result in compensation for your child to pay for specialist care, equipment and treatment. The amount of compensation will depend upon the physical and mental effects of your child's condition as well as any expenses or losses you may have incurred. This could include loss of earnings because you had to quit work to take care of your children, home modifications and transport costs.

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 carefully outlines all their needs beginning with the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This can help determine the most accurate compensation amount. It is typically in the form of a lump-sum and annual installments, which can be index to keep pace with the rate of inflation.

You should know that the compensation for a successful legal claim is not a monetary windfall. It's an acknowledgement that injustice has occurred, all because medical professionals didn't fulfill their obligation to providing care during labor, pregnancy and the birth.