The 10 Scariest Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy has an impact on the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live a full and fulfilling life, with access to medical equipment, care and support.
Medical negligence is often the reason for cerebral palsy. This could be due to an absence of medical attention prior to pregnancy, problems during labor and delivery, or other incidents.
Causes
There is no cure for CP, but early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP by observing the child's movement, muscle tone and coordination. They might refer the child to specialists, such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.
Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild with no impact on a child's ability to function, or severe and result in impairments throughout the body. It can be characterized by an oversized (floppy neck) head, 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, then it's called diplegia. A severe CP could result in a locked in (spastic) condition, which is characterized by muscle spasticity. This may limit the person's mobility and result in difficulty speaking and eating.
The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is an often-repeated cause of CP. Midwives, doctors, and nurses should be cautious when delivering babies since brain damage can result in serious consequences. If a medical mistake results in oxygen deprivation or other brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy, the physician could be held responsible for negligence. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or failing to supervise and escalate the complexity of labor.
Symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, they'll most likely show a variety of physical symptoms. These symptoms could include tight or stiff muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with posture and balance. Other issues could include speech delays, intellectual disabilities as well as hearing and vision issues.
Cerebral Palsy symptoms are caused by damage to the developing brain, which is usually seen in infancy or early 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 experience difficulties swallowing and may require a feeding tube.
Several factors can contribute to the development of an injury to the brain that causes CP, including infections like rubella, cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A serious lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is a major reason for CP and bleeding in the brain that results from blood vessels that are blocked or damaged.
Symptoms may range from mild to severe depending on the type. Spastic cerebral palsy attorneys palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered form. Dyskinetic cerebral Palsy (also known as athetoid choreoathetoid and choreoathetoid), is defined by the uncontrolled writhing and swaying of the legs, arms, and body. Other types of CP could include ataxic cerebral palsy, which is characterized by an unstable motion and paraplegic cerebral parsy where legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Though the symptoms of cerebral palsy lawsuit palsy can vary, the majority patients with the condition experience stiffness, as well as a decrease in muscle control. They might also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they have depends on the area of the brain that was injured and the degree of the injury.
Many people with CP need special physical therapy that can improve their muscle tone, mobility, and stretch their joints and muscles. It also helps relieve discomfort and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises or other treatments might be incorporated.
Musculoskeletal disorders such as patella alta, hip dysplasia, scoliosis, and cervical stenosis are common in CP. These can cause significant issues in mobility, reducing the lifespan of a patient.
Speech and therapy for language are a way to assist children who are unable to communicate effectively. It can help children develop new ways to communicate. This could include sign language, communication board or voice synthesizers.
They can relax stiff or overactive muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also reduce pain and seizures. The medication is taken by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid around the spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful cerebral palsy claim can result in compensation for your child to pay for special care, equipment and treatment. The amount will be determined on the mental and physical consequences of your child's condition, as well as on any losses or expenses you might have incurred. This could include losing income due to having to stop work to care for your child, home adaptions and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
Based on the severity of your child's injury the lawyer might recommend hiring an expert in disability issues to write a "life care plan' that carefully details their needs from the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will help you calculate a more accurate compensation sum. This is usually in the form of a lump-sum as well as regular annual payments which may be indexed to keep pace with inflation.
It is important to be aware that the amount of compensation you receive from a legal action isn't a gimmick. It's a way of acknowledging an injustice that occurred because medical professionals failed to meet their duty of care during labour, pregnancy and the delivery.