How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have profound consequences for the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live an active and fulfilling life by allowing access to care, equipment and assistance.

Medical negligence is often the reason for cerebral palsy. This could be caused by inadequate care during pregnancy, problems during birth or other events.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can improve a child’s capabilities. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the tone of a child's muscles, movement 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.

Cerebral Palsy affects each person differently. It can be moderate and have only a slight impact on a child's abilities, or it can be severe and cause impairments across all body parts. The signs include Floppy head (floppy neck), stiff or uncontrolled muscle that is difficult to walk or has difficulties with speech and other functions. If rye brook cerebral palsy lawsuit palsy affects only one side of the child's body, then it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, then it is called diplegia. Severe CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts a person's movements and leads to problems with speech and eating.

Medical mistakes in childbirth are the most common reason for CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be aware when delivering babies as brain damage could have serious consequences. A doctor may be held liable for negligence if a medical error results in cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a Csection urgently or Vimeo failing to supervise and escalate an arduous labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he / is likely to experience a combination of physical symptoms. The symptoms can include stiff or tight muscles and a limp, involuntary movement, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and hearing and vision problems.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain of an infant. This is usually the case in the early years of childhood. A delay in milestones, such as sitting, rolling over, walking, or crawling may be an indication of CP. Children suffering from CP may also have difficulty swallowing and may require a feeding device.

Several factors can contribute to the development of an injury to the brain that causes 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 massive lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during the birth or during labor is the main cause of CP and bleeding in the brain caused by damaged or blocked blood vessels.

Based on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms may vary from mild to severe. The most prevalent type of cerebral palsy can be described as spastic cerebral palsy, which is manifested by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as athetoid or choreoathetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled motions of the legs, arms and body. Other forms of CP include ataxic cerebral palsy (which is characterized by a shaky motion) or paraplegic CP in which the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy differ, the majority of sufferers have to cope with stiffness and loss of 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 the severity.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy which helps them improve their mobility and muscle tone as well as stretch and exercise their joints and muscles. It can also ease the discomfort and prevent contracture. Exercises, braces or other treatments may be incorporated.

Musculoskeletal issues like patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis, scoliosis are prevalent in CP. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which decreases the lifespan of a patient.

Speech and therapy for language can be used to aid children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children learn new ways to communicate. This could include sign language, communication board, or voice synthesizers.

Medications can be used to relax muscles that are stiff or overactive, reduce abnormal movement, relieve pain, and control seizures. The medication is taken by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid around the spinal cord.

Compensation

If your case of cerebral palsy is successful, you could be awarded compensation to pay for your child's medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. The amount will be determined on the physical and mental effects of your child's illness, as well as on any losses or expenses you may have suffered. This could include the loss of earnings as you had to take a break from work to take care of your child, house modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

The lawyer you hire may employ an specialist in disability care according to the severity of the injuries to your child. This specialist will draft an "life care plan" that will outline their needs from the moment of diagnosis until they turn adults. This can help determine the most accurate compensation amount. This usually will be a lump sum and regular annual payments, which can be adjusted to keep up with the rate of inflation.

It is important to know that the amount of compensation you receive for a legal case that is successful is not a quick cash payout. It is a recognition that injustice has occurred, all because medical professionals didn't fulfill their duty of care during pregnancy, labour and delivery.