How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has profound implications on the child's life and that of their family. Compensation can enable them to lead an active and healthy life by providing access equipment and assistance.

Medical negligence is often the reason for cerebral palsy. It can be caused by a lack of prenatal care, problems during labor and birth or other occurrences.

Causes

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

Every person is affected by cerebral palsy in a different way. It can be mild and have little impact on a child's ability or severe and cause impairments across all areas of the body. The signs include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles and walking difficulties, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy lawyers palsy on one side of the body, this is known as hemiplegia. If it occurs on both sides, it's known as diplegia. A severe CP may lead to a locked in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity. This may limit a person's movement and result in difficulty speaking and eating.

Medical mistakes in childbirth are an often-repeated cause of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses should be cautious when delivering a baby because damage to the brain can cause serious problems. If a medical mistake results in oxygen deprivation, or other brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy, the physician may be held liable for negligence. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or failing to supervise and escalate the intensity of labor.

Symptoms

If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they will likely exhibit a range of physical signs. The symptoms can include tight or stiff muscles as well as a limp, uncontrolled movements, and problems with balance and posture. Other issues could include speech delays, intellectual disabilities as well as hearing and vision issues.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain's maturation. It usually occurs in the early years of childhood. A delay in reaching milestones such as sitting up, crawling, or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience trouble swallowing and might need feeding tubes.

Several factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that leads to CP that can be caused by infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy, and genetic predisposition. A severe lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during the birth or during labor is a major cause of CP and bleeding in the brain caused by damaged or blocked blood vessels.

Symptoms can be mild or severe, depending on the kind of. Spastic cerebral palsy lawyer palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most frequent type. Dyskinetic cerebral Palsy (also known as athetoid, choreoathetoid and choreoathetoid), is known as a slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the legs, arms and the body. Other forms of CP can include ataxic palsy that has shakey movements, or paraplegic cerebral palsy in which the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

Although cerebral palsy symptoms vary, the majority of people who suffer from the condition experience stiffness and loss in muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The type of issues they experience will depend on the area of the brain that was injured as well as its severity.

Many people suffering from CP require special physical therapy that can increase their mobility, muscle tone and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also ease the discomfort and prevent contractures. It may include exercises, braces that are specially designed, or other treatments.

CP is caused by musculoskeletal issues, such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which can reduce life expectancy.

Other treatments include speech and language therapy for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This may help them discover new ways of communicating and may involve sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.

These medications can be used to stop abnormal movements, reduce seizures, and ease pain. The medications are administered by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful cerebral palsy claim can 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 had on them, as well as any losses and expenses that you've incurred. These could include loss of earnings because you have had to take a break from work to care for your child, home adaptations and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Based on the degree of the injury to your child, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability care to draft a 'life care plan' that meticulously lists all the needs of your child starting from the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This can help you calculate the most accurate amount of compensation. It usually will be an amount in lump sum and annual payments that can be indexed to keep up with inflation.

It is important to know that compensation from a successful legal case isn't a quick buck. It is a recognition that injustice has occurred due to a medical professional failed in their duty of providing care during labor, pregnancy and delivery.