How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim

A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have profound implications on the child's life as well as that of their family. Compensation can allow them to live a fuller life, with access to equipment, care and assistance.

Medical negligence is usually the reason for cerebral palsy. This could be due to a lack of prenatal care, problems during labor and delivery, or other incidents.

Causes

Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can enhance a child's abilities. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the child's muscle tone and coordination. They can refer a child to specialists like neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists who can assist in managing symptoms and increase the quality of life for children.

Every person is affected by cerebral palsy in a unique way. It can be mild, with a minimal effect on a child's ability function, or it can be extremely severe and cause impairments throughout the body. It can be characterized by the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head as well as stiff or uncontrolled muscles as well as difficulty walking or having trouble with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting the child's body, it is known as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, then it's called diplegia. A severe CP could result in locked in (spastic), condition with muscle spasticity. This may limit the ability of a person to move and can result in difficulty speaking and eating.

Medical mistakes in childbirth are a common reason for CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses should be cautious when delivering the baby as damage to the brain could result in serious consequences. A doctor could be held accountable for malpractice if a medical mistake results in cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This could include negligence in scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or inability to control and cerebral palsy attorney escalate a complicated labor.

Symptoms

If your child has cerebral palsy, he or is likely to have an array of physical symptoms. They could be characterized by tight or stiff joints as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement and issues with balance and posture. Other problems can include intellectual disability, speech delays and vision and cerebral palsy attorney hearing issues.

The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain's maturation. This occurs most often during the infancy years of childhood. The delay in milestones such as rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling could be an indication of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulties swallowing and may require feeding tubes.

Many factors can contribute to an injury to the brain that results in CP. This includes 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 pregnancy or birth is the main cause of CP as is the occurrence of bleeding in the brain from damaged or blocked blood vessels.

Depending on the form of cerebral palsy, the symptoms may vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most frequent form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy lawyers palsy (also called choreoathetoid, or athetoid) involves uncontrolled and slow motions of the arms, legs and the body. Other forms of CP can include ataxic palsy, which is characterized by shakey movements or paraplegic cerebral palsy attorney aphasia, in which the legs and arms are affected.

Treatment

Though the symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, the majority people suffering from the condition experience stiffness and a loss in muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The type of problem that they suffer from is dependent on the area of the brain that was injured and the severity of the injury.

Many people with CP need special physical therapy that can improve their muscle tone, mobility, and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also relieve discomfort and prevent contractures. It could involve exercises, braces with special features, or other treatments.

CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These can cause major problems in mobility, reducing life expectancy.

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

These medications can be used to reduce abnormal movements, reduce the pain, and manage seizures. The medications are administered by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the fluid around the spinal cord.

Compensation

If your cerebral palsy lawyer palsy case is successful, you will receive compensation to help you pay for specialist care, equipment, 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 might have incurred. This could include the loss of earnings as you had to stop work to take care of your child, home modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.

Depending on the degree of the injury to your child, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability care to develop a "lifecare plan' that details their needs starting from the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This can help calculate an accurate amount of compensation. It is typically in the form of a lump sum and annual installments, which may be indexed to keep up with inflation.

It is important to be aware that the amount of compensation you receive from a legal action isn't a gimmick. It's a way of acknowledging an wrongdoing that occurred because medical professionals failed to perform their duty of care during labour, pregnancy and birth.