How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have profound implications on the child's life and the lives of their parents. Compensation can allow them to live a full life with access to the equipment, care and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy result from medical negligence. It can be caused by inadequate prenatal care, issues during labour and delivery or other occurrences.

Causes

There is no cure for CP however, early diagnosis and attorneys treatment can enhance the capabilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the tone of a child's muscles and coordination. They might refer a child to specialists such as neurologists, orthopedists for children and physiatrists, who can assist in managing symptoms and increase the quality of life.

Everyone is affected by cerebral palsy differently. It can be mild with a minimal effect on a child's function, or it can be extremely severe and cause physical impairments throughout the body. Some of the symptoms include an oversized (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles that are difficult to walk, or having difficulty speaking and other functions. If a child only has fairview cerebral palsy lawyer palsy on one side of the body, this is known as hemiplegia. On both sides, it's diplegia. The severity of CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition with muscle spasticity that restricts the movement of a person and can lead to problems with speech and eating.

Childbirth-related medical errors are a common cause of CP. Doctors, midwives, and nurses should be careful when delivering babies as brain damage could cause serious harm. If a medical mistake results in oxygen deprivation, or other brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy, the doctor could be held accountable for negligence. This includes negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section, or the failure to control and escalate a complicated labor.

Symptoms

If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, they will most likely display a variety of physical symptoms. These could include stiff or tight joints as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement and problems with balance and posture. Other issues include speech delays, intellectual disability and hearing and vision problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's immature state. This is usually the case in the early years of childhood. A delay in reaching milestones such as rolling over, standing up, crawling or walking is a common sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulty swallowing and may require a feeding tube.

Many factors can contribute to an injury to the brain that results in CP. These include infections such as toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb; high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe lack of oxygen) during delivery or labor is the main cause of CP.

Symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the type. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common form. Dyskinetic cerebral 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 is characterized by a shakey movement) or paraplegic CP which affects the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

Although the symptoms of cerebral palsy may differ, the majority of patients with the condition experience stiffness and decrease in muscle control. They might also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of movement problem that they experience is based on what area of the brain was injured and the degree of the injury.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy that allows them improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and strengthen their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve pain and prevent contracture. It may include exercises, special braces or other treatments.

Musculoskeletal disorders such as patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis and scoliosis are prevalent in CP. These disorders can lead to major mobility problems which can reduce the life expectancy of patients.

Other treatments could include speech and language therapies for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help them learn new ways of communicating and could involve signing language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

The use of medications can relax overactive or stiff muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also reduce pain, and manage seizures. These medications are ingested by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the surrounding fluid around the spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful cerebral palsy claim could result in compensation for your child's for special care, equipment and treatment. The amount of compensation will depend on the physical and mental effects of your child's illness as well as any expenses or losses you may have suffered. These might include loss of earnings because you have had stop work to take care of your child, home modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Your lawyer could hire an specialist in disability care dependent on the severity of the injuries to your child. The specialist will write a "life care plan" that outlines their needs from the moment of diagnosis until they are adults. This can help calculate an exact compensation amount. This usually takes the form of a lump-sum and regular annual payments, which may be indexed to keep up with the rate of inflation.

You should know that the amount of compensation you receive for a successful legal matter is not a quick cash payout. It's a recognition that injustice was committed, all because medical professionals failed to fulfill their duty of taking care during labour, pregnancy and the birth.