The 10 Most Scariest Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have profound effects on the child's life as well as that of their family. Compensation can help them live a full and fulfilling life, with access to equipment, treatment and assistance.
Many cases of cerebral palsy result from medical negligence. This could be caused by inadequate care during pregnancy, problems during birth or other events.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can help improve a child's capabilities. Doctors determine CP based on the child's movements, muscle tone and coordination. They may refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.
Every person is affected by cerebral palsy in a different way. It can be mild with minimal impact on a child's ability to function, or severe enough to cause physical impairments throughout the body. Some of the symptoms include a floppy (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles that are difficult to walk, or having difficulty speaking and other functions. If a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's called hemiplegia. If it occurs on both sides, it's called diplegia. A severe CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity that restricts the movement of a person and can lead to problems with speech and eating.
Childbirth-related mistakes made by doctors are one of the main causes of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be cautious when delivering babies because brain damage may cause serious harm. If a medical mistake causes oxygen deprivation or other brain injury that causes cerebral palsy, the physician could be held accountable for negligence. This is the case when scheduling or performing a Csection urgently or not being able to monitor and escalate the intensity of the labor.
Symptoms
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they'll most likely exhibit a variety of physical symptoms. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movements, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues can include intellectual disability, speech delays and hearing and vision issues.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain's immature state. It is most commonly seen during the infancy years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling or walking is a common sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulty swallowing and Cerebral Palsy Attorneys may require feeding tubes.
Numerous factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that leads to CP and other conditions, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a massive lack of oxygen) during labor or birth is a leading cause of CP.
Depending on the form of cerebral palsy, symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as choreoathetoid or athetoid) is characterized by slow, uncontrolled writhing movements of the arms, legs and body. Other types of CP can include ataxic palsy, which is characterized by an unstable motion and paraplegic cerebral parsy in which the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Though the symptoms of Cerebral Palsy Attorneys palsy can vary, the majority of people suffering from the condition experience stiffness, as well as a decrease in muscle control. They may also experience issues with coordination and balance. The type of movement problems they experience is dependent on the part of the brain that was injured as well as its severity.
Many people suffering from CP need specific physical therapy in order to improve their muscle tone, mobility and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve tension and prevent contractures. It could include exercises, special braces, or other treatments.
Musculoskeletal disorders like hip dysplasia, patella alta, cervical stenosis and scoliosis are prevalent in CP. These conditions can cause significant mobility issues, which reduces life expectancy.
Other treatments can include speech and language therapies for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children learn new ways of communicating and may include communication board, or voice synthesizers.
The use of medications can relax muscles that are stiff or overactive to reduce abnormal movement, reduce pain, and manage seizures. The medication is taken 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 specialist care, equipment and treatment. The amount of compensation will depend on the mental and physical consequences of your child's condition, as well as on any expenses or losses you may have suffered. This could include the loss of earnings as you had to take a break from work to take care of your child, home adaptions and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments.
Your lawyer may hire an specialist in disability care dependent on the extent of the injury to your child. The specialist will create a "life care plan" that will outline their needs from the time of diagnosis until they are adults. This will allow you to calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It usually takes the form of a lump sum and recurring annual payments which could be indexed to keep up with inflation.
You must be aware that the compensation resulting from a successful legal action isn't a huge sum. It is a recognition that injustice has occurred due to medical professionals did not fulfill their duty of taking care during labour, pregnancy and delivery.
