How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has a profound impact on the life of the child and the lives of their families. Compensation can enable them to lead an active and full life by providing access to care, equipment and support.

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

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can enhance a child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP by observing the child's movement, 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 the quality of life.

Everyone suffers from cerebral palsy differently. It can be mild and have little impact on the child's capabilities but it can also be severe and cause impairments across all body parts. Some of the symptoms include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head, stiff or uncontrolled muscles, difficulty walking, or having difficulty speaking and other functions. If a child has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's known as hemiplegia. On both sides, it's known as diplegia. Severe CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition with muscle spasticity that limits the person's movement and can lead to problems with speech and eating.

Birth-related medical errors are one of the main causes of CP. Midwives, doctors, and nurses should be aware when delivering babies as brain damage could cause serious harm. A physician could be held responsible for malpractice if a medical error results in cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This includes a lack of planning or performing an urgent C-section or the failure to supervise and escalate the complexity of labor.

Signs and symptoms

If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, they will likely exhibit a range of physical symptoms. The symptoms can include stiff or tight muscles and a limp, involuntary movements, and issues with balance and posture. Other issues could include intellectual disabilities, Vimeo speech delays and vision and hearing issues.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain of an infant. This occurs most often in the infant or early years of childhood. A delay in milestones like sitting, rolling over, walking, or crawling could be an indication of CP. Children with CP may also have difficulty swallowing, and may need a feeding device.

There are a variety of factors that can contribute to an injury to the brain that results in CP. These include infections like toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb; high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe lack of oxygen) during labor or birth is the most common cause of CP.

The symptoms can be mild or severe, depending on the kind of. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as athetoid or choreoathetoid) is characterized by slow, uncontrolled movement of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP may include ataxic cerebral palsy, characterized by shakey movements and paraplegic cerebral parsy, in which the arms and legs are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms of cerebral palsy vary, the majority of sufferers of the condition experience stiffness, as well as a decrease in muscle control. They may also experience issues with balance and coordination. The type of movement problems they have depend on the region of the brain that was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy that can increase their muscle tone, mobility, and stretch their muscles and joints. It can also ease discomfort and prevent contracture. Exercises, braces or other treatments could be incorporated.

CP is characterized by musculoskeletal disorders, such as patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These conditions can cause major mobility problems which can reduce the life expectancy of patients.

Other treatments could include speech and language therapy for 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 medications can be used to reduce abnormal movements, ease the pain, and manage seizures. These medications are ingested by mouth or vimeo injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid around the spinal cord.

Compensation

A successful cerebral palsy claim can result in compensation for your child's for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. The amount of compensation will depend upon the physical and mental impact of your child's condition as well as any expenses or losses that you might have incurred. This could be a loss of earnings because you had to take a break from work to care for your children, home adaptations and transport costs.

Based on the extent of your child's injury the lawyer may recommend an expert in disability services to write a "life care plan' that meticulously defines their needs beginning with the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will allow you to calculate an exact amount of compensation. This typically takes the form of an amount in lump sum and annual payments, which can be adjusted to keep up with the rate of inflation.

It is important to know that the compensation resulting from a successful legal claim isn't a windfall. It's a recognition that injustice has occurred, and all due to medical professionals didn't fulfill their duty of providing care during labor, pregnancy and the birth.