How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have profound effects on the child and 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 result from medical negligence. This could be caused by an absence of medical attention during pregnancy, issues during birth or other events.

Causes

There is no cure for CP however early diagnosis and treatment can improve the capabilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP by observing a child's muscle tone and coordination. They may refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists or physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

Cerebral Palsy affects each person differently. It can be relatively mild and have no impact on the child's capabilities or severe and cause impairments to all areas of the body. 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 a child has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's called hemiplegia; on both sides, it's known as diplegia. A severe CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts the movement of a person and can lead to difficulties with speech and eating.

The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is a common cause of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be cautious when giving birth to the baby as damage to the brain may cause serious problems. A physician may be held liable for malpractice if a medical mistake results in cerebral palsy, or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This includes a lack of planning or performing a C-section urgently or failure to monitor and escalate a complicated labor.

Signs and symptoms

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

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's maturation. This occurs most often during infancy or the early years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as sitting up, crawling or walking is a common sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulty swallowing and may require feeding tubes.

Many factors can contribute to an injury to the brain that results in CP. This includes infections such as toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. A significant 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.

The symptoms may range from mild to severe based on the type of. The most frequent type of saratoga springs cerebral palsy law firm palsy can be described as spastic port chester cerebral palsy Lawsuit paralysis, which is characterized by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid choreoathetoid and choreoathetoid) is characterised by a the uncontrolled writhing and swaying of the arms, legs and the body. Other forms 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 specific symptoms of cerebral palsy are different, the majority of people with the condition have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They might also have problems with balance and coordination. The type of problem that they have depends on the area of the brain that was injured and the severity of the injury.

Many people with CP require specialized physical therapy that helps them improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and strengthen their muscles and joints. It can also ease the discomfort and prevent contractures. Braces, exercises or other treatments might be incorporated.

CP is characterized by musculoskeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These 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 discover new ways of communicating. These could include signing language, a communication board or voice synthesizers.

These medications can be used to relax stiff or overactive muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also reduce pain and seizures. These drugs can be taken orally, or directly injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid around your spinal cord.

Compensation

If your case of cerebral palsy is successful, you could receive compensation to help pay for your child's specialist care, equipment, and treatment. The compensation will be based upon the physical and mental effects of your child's illness and any losses or expenses you may have incurred. This could include losing earnings as you had to take a break from work to care for your child, home adaptions and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments.

Your lawyer could hire an expert in disability care dependent on the severity of the injury to your child. This specialist will draft a "life care plan" that details their needs from the moment they are diagnosed until they become adults. This can help determine a more accurate compensation sum. This is usually in the form of a lump sum as well as regular annual payments which may be indexed to keep pace with the rate of inflation.

You should be aware that compensation from a successful legal case isn't a quick buck. It's an acknowledgement of wrongdoing that occurred because the medical professional failed to perform their duty of care in pregnancy, labour, and the delivery.