How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have profound implications on the child's life as well as that of their family. Compensation can help them live a full life with access to the equipment, care and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy arise from medical negligence. This could be due to a lack of prenatal care, complications during labour and delivery or other occurrences.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can help improve a child's abilities. Doctors diagnose CP by observing the child's muscle tone and coordination. They can refer the child to specialists such as neurologists, orthopedists for children and physiatrists, who can assist in managing symptoms and improving life-quality.

Every person suffers from cerebral palsy attorneys palsy in a different way. It can be mild, with minimal impact on a child's function, or it can be extremely severe and result in impairments throughout the body. The symptoms could include a neck that is floppy (floppy neck) and a muscles that are stiff or inflexible that is difficult to walk or has problems with speech and other functions. If a child has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, this is known as hemiplegia. When it happens on both sides, it's diplegia. Severe CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition that causes muscle spasticity that limits the movement of a person and can lead to problems with speech and eating.

The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is the most common reason for CP. Midwives, doctors, and nurses should be extra cautious when giving birth to babies because brain damage can cause serious harm. If a medical error results in oxygen deprivation or other brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy, the doctor could be held responsible for malpractice. This could include negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section, or failure to control and escalate a complicated labor.

Symptoms

If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy attorneys palsy, they will likely exhibit a range of physical symptoms. This could include tight or stiff joints and limbs, a limp, erratic movements, and issues with balance and posture. Other problems can include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and hearing and vision issues.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain of an infant. It is most commonly seen during infancy or the early years of childhood. A delay in milestones such as sitting, rolling over, walking, or crawling could be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience trouble swallowing and might need a feeding tube.

Numerous factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that triggers CP that can be caused by infections such as rubella, toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus in the womb and high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A severe lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during pregnancy or birth is a major cause of CP, as is bleeding in the brain from blood vessels that are damaged or blocked.

Based on the kind 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 (also called choreoathetoid, or athetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled motions of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy attorney palsy (which has a shaky movement) or paraplegic CP which affects the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

Though the symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, the majority sufferers of the condition experience stiffness, as well as a decrease in muscle control. They may also have issues with coordination and balance. The type of movement problems they have depend on the area of their brain that was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people with CP need specialized physical therapy to improve their mobility, tone of muscles and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve tension and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises or other treatments can be considered.

Musculoskeletal disorders like hip dysplasia, patella alta, cervical stenosis and scoliosis are common in CP. These can cause major issues in mobility, which decreases life expectancy.

Speech and language therapy can be used to aid children who are not able to communicate effectively. This can help them to learn new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

These medicines can be used to decrease abnormal movements, reduce seizures, and ease pain. These medicines can be taken orally or directly into the affected muscles or into the surrounding fluid of your spinal cord.

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you will receive compensation to help provide your child with special care, equipment, and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical impact that your child's condition has had on them, in addition to any expenses and losses you've had to pay. This could include lost earnings due to the fact that you have to work less to care for your children, home adaptations and transport costs.

Depending on the severity of your child's injuries the lawyer may recommend an expert in disability issues to write a "life care plan' that meticulously defines their needs from the time of their diagnosis until adulthood. This can help you calculate an accurate amount of compensation. This usually takes the form of a lump sum and recurring annual payments that can be adjusted to keep pace with inflation.

You should know that the compensation awarded for a legal case that is successful is not a windfall. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice has occurred due to medical professionals didn't fulfill their duty of taking care during labour, pregnancy and the birth.