How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have an enormous impact on the life of the child and the lives of their parents. Compensation can allow them to live an active and fulfilling life by providing access, equipment and support.

Many cases of cerebral palsy stem from medical negligence. It could be due to an absence of medical attention during pregnancy, issues during the birth process or other incidents.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can enhance a child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP by observing a child's movement, muscle tone and coordination. They may refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Every person is affected by cerebral palsy in a different way. It can be mild and have little impact on the abilities of a child, or it can be severe and cause impairments to all body parts. It can be characterized by a floppy (floppy neck) head and muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled and walking difficulties, or having difficulty speaking and other functions. If cerebral palsy attorneys palsy affects only one side of the child's body, it is referred to as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, it is known as diplegia. The severity of CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts the person's movement and can lead to problems with speech and eating.

The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is a leading cause of CP. Doctors, midwives, and nurses should be aware when delivering babies because brain damage can cause serious harm. If a medical error results in oxygen deprivation or other brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy, the doctor may be held liable for cerebral palsy attorney malpractice. This includes a lack of planning or performing a C-section in a hurry or failure 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 tight or stiff muscles as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and hearing and vision problems.

Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by a degeneration of the brain, which is usually seen during infancy or early childhood. A delay in reaching milestones such as sitting up, crawling, or walking is a typical sign of CP. Children suffering from CP may also have difficulty swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

Several factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that triggers CP that can be caused by infections such as rubella, toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during delivery or labor is the leading cause of CP.

Based on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms may vary from mild to severe. The most commonly encountered type of cerebral palsy is spastic Cerebral Palsy attorney palsy, which is characterised by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as choreoathetoid or athetoid) is characterized by slow, uncontrolled writhing movements of the legs, arms and body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which has a shaky movement) or paraplegic CP that affects the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy differ, the majority of people with the condition have to manage stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have issues with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they have depends on which brain area was injured and the severity of the injury.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy which helps them improve their mobility and muscle tone and stretch and exercise their muscles and cerebral palsy attorney joints. It also helps relieve pain and help prevent contractures. Braces, exercises or other treatments may be incorporated.

Musculoskeletal disorders like hip dysplasia, patella alta, cervical stenosis, and scoliosis are common in CP. These can cause major issues in mobility, which decreases the life expectancy of patients.

Other treatments include speech and language therapies for children who cannot communicate effectively. This can assist them to learn new ways of communicating and could involve signing language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

These medications can be used to relax muscles that are stiff or overactive, reduce abnormal movement, alleviate pain, and to control seizures. The medication is taken by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the surrounding fluid around 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 based on the physical and psychological impact that your child's condition has caused on them, as well as any losses and expenses you've had to pay. This could be a loss of earnings because you had to quit work to take care of your children, home modifications and transport costs.

Your lawyer might hire an expert in disability in accordance with the extent of the injury to your child. The specialist will write an "life care plan" which outlines the needs of your child from the time of diagnosis until they turn adults. This will help you calculate the most accurate compensation amount. It usually takes the form of a lump sum and annual installments, which may be indexed to keep pace with inflation.

It is important to know that the compensation for a successful legal claim is not a monetary windfall. It's an acknowledgement of the injustice that occurred due to the fact that medical professionals did not provide the care they were supposed to in pregnancy, labour, and delivery.