How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy lawsuit paralysis has profound effects on the child's life and the lives of their families. Compensation can help them live an active and healthy life by providing access to care, equipment and assistance.

Medical negligence is usually the reason for cerebral palsy. This can be caused by a lack of prenatal care, complications during labour and delivery or other occurrences.

Causes

There is no cure for CP, but early diagnosis and treatment can enhance the abilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the child's muscle tone, movement and coordination. They might 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.

Cerebral Palsy affects each person differently. It can be mild having a minimal impact on a child's function, or severe enough to cause physical impairments throughout the body. It can be characterized by a floppy (floppy neck) head, stiff or uncontrolled muscles, difficulty walking, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting one side of the child's body, it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, then it's called diplegia. A severe CP could result in locked in (spastic), condition with muscle spasticity. This can limit the ability of a person to move and can make it difficult to speak and eating.

The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is the most common reason for CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be extra cautious when giving birth to babies as brain damage could have serious consequences. A doctor could be held accountable for malpractice if a medical error causes cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This could include negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section or failing to monitor and escalate a complicated labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, he or is likely to have an array of physical symptoms. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles, Vimeo a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with posture and balance. Other issues can include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision problems.

Cerebral palsy symptoms are triggered by damage to the immature brain, which is usually seen in the early years of childhood or in infants. A 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 feeding tubes.

A variety of factors can trigger the development of a brain injury that causes CP that can be caused by infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy, and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during labor or delivery is a leading cause of CP.

The symptoms can range from mild to severe, depending on the kind of. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as choreoathetoid or athetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the legs, arms and the body. Other forms of CP can include ataxic palsy that has a shaky motion or paraplegic cerebral aphasia where the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

Although the symptoms of cerebral palsy may differ, most patients with the condition experience stiffness, as well as a decrease in muscle control. They may also experience issues with coordination and balance. The type of problems they experience will depend on the part of the brain that was injured and the severity.

Many people suffering from CP require specific physical therapy that assists them to improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and strengthen their muscles and joints. It can also relieve the pain and help prevent contractures. It could involve exercises, special braces or other treatments.

Musculoskeletal disorders like patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis, and scoliosis are common in CP. These conditions can cause significant mobility issues that reduce the lifespan.

Other treatments can include speech and language therapy for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children learn new ways to communicate. This may include signing language, a communication board or voice synthesizers.

Medications can be used to relax muscles that are stiff or overactive to reduce abnormal movement, reduce pain, and Vimeo manage seizures. These medications are taken by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord.

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you may be awarded compensation to pay for your child's medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical effects that your child's condition has had on them, as well as any expenses and losses you have incurred. These might include loss of income due to having to stop work to care for your child, home modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Based on the degree of the injury to your child, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability care to draft a 'life care plan' that carefully lists all the needs of your child from the time of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will help you calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It usually takes the form of a lump sum and recurring annual payments which may be indexed to keep up with inflation.

It is important to know that a payout from a legal claim isn't a windfall. It is a recognition that injustice has occurred, and all due to medical professionals failed to fulfill their obligation to providing care during labor, pregnancy and delivery.