The 10 Most Terrifying Things About Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has profound implications on the life of the child as well as the lives of their family. Compensation can enable them to lead an active and fulfilling life by providing access to treatment, equipment and assistance.
Many cases of cerebral palsy are the result of medical negligence. This could be due to a lack of care during pregnancy, problems during the birth process or other incidents.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment for CP can help improve a child's abilities. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the child's muscle tone, movement and coordination. They might refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists or physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve the quality of life.
Everyone suffers from cerebral palsy in different ways. It can be relatively mild and have no impact on a child's abilities, or it can be severe and cause impairments to all body parts. Symptoms can include an oversized (floppy neck) head and muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled that are difficult to walk, or having trouble with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting the child's body, then it is referred to as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, then it is called diplegia. Severe CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity that limits an individual's movements and leads to problems with speech and eating.
Medical mistakes during childbirth are the leading cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be extra cautious when giving birth to babies because brain damage can result in serious consequences. A physician could be held responsible for malpractice if a medical mistake results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C section urgently or failing to monitor and increase an arduous labor.
Symptoms
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, they will likely exhibit a range of physical symptoms. These could include tight joints or stiff joints, a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include speech delays, intellectual disability and vision and hearing issues.
Cerebral palsy is a condition caused by damage to the developing brain, which is usually seen in early childhood or infants. A delay in reaching milestones, such as standing up, crawling or walking is a common symptom of CP. Children suffering from CP may also have difficulty swallowing and may require a feeding device.
Several factors may contribute to a brain injury that leads to CP. This includes infections like toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. A severe lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is a major cause of CP and bleeding in the brain due to blood vessels that are damaged or blocked.
Based on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms can vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy lawyers palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most commonly encountered form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy lawsuit palsy (also called athetoid or choreoathetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled flailing movements of the arms, legs and the body. Other types of CP could include ataxic cerebral palsy, characterized by an unstable motion or paraplegic cerebral aphasia where the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
The specific symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of sufferers of the condition have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also be struggling with coordination and balance. The type of problems they suffer from depend on the region of the brain that was injured as well as the severity.
Many people with CP require specialized physical therapy that helps them to improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and exercise their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve discomfort and help prevent contractures. Braces, exercises or other treatments might be included.
CP is characterized by musculoskeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis are also common. These conditions can cause major issues in mobility, reducing the life expectancy of patients.
Speech and therapy for language may be used to assist children who are not able to communicate effectively. This can help children learn new ways to communicate and could include communication board, or cerebral Palsy attorneys voice synthesizers.
The use of medications can relax muscles that are stiff or overactive and reduce abnormal movement. They also reduce pain and seizures. These medicines can be taken orally, or directly injected into the muscles affected, or into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord.
Compensation
If your case of Cerebral Palsy Attorneys palsy is successful, you may receive compensation to provide your child with medical attention, 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 any losses and expenses you have incurred. This could include losing earnings because you have had to take a break from work to care for your child, home adaptations and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments.
Your lawyer may hire an expert in disability-related care dependent on the severity of the injury to your child. The specialist will write a "life care plan" which outlines the needs of your child starting at the time of diagnosis until they are adults. This can help you calculate an exact amount of compensation. This usually is in the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments that can be adjusted to keep up with the rate of inflation.
You should know that the compensation for a successful legal claim is not a monetary windfall. It's a recognition of the fact that injustice was committed, all because medical professionals didn't fulfill their duty of medical care during pregnancy, labour and the birth.