The 10 Most Terrifying Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys

How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have a profound impact on the life of the child and the lives of their parents. Compensation can allow them to live a full and active life by providing access to treatment, equipment and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy arise from medical negligence. This can be due to the lack of medical attention during pregnancy, difficulties during birth or other events.

Causes

There is no cure for CP, but early diagnosis and treatment may improve the abilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at a child's muscle tone, movement and coordination. They may refer children to specialists like pediatric orthopedists, neurologists and physiatrists who will assist in managing symptoms and increase quality of life.

Cerebral palsy affects everyone differently. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on a child's ability however, it can also be severe and cause impairments in all body parts. The signs include neck that is floppy (floppy neck) and a stiff or uncontrolled muscle and walking difficulties, or problems with speech and other functions. If a child has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's referred to as hemiplegia. When it happens on both sides, it's diplegia. Severe CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by spasticity in muscles that restricts the movement of a person and can lead to issues with speech and eating.

The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is the most common reason for CP. Doctors, midwives, and nurses should be careful when delivering babies because brain damage can result in serious consequences. A physician could be held responsible for malpractice if a medical mistake results in cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This includes negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section, or the failure to supervise and escalate the complexity of labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he or is likely to have an array of physical symptoms. The symptoms can include tight or stiff muscles and a limp, involuntary movements, and issues with posture and balance. Other problems include speech delays, intellectual disabilities as well as hearing and vision problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to an immature brain. It usually occurs during infancy or the early years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as sitting, rolling over, crawling, or walking can be an indication of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulty swallowing and may require feeding tubes.

Many factors can contribute to a brain injury causing CP. These include diseases like toxoplasmosis, or rubella in the womb; high blood pressure during pregnancy; and Cerebral Palsy Attorneys genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a serious lack of oxygen) during labor or birth is the main cause of CP.

Based on the kind of cerebral palsy, the symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Spastic Cerebral palsy attorneys palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid, choreoathetoid and choreoathetoid), is known as a slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the legs, arms and body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy lawyer palsy (which is characterized by a shaky motion) or paraplegic CP in which the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

Although the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy vary, most sufferers have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have issues with balance and coordination. The type of movement issue that they have depends on which brain area was injured and the severity of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP require special physical therapy to improve their muscle tone, mobility, and stretch their muscles and joints. It can also help relieve pain and prevent contractures. Braces, exercises, or other treatments may be considered.

CP is defined by musculoskeletal problems, such as patella alta and hip dysplasia. 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 may be used to assist children who are not able to communicate effectively. This may help children learn new ways of communicating. These may include sign language, a communication board, or voice synthesizers.

These medications can be used to decrease abnormal movements, decrease the pain, and manage seizures. The medication is taken by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful claim for cerebral palsy could result in compensation for your child to pay for special care, equipment and treatment. This will be determined by the psychological and physical impacts that your child's condition has had on them, as well as any costs or losses you've had to pay. This could include the loss of earnings because you have had stop work to take care of your child, home modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Depending on the extent of your child's injury, your lawyer may hire a specialist in disability care to write a "life care plan' that carefully defines their needs from the time of their diagnosis until adulthood. This can help you calculate a more accurate amount of compensation. It typically takes the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments which can be adjusted to reflect the rate of inflation.

It is important to understand that the compensation for a successful legal case is not a windfall. It's an acknowledgement of the injustice that occurred due to the fact that the medical professional failed to perform their duty of care during labour, pregnancy, and delivery.