How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has an enormous impact on the child's life and that of their family. Compensation can enable them to lead a full and active life by providing access to care and equipment, as well as support.
Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy. This can be due to inadequate care during pregnancy, or problems during delivery or other incidents.
Causes
There is no cure for CP but early detection and treatment can enhance the abilities of a child. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the muscle tone of a child and coordination. They may refer the child to specialists, such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists or physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.
Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild, with minimal impact on a child's function, or severe and cause impairments throughout the body. The symptoms could include a Floppy head (floppy neck) and a stiff or uncontrolled muscle as well as difficulty walking or having difficulties with speech and other functions. If a child only has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's referred to as hemiplegia. If it occurs on both sides, it's called diplegia. In severe cases, CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition with spasticity in muscles that restricts a person's movements and leads to difficulties with speech and eating.
Medical mistakes during childbirth are one of the main causes of CP. Nurses, doctors, and midwives must be cautious when giving birth to the baby as damage to the brain could have serious consequences. If a medical error causes oxygen deprivation or other brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy, the physician could be held responsible for malpractice. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or not being able to monitor and escalate the intensity of the labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child has cerebral palsy, he or she will likely have an array of physical symptoms. These may include tight or stiff joints as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement and issues with balance and posture. Other problems include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and hearing and vision problems.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain's maturation. It is most commonly seen in the infant or early years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have trouble swallowing and might need a feeding tube.
A variety of factors can trigger the development of a brain injury that triggers CP and other conditions, such as toxoplasmosis, rubella or cytomegalovirus in the womb as well as high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A severe lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during the birth or during labor is the main cause of CP as is bleeding in the brain due to blood vessels that are damaged or blocked.
Symptoms can range from mild to severe based on the type of. The most frequent form of cerebral palsy is spastic
cerebral palsy lawyer palsy, which is characterized by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic
cerebral Palsy Attorney palsy (also called athetoid or choreoathetoid) involves uncontrolled and slow flailing movements of the legs, arms and body. Other forms of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which is characterized by a shakey movement) or paraplegic CP that affects the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
While the symptoms specific to cerebral palsy are different, the majority of people suffering from the condition are required to manage stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also experience issues with balance and coordination. The type of movement problems they suffer from depend on the region of the brain that was injured as well as its severity.
Many people suffering from CP require specific physical therapy that assists them improve their mobility and muscle tone and stretch and exercise their joints and muscles. It can also ease the pain and prevent contractures. It can include exercises, special braces, or other treatments.
CP is defined by musculoskeletal problems like patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These can cause major problems in mobility, reducing the lifespan of a patient.
Speech and therapy for language may be used to assist children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help them learn new ways of communicating and may involve sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.
The use of medications can relax overactive or stiff muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also reduce pain, and manage seizures. These medicines can be taken orally or directly into the affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord.
Compensation
If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you may be awarded compensation to you pay for special care, equipment, and treatment. This will be determined by the physical and psychological impact that your child's condition has caused on them, as well as any expenses and losses you've incurred. These could include loss of earnings because you have had to take a break from work to take care of your child, home adaptations and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
The lawyer you hire may employ an expert in disability in accordance with the severity of the injuries to your child. The specialist will write an "life care plan" that outlines their needs from the time of diagnosis until they turn adults. This can help calculate the most accurate compensation amount. It typically is in the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments, which can be indexed to keep up with the rate of inflation.
You must be aware that the compensation awarded for a successful legal case is not a cash-flow opportunity. It's a recognition that injustice has occurred due to a medical professional failed in their duty of providing care during labor, pregnancy and delivery.