The 10 Scariest Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful cerebral palsy lawyer Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has an enormous impact on the life of the child and the lives of their parents. Compensation can allow them to live a full and fulfilling life, with access to equipment, care and assistance.
Medical negligence is usually the reason for cerebral palsy. This could be due to an absence of prenatal care, complications during labor and delivery or other incidents.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment for CP can enhance a child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP through the child's movements, muscle tone and coordination. They can refer the child to specialists such as neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists, who can assist in managing symptoms and increase quality of life.
Every person is affected by cerebral palsy in a different way. It can be mild, with a minimal effect on a child's function, or severe enough to result in impairments throughout the body. Symptoms can include a floppy (floppy neck) head, stiff or uncontrolled muscles and walking difficulties, or having difficulty speaking and other functions. If a child only has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's referred to as hemiplegia. If it occurs on both sides, it's called diplegia. In severe cases, CP may lead to locked in (spastic) condition, characterized by muscle spasticity. This can restrict a person's movement and result in difficulty speaking and eating.
Childbirth-related medical errors are a common cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be cautious when giving birth to the baby as damage to the brain can have serious consequences. A doctor could be held responsible for mistakes made in the medical field if an error causes cerebral palsy or brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation. This includes a lack of planning or performing a C-section urgently or inability to monitor and escalate a complicated labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, he or is likely to experience an array of physical symptoms. These could include tight or stiff joints, a limp, uncontrolled movement and issues with balance and posture. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and vision and hearing problems.
The symptoms of Cerebral Palsy Attorneys palsy result from damage to an immature brain. This occurs most often in the early years of childhood. A delay in milestones, such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, or walking can be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulty swallowing and Cerebral Palsy Attorneys may require feeding tubes.
A variety of factors can trigger the development of a brain injury that leads to CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as rubella, toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a massive lack of oxygen) during labor or delivery is the most common cause of CP.
Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms may vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy lawyer palsy (also known as athetoid, choreoathetoid or choreoathetoid), is characterised by a slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the legs, arms, and body. Other forms of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which has a shaky movement) or paraplegic CP in which the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy differ, the majority of people suffering from the condition are required to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also be struggling with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they suffer from is dependent on what area of the brain was injured and the severity of the injury.
Many people with CP require specialized physical therapy that helps them to improve their mobility and muscle tone and stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also ease the discomfort and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises, or other treatments may be incorporated.
CP is caused by musculoskeletal issues like hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These conditions can cause major issues in mobility, which can reduce life expectancy.
Other treatments include speech and language therapies for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help them discover new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.
Medications can be used to ease stiff or overactive muscles to reduce abnormal movement, relieve pain, and control seizures. These medications are taken by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord.
Compensation
If your case of cerebral palsy is successful, you could receive compensation to help pay for your child's medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. This will be based on the physical and psychological impact that your child's condition has caused on them, in addition to any expenses and losses you have incurred. This could include loss of earnings due to you having to work less to take care of your children, home adaptations and transportation expenses.
Your lawyer could hire an specialist in disability care dependent on the severity of the injury to your child. The specialist will write an "life care plan" which outlines the needs of your child from the moment of diagnosis until they reach the age of adulthood. This will help you determine an accurate amount of compensation. It is typically in the form of a lump-sum as well as regular annual payments which can be index to keep up with the rate of inflation.
You must be aware that a payout from a legal claim isn't a windfall. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice was committed, all because a medical professional failed in their duty of providing care during labor, pregnancy and the birth.
