How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can have profound effects on the child and their family. Compensation can help them live a full and fulfilling life, with access to equipment, treatment and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy are the result of medical negligence. This could be due to an absence of prenatal care, issues during labor and delivery or other events.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can help improve a child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP by observing the tone of a child's muscles, movement and coordination. They might refer the child to specialists such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild with a minimal effect on a child's function, or severe and result in impairments throughout the body. The symptoms can include a Floppy head (floppy neck) and a muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled as well as difficulty walking or having difficulties with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy only affects the child's body, then it is referred to as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, it is referred to as diplegia. The severity of CP may lead to a locked in (spastic), condition with muscle spasticity. This can restrict the ability of a person to move and can result in difficulty speaking and eating.

Childbirth-related medical errors are an often-repeated reason for CP. Nurses, midwives, and doctors should be cautious when delivering a baby because damage to the brain could result in serious consequences. A doctor could be held responsible for malpractice if a medical mistake causes cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This includes negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section, or the failure to monitor and escalate a complicated labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they will likely exhibit a range of physical signs. They could be characterized by tight or stiff joints or muscles, a limp, involuntary movement, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to an immature brain. This occurs most often in the infant or early years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, or walking can be a sign of CP. Children with CP may also have difficulty swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

A variety of factors can cause an injury to the brain that results in CP. This includes diseases like toxoplasmosis, or rubella in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a serious lack of oxygen) during labor or birth is the most common cause of CP.

Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms can range from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy attorneys palsy (also called athetoid choreoathetoid, choreoathetoid) is known as a uncontrolled and slow writhing of the legs, arms, and body. Other forms of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy attorney Palsy (which is characterized by a shakey movement) or paraplegic CP in which the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

Although the symptoms of cerebral palsy may vary, the majority of people suffering from the condition experience stiffness and loss in muscle control. They may also experience issues with balance and coordination. The kind of problems they experience will depend on the area of their brain that was injured as well as the degree of the injury.

Many people suffering from CP require specific physical therapy that assists them to improve their mobility and muscle tone and stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also help relieve discomfort and prevent contracture. It could involve exercises, braces that are specially designed, or other treatments.

Musculoskeletal issues like hip dysplasia, patella alta, scoliosis, and cervical stenosis are prevalent in CP. These conditions can cause major issues in mobility, 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. This can assist them to discover new ways of communicating and could include sign language, communication boards, or voice synthesizers.

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

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you will be compensated to pay for your child's specialist care, equipment, and treatment. The amount of compensation will be based on the physical and mental effects of your child's illness as well as any losses or expenses you may have suffered. This could include lost earnings due to having to take a break from work to care for your children, home adaptations and transportation expenses.

Your lawyer could hire an expert in disability-related care according to the degree of the injury to your child. The expert will develop a "life care plan" that will outline their needs from the moment they are diagnosed until they become adults. This will allow you to calculate a more accurate compensation sum. This usually takes the form of a lump-sum as well as regular annual payments which could be indexed to keep pace with inflation.

It is important to understand that the amount of compensation you receive for a successful legal matter is not a monetary windfall. It's a recognition that injustice has occurred, and all due to medical professionals didn't fulfill their obligation to medical care during pregnancy, labour and delivery.