How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has a profound impact on the life of the child and the lives of their parents. Compensation can allow them to live a full life with access to the equipment, care and assistance.

Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy. It can be caused by inadequate prenatal care, issues during labour and delivery or other incidents.

Causes

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

Everyone is affected by cerebral palsy in different ways. It can be mild with no impact on a child's ability to function, or severe enough to cause impairments throughout the body. Some of the symptoms include a floppy (floppy neck) head and muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled that are difficult to walk, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's called hemiplegia. When it happens on both sides, it's called diplegia. In severe cases, CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity that restricts the person's movement and can lead to difficulties in speaking and eating.

Birth-related medical errors are the most common cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be aware when delivering babies because brain damage may result in serious consequences. If a medical error causes oxygen deprivation or other brain damage that causes cerebral palsy, the physician may be held liable for malpractice. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or failing to monitor and escalate the intensity of the labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he / is likely to experience various physical symptoms. These symptoms may include stiff or tight muscles or joints, a limp, uncontrolled movements, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues can include speech delays, intellectual disability and hearing and vision problems.

Cerebral palsy symptoms are triggered by a degeneration of the brain, most often in the early years of childhood or in infants. A delay in milestones such as sitting, rolling over, crawling, or walking can be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulties swallowing and may require feeding tubes.

A variety of factors can trigger the development of a brain injury that causes CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb and cerebral palsy attorney high blood pressure in pregnancy, and genetic predisposition. A significant lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is a major cause for CP and bleeding in the brain due to blocked or broken blood vessels.

Depending on the form of cerebral Palsy attorney palsy, symptoms may range from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy lawyer palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid choreoathetoid or choreoathetoid), is known as a slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the arms, legs and the body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy lawyers palsy (which has a shaky movement) or paraplegic CP that affects the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of people suffering from the condition are required to manage stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they have depends on the brain region that was injured and the degree of the injury.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy which helps them to improve their mobility and muscle tone as well as stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also ease tension and prevent contractures. It can include exercises, braces that are specially designed, or other treatments.

CP is defined by musculoskeletal problems that include hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which reduces the lifespan of a patient.

Speech and therapy for language can be used to assist children who are not able to communicate effectively. This can help them to learn new ways of communicating and could include sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

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

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you could be compensated to cover the cost of special care, equipment, and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical effects that your child's condition has caused on them, in addition to any costs or losses you've had to pay. This could include lost earnings because you had to take a break from work to take care of your children, home modifications and transportation costs.

Your lawyer could hire an specialist in disability care in accordance with the severity of the injury to your child. The specialist will create a "life care plan" which outlines the needs of your child from the moment they are diagnosed until they become adults. This can help calculate the most accurate compensation amount. It usually is in the form of an amount in lump sum and annual payments that are adjusted to keep pace with inflation.

You should be aware that compensation from a successful legal claim isn't a windfall. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice has occurred, all because medical professionals didn't fulfill their obligation to care during pregnancy, labour and the birth.