How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have a profound impact on the child's life as well as the lives of their family. Compensation can help them lead an active and healthy life by providing access to treatment equipment and support.

Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy attorney palsy. It could be due to the lack of care during pregnancy, problems during the birth process or other incidents.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can enhance a child's abilities. Doctors diagnose CP based on the child's muscle coordination and tone. They might refer the child to specialists such as pediatric orthopedists, neurologists and physiatrists, who can assist in managing symptoms and improving the quality of life for children.

Cerebral Palsy affects each person differently. It can be mild, with minimal impact on a child's function, or it can be extremely severe and cause physical impairments throughout the body. The signs can include a neck that is floppy (floppy neck), muscles that are stiff or inflexible and walking difficulties, or difficulties with speech and other functions. If a child's condition is cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's called hemiplegia. When it happens on both sides, it's diplegia. In severe cases, CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition, which is characterized by muscle spasticity. This can restrict the ability of a person to move and can cause difficulty with speech and eating.

Childbirth-related mistakes made by doctors are one of the main causes of CP. Nurses, doctors, and midwives must be careful when delivering the baby as damage to the brain can result in serious consequences. If a medical error causes oxygen deprivation or other brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy, the physician may be held liable for negligence. This is the case when scheduling or performing a Csection urgently or not being able to monitor and escalate the intensity of the labor.

Symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he or is likely to experience several physical symptoms. These symptoms could include stiff or tight muscles and a limp, involuntary movements, as well as issues with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision problems.

Cerebral Palsy symptoms are caused by a degeneration of the brain, usually in early childhood or infants. A delay in reaching milestones, such as standing up, crawling or walking is a common sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulty 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. A severe lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is a major cause for CP, as is bleeding in the brain caused by damaged or blocked blood vessels.

Depending on the form of cerebral palsy, the symptoms can vary from mild to severe. The most prevalent type of cerebral palsy can be described as spastic cerebral psoriasis, which is characterized by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral Palsy (also known as athetoid choreoathetoid or choreoathetoid), is defined by slow and uncontrolled writhing of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP may include ataxic cerebral palsy, which is characterized by a shaky motion or paraplegic cerebral palsy that affects the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

While the symptoms of cerebral palsy differ, the majority of sufferers of the condition experience stiffness and decrease in muscle control. They may also be struggling with coordination and balance. The kind of problems they suffer from depend on the part of the brain that was injured and the extent of the injury.

Many people with CP require special physical therapy to increase their mobility, muscle tone and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also relieve pain and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises or other treatments might be incorporated.

Musculoskeletal disorders like patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis and scoliosis are prevalent in CP. These disorders can lead to major mobility problems that reduce the lifespan.

Other treatments can include speech and language therapy for children who cannot communicate effectively. This may help children learn new ways to communicate. This could include sign language, communication board or voice synthesizers.

These medications can be used to decrease abnormal movements, reduce pain, and prevent seizures. These medicines can be taken orally, or directly injected into the muscles affected, or into the surrounding fluid of your spinal cord.

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you may receive compensation to help cover the cost of special care, equipment, and treatment. The amount will be determined on the mental and physical consequences of your child's condition as well as any losses or expenses that you might have incurred. This could be a loss of earnings because you had to quit work to take care of your children, home adaptations and transport expenses.

Depending on the extent of your child's injury, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability care to develop a "lifecare plan' that defines their needs beginning with the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will help you calculate an exact compensation amount. This is usually in the form of a lump sum and annual installments, which can be index to keep pace with the rate of inflation.

You must be aware that the compensation for a successful legal claim is not a windfall. It's a recognition that injustice has occurred due to medical professionals did not fulfill their duty of taking care during labour, pregnancy and delivery.