The 10 Most Scariest Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can have a profound effect on the child and their family. Compensation can help them live a full life with access to equipment, care and support.
Medical negligence is often the reason for cerebral palsy. This could be due to a lack of care during pregnancy, problems during birth, or other occurrences.
Causes
There is no cure for CP, but early diagnosis and treatment may improve the capabilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the muscle tone of a child and coordination. They may refer the child to specialists, such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists or physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.
Cerebral Palsy affects each person differently. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on a child's abilities however, it can also be severe and cause impairments across every body part. It can be characterized by an oversized (floppy neck) head and 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, this is known as hemiplegia. On both sides, it's diplegia. A severe CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts a person's movements and leads to difficulties in speaking and eating.
Birth complications are an often-repeated cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses should be cautious when delivering the baby as damage to the brain can result in serious consequences. If a medical mistake causes oxygen deprivation or other brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy, the doctor could be held accountable for malpractice. This could include negligence in scheduling or cerebral Palsy attorney performing an urgent C-section or inability to control and escalate a complicated labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, they'll most likely display a variety of physical signs. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movements, and issues with balance and posture. Other problems can include intellectual disability, speech delays and vision and hearing issues.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's maturation. It is most commonly seen during the infancy years of childhood. A delay in milestones like rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling may be an indication of CP. Children with CP may also have trouble swallowing and may require a feeding device.
A variety of factors can cause the brain injury that causes CP. This includes infections like toxoplasmosis and rubella in the womb; high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A severe lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during the birth or during labor is the main cause of CP, as is bleeding in the brain from blood vessels that are blocked or damaged.
Symptoms may range from mild to severe depending on the type. Spastic Cerebral palsy attorney palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most frequent form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called choreoathetoid, or athetoid) involves uncontrolled and slow flailing movements of the legs, arms and body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which is characterized by a shaky motion) or paraplegic CP which affects the arms and legs are affected.
Treatment
While the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy law firms palsy vary, most people suffering from the condition are required to deal with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They might also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they suffer from is dependent on the brain region that was injured and the degree of the injury.
Many people with CP require special physical therapy that allows them to improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and work their muscles and cerebral palsy attorney joints. It can also relieve the discomfort and help prevent contractures. Exercises, braces or other treatments can be considered.
Musculoskeletal issues like patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis, scoliosis are common in CP. These can cause significant issues in mobility, reducing the lifespan of a patient.
Other treatments include speech and language therapies for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children discover new ways of communicating and could include sign language, a communication board, or voice synthesizers.
These medications can be used to decrease abnormal movements, reduce pain, and prevent seizures. These medicines can be taken orally or directly into the affected muscles, or into the fluid around your spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful claim for cerebral palsy can result in compensation for your child to pay for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. The amount of compensation will depend upon the physical and mental effects of your child's illness as well as any expenses or losses you may have suffered. This could be a loss of earnings due to the fact that you have to quit work to take care of your children, home adaptations and transportation expenses.
Depending on the degree of the injury to your child, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability issues to write a "life care plan' that meticulously defines their needs from the time of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will allow you to calculate the most accurate compensation amount. This is usually in the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments, that can be adjusted to keep pace with inflation.
It is important to know that compensation for a successful legal matter is not a windfall. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice has occurred, all because a medical professional failed in their duty of medical care during pregnancy, labour and delivery.
