How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have profound effects on the child's life and that of their family. Compensation can allow them to live a fuller life, with access to the equipment, care and support.

Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy. This could be due to the lack of medical attention during pregnancy, issues during the birth process or other incidents.

Causes

There is no cure for CP however early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the abilities of a child. Doctors determine CP through the child's movements, muscle tone and coordination. They might refer the child to specialists such as neurologists, orthopedists for children and physiatrists who will assist in managing symptoms and increase quality of life.

Everyone suffers from cerebral palsy lawyers palsy in a different way. It can be mild with minimal impact on a child's function, or it can be extremely severe and cause impairments throughout the body. Symptoms can include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head and muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled, difficulty walking, or having trouble with speech and other functions. If a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's known as hemiplegia. When it happens on both sides, it's diplegia. Severe CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition, characterized by muscle spasticity. This can restrict the ability of a person to move and can cause difficulty with speech and eating.

Childbirth-related medical errors are a frequent reason for CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be aware when delivering babies since brain damage can result in serious consequences. If a medical mistake results in oxygen deprivation, or other brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy, the physician could be held accountable for negligence. This includes a lack of planning or performing an urgent C-section or the failure to monitor and escalate a complex labor.

Symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, he / will likely suffer from an array of physical symptoms. They could be characterized by stiff or tight joints or muscles, a limp, involuntary movement and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disability, speech delays as well as hearing and vision issues.

Cerebral Palsy symptoms are caused by damage to the immature brain, typically in early childhood or infants. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as standing up, crawling or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children with CP may also have trouble swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

Numerous factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that triggers CP and other conditions, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb as well as high blood pressure during pregnancy, and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe lack of oxygen) during delivery or labor is the most common cause of CP.

Based on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms may vary from mild to severe. The most frequent form of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral palsy, which is defined by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called choreoathetoid, or athetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled flailing movements of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP could include ataxic cerebral palsy, which is characterized by an unstable motion or paraplegic cerebral palsy where legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

While the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of sufferers of the condition have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also experience issues with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they have depends on what area of the brain was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP require special physical therapy which helps them improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and strengthen their muscles and joints. It also helps relieve discomfort and prevent contractures. It could involve exercises, special braces or other treatments.

CP is defined by musculoskeletal problems, such as patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These can cause major issues in mobility, which reduces life expectancy.

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

These medications can be used to relax muscles that are stiff or overactive or muscles, limit abnormal movement, reduce pain, and manage seizures. These medicines can be taken orally, or directly injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful claim for cerebral palsy attorneys palsy can result in compensation for your child to pay for specialized care, equipment and treatment. The amount of compensation will be based on the mental and physical impact of your child's condition, as well as on any expenses or losses you may have suffered. This could include the loss of income due to having to leave work in order to take care of your child, house modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Based on the severity of your child's injury the lawyer might recommend hiring an expert in disability care to draft a 'life care plan' that clearly lists all the needs of your child beginning with the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will allow you to calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It usually is an amount in lump sum and annual payments which can be indexed to keep up with the rate of inflation.

You must be aware that a payout from a legal action isn't a gimmick. It's a way of acknowledging an unfairness that was caused by a medical professional did not fulfill their duty of care in pregnancy, labour, and delivery.