The 10 Most Scariest Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Attorneys Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have a profound impact on the child's life as well as the lives of their family. Compensation can allow them to live a full and active life by providing access to care equipment and support.
Many cases of cerebral palsy lawsuits palsy stem from medical negligence. This can be due to a lack of care during pregnancy, or problems during birth or other events.
Causes
There is no cure for CP but early detection and treatment can help improve the abilities of a child. Doctors determine CP in relation to the child's movements, muscle coordination and tone. They may refer the child to specialists such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.
Every person suffers from cerebral palsy differently. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on a child's ability however, it can also be severe and cause impairments in all body parts. Symptoms can include an oversized (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles, difficulty walking, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting one side of the child's body, it is referred to as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, it is referred to as diplegia. The severity of CP could result in a locked in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity. This could limit a person's movement and make it difficult to speak and eating.
Birth complications are a frequent reason for CP. Doctors, midwives, and nurses should be aware when delivering babies because brain damage may result in serious consequences. A physician may be held liable for negligence if a medical error causes cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or failing to monitor and increase the intensity of the labor.
Symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, he or is likely to have several physical symptoms. These symptoms may include tight or stiff muscles and a limp, involuntary movements, and problems with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision problems.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to an immature brain. It usually occurs during the infancy years of childhood. A delay in achieving milestones such as standing up, crawling or walking is a typical sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulty swallowing and may require a feeding tube.
A variety of factors can cause the brain injury that causes CP. This includes diseases like 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 may range from mild to severe depending on the type. The most prevalent form of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral psoriasis, which is characterized by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called choreoathetoid, or athetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled flailing movements of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP might include ataxic palsy, characterized by an unstable motion or paraplegic cerebral palsy where legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy vary, most sufferers have to deal 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 the brain region that was injured and the severity of the injury.
Many people suffering from CP require specific physical therapy that assists them to improve their mobility and muscle tone as well as stretch and exercise their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve pain and prevent contracture. It can include exercises, special braces or other treatments.
CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions such as patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which reduces the life expectancy of patients.
Other treatments could include speech and language therapy for children who are unable to communicate effectively. It can help children develop new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication board or voice synthesizers.
These medications can be used to stop abnormal movements, decrease pain, and control seizures. These medications are taken by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful cerebral palsy claim could result in compensation for your child's for specialist care, equipment and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical effects that your child's condition has caused on them, in addition to any expenses and losses you've had to pay. This could include the loss of income because you had to stop working to take care of your children, home adaptations and transportation costs.
Your lawyer might hire an expert in disability-related care dependent on the severity of the injury to your child. The specialist will write an "life care plan" that details their needs starting at the time of diagnosis until they are adults. This can help you calculate a more accurate amount of compensation. This usually will be lump sums as well as regular annual payments that are indexed to keep up with inflation.
You should know that the amount of compensation you receive for a successful legal claim is not a windfall. It's an acknowledgement that injustice was committed, all because medical professionals failed to fulfill their duty of taking care during labour, pregnancy and the birth.
