The 10 Most Scariest Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful cerebral palsy attorney Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has profound effects on the life of the child and the lives of their families. Compensation can help them live a full life with access to the equipment, care and assistance.
Many cases of cerebral palsy stem from medical negligence. This can be caused by an absence of prenatal care, problems during labor and birth or other occurrences.
Causes
There is no cure for CP, but early diagnosis and treatment can enhance the abilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at a child's 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 the quality of life.
Everyone is affected by cerebral palsy differently. It can be mild, having a minimal impact on a child's ability function, or severe and cause impairments throughout the body. Symptoms can include a floppy (floppy neck) head as well as stiff or uncontrolled muscles and walking difficulties, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If a child's condition is cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's called hemiplegia. When it happens on both sides, it's known as diplegia. Severe CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts the person's movement and can lead to difficulties in speaking and eating.
The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is a leading cause of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses should be extra cautious when delivering the baby as damage to the brain could cause serious problems. If a medical error results in oxygen deprivation, or other brain damage that causes cerebral palsy, the doctor could be held responsible for malpractice. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or not being able to monitor and escalate the intensity of labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, he / she will likely have an array of physical symptoms. The symptoms can include stiff or tight muscles, a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with posture and balance. Other issues could include intellectual disability, speech delays and hearing and vision issues.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's immature state. This is usually the case during the infancy years of childhood. A delay in achieving milestones such as sitting up, crawling, or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children with CP may also have difficulty swallowing, and may need a feeding device.
Many factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that triggers CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during labor or delivery is a leading cause of CP.
Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms may range from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid or choreoathetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled movement of the arms, legs and the body. Other types of CP might include ataxic palsy, which has shakey movements, or paraplegic cerebral palsy where the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
The specific symptoms of cerebral palsy are different, the majority of sufferers of the condition have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The kind of problems they suffer from depend on the area of their brain that was injured as well as its extent of the injury.
Many people with CP need specific physical therapy in order to improve their mobility, flexibility, and muscle tone, and stretch their muscles and joints. It can also help relieve tension and prevent contractures. Braces, exercises or other treatments can be included.
CP is defined by musculoskeletal problems like hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These disorders can lead to significant mobility issues which can reduce the life expectancy of patients.
Other treatments include speech and language therapy for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help them to discover new ways to communicate and may involve sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.
These medications can be used to decrease abnormal movements, reduce seizures, and ease pain. These medications are ingested by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful cerebral palsy claim can result in compensation for your child to pay for specialized care, equipment and treatment. This will be determined by the physical and psychological impact that your child's condition has had on them, in addition to any expenses and losses you've had to pay. These might include loss of earnings because you have had to leave work in order to take care of your child, home modifications and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments.
Your lawyer might hire an expert in disability-related care dependent on the severity of the injuries to your child. This specialist will draft a "life care plan" that outlines their needs from the moment of diagnosis until they reach the age of adulthood. This will help you determine a more accurate amount of compensation. This usually takes the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments, which can be index to keep up with inflation.
You must be aware that a payout from a legal case isn't a quick buck. It's a way of acknowledging an the injustice that occurred due to the fact that medical professionals failed to fulfill their duty of care during labour, pregnancy, and the delivery.