How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have profound consequences for the child and their family. Compensation can help them have a fulfilling life by giving them access to the equipment, care and assistance.

Medical negligence is usually the cause of cerebral palsy. This could be due to the lack of care during pregnancy, problems during delivery or other incidents.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can improve a child’s capabilities. Doctors can diagnose CP by looking at the tone of a child's muscles, movement and coordination. They may refer a child to specialists like neurologists, orthopedists for children and physiatrists who will aid in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.

Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild, with minimal impact on a child's ability to perform, or it can be severe and cause impairments throughout the body. Symptoms can include an oversized (floppy neck) head, stiff or uncontrolled muscles and walking difficulties, or having difficulty speaking and other functions. If cerebral palsy only affects one side of the child's body, it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, it is known as diplegia. In severe cases, CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by spasticity in muscles that restricts a person's movements and leads to issues with speech and eating.

Medical mistakes in childbirth are a common cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses should be extra cautious when delivering babies because damage to the brain could cause serious problems. A physician could be held accountable for malpractice if a medical error results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a Csection urgently or failing to supervise and escalate the intensity of the labor.

Symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy lawsuits palsy, they will most likely show a variety of physical signs. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movements, and problems with balance and posture. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays as well as hearing and vision problems.

Cerebral Palsy symptoms are caused by damage to the immature brain, most often in early childhood or infants. A delay in milestones such as sitting, rolling over, walking, or crawling may be an indication of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulties swallowing and may require feeding tubes.

Many factors can contribute to a brain injury that leads to CP. These include infections like toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb; high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a serious lack of oxygen) during labor or delivery is a leading cause of CP.

Depending on the form of cerebral palsy, the symptoms may vary from mild to severe. The most frequent type of cerebral palsy lawsuits palsy is spastic cerebral psoriasis, which is characterized by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic Cerebral palsy attorneys palsy (also known as athetoid, choreoathetoid and choreoathetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled writhing of the arms, legs and body. Other forms of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy (which has a shaky movement) or paraplegic CP that affects the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

The specific symptoms of cerebral palsy are different, the majority of people suffering from the condition are required to cope with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have issues with coordination and balance. The type of movement problem that they suffer from is dependent on the area of the brain that was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy that can increase their mobility, muscle tone and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also ease pain and prevent contracture. It could include exercises, braces that are specially designed, or other treatments.

Musculoskeletal issues like hip dysplasia, patella alta, cervical stenosis, scoliosis are prevalent in CP. These disorders can lead to significant mobility issues and reduce life expectancy.

Other treatments could include speech and language therapy for children who cannot communicate effectively. This can help them to learn new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

These medicines are used to limit abnormal movements, decrease pain, and prevent seizures. These medications can be administered by mouth or directly into the affected muscles or into the surrounding fluid of your spinal cord.

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you can be awarded compensation to you pay for specialist care, equipment, and treatment. The amount will be determined on the physical and mental effects of your child's condition and any losses or expenses you may have suffered. This could include lost earnings because you had to stop working to take care of your children, home modifications and transportation expenses.

Depending on the severity of your child's injuries the lawyer may recommend an expert in disability services to create a "life care plan' that carefully lists all the needs of your child from the time of their diagnosis until adulthood. This can help you determine the most accurate amount of compensation. It is typically in the form of a lump-sum and recurring annual payments which may be indexed to keep up with the rate of inflation.

You should be aware that compensation from a successful legal action isn't a huge sum. It's an acknowledgement that injustice has occurred, and all due to a medical professional failed in their obligation to providing care during labor, pregnancy and delivery.