The 10 Scariest Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy has a profound effect on the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live a full and active life by providing access equipment and assistance.
Many cases of cerebral palsy arise from medical negligence. It could be due to the lack of medical attention during pregnancy, difficulties during delivery or other incidents.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can improve a child’s capabilities. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the child's muscle tone and coordination, as well as movement. They might refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Cerebral Palsy affects each person differently. It can be mild, with a minimal effect on a child's ability to perform, or it can be severe and result in impairments throughout the body. The symptoms could include a floppy head (floppy neck) as well as a stiff or uncontrolled muscle and walking difficulties, or difficulties with speech and other functions. If a child only has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's referred to as hemiplegia; on both sides, it's known as diplegia. A severe CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition that causes muscle spasticity, which restricts the movement of a person and can lead to difficulties in speaking and eating.
The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is a frequent cause of CP. Nurses, doctors, and midwives must be careful when delivering babies as damage to the brain may result in serious consequences. A physician could be held accountable for malpractice if a medical error results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or failing to monitor and escalate an intense labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, they will most likely exhibit a variety of physical symptoms. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movements, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision problems.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to an immature brain. It usually occurs during infancy or the early years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling or walking is a common sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulties swallowing and may require a feeding tube.
Several factors may contribute to an injury to the brain that results in CP. This includes infections like toxoplasmosis or rubella during pregnancy; high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a serious lack of oxygen) during labor or delivery is the leading cause of CP.
The symptoms can be mild or extreme based on the type. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most frequent form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as athetoid choreoathetoid or choreoathetoid) is characterised by a uncontrolled and slow writhing of the legs, arms, and body. Other forms of CP could include ataxic cerebral palsy lawsuit palsy, which has an unstable motion or paraplegic cerebral aphasia where the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Although cerebral palsy attorneys palsy symptoms differ, the majority of patients with the condition experience stiffness and a loss in muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The type of movement problems they suffer from depend on the part of the brain that was injured as well as its extent of the injury.
Many people suffering from CP require specific physical therapy that assists them improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and strengthen their muscles and joints. It also helps relieve pain and help prevent contractures. It can include exercises, special braces or other treatments.
CP is defined by musculoskeletal problems that include hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis may also be present. These conditions can cause major mobility problems which can reduce the life expectancy of patients.
Speech and therapy for language are a way to help children who are unable to communicate effectively. It can help children develop new ways of communicating and may include signing language, a communication board, or voice synthesizers.
These medicines are used to limit abnormal movements, ease pain, and prevent seizures. These medications can be administered orally, or directly injected into the muscles affected, or into the surrounding fluid of your spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful claim for cerebral palsy can result in compensation for your child to pay for special care, equipment and treatment. The amount of compensation will depend upon the physical and mental impact of your child's condition, as well as on any expenses or losses that you might have incurred. These might include loss of income due to having to leave work in order to care for your child, home adaptations and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
Based on the severity of your child's injuries the lawyer may recommend a specialist in disability care to write a "life care plan' that clearly details their needs from the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will help you calculate an exact compensation amount. This typically is in the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments that can be adjusted to keep up with inflation.
You should be aware that the amount of compensation you receive from a legal action isn't a huge sum. It is a recognition of injustice that occurred because the medical professional failed to provide the care they were supposed to in labour, pregnancy and the delivery.