The 10 Most Terrifying Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can have profound effects on the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live a fuller life, with access to equipment, care and assistance.
Medical negligence is usually the cause of cerebral palsy. This could be due to inadequate care during pregnancy, or problems during birth, or other occurrences.
Causes
There is no cure for CP however early diagnosis and treatment can improve a child's abilities. Doctors diagnose CP based on the child's movements, muscle coordination and tone. They might 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 is affected by cerebral palsy in different ways. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on a child's ability, or it can be severe and cause impairments to every body part. Some of the symptoms include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles that are difficult to walk, or having difficulty with speech and other functions. If a child's condition is cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's referred to as hemiplegia. If it occurs on both sides, it's called diplegia. Severe CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity that restricts the person's movement and can lead to problems with speech and eating.
Medical mistakes during childbirth are a leading cause of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be aware when delivering babies because brain damage may result in serious consequences. If a medical mistake results in oxygen deprivation or other brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy, the doctor could be held accountable for negligence. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or failing to supervise and escalate the intensity of the labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, he / she will likely have an array of physical symptoms. This could include stiff or tight joints, a limp, uncontrolled movement and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include speech delays, intellectual disabilities as well as hearing and vision issues.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain of an infant. This occurs most often during the infancy years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling can be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulties swallowing and may require a feeding tube.
Many factors can contribute to the brain injury that causes CP. These include diseases like toxoplasmosis, or rubella in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during labor or birth is the leading cause of CP.
The symptoms can be mild or extreme based on the type. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered type. Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy Attorney palsy (also called athetoid choreoathetoid or choreoathetoid), is known as a slow and uncontrolled writhing of the legs, arms and body. Other forms of CP could include ataxic cerebral palsy that has an unstable motion or paraplegic cerebral aphasia where the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Although the symptoms of cerebral palsy may differ, the majority of people suffering from the condition experience stiffness, as well as a decrease in muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The type of problem that they suffer from is dependent on the brain region that was injured and the degree of the injury.
Many people with CP need specialized physical therapy to improve their mobility, muscle tone and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also relieve the pain and help prevent contractures. Braces, exercises, or cerebral palsy attorney other treatments can be considered.
CP is caused by musculoskeletal issues like hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These conditions can cause major mobility problems, which reduces life expectancy.
Speech and therapy for language are a way to aid children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help them learn new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication boards, or voice synthesizers.
These medicines are used to limit the abnormal movement, reduce the pain, and manage seizures. These medications are taken by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord.
Compensation
If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you will be awarded compensation to cover the cost of special care, equipment, and treatment. This will be determined by the physical and psychological impact that your child's condition has had on them, as well as the costs and losses that you've incurred. This could include loss of earnings due to the fact that you have to quit work to take care of your children, home modifications and transport expenses.
Your lawyer might hire an expert in disability care dependent on the severity of the injuries to your child. This specialist will draft an "life care plan" that outlines their needs starting at the time of diagnosis until they turn adults. This can help calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It usually will be lump sums as well as regular annual payments which can be indexed to keep up with inflation.
You must be aware that the compensation resulting from a successful legal claim isn't a windfall. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice has occurred, and all due to medical professionals didn't fulfill their duty of providing care during labor, pregnancy and delivery.