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 the lives of their family. Compensation can enable them to lead a full and active life by providing access to care, equipment and support.
Many cases of cerebral palsy stem from medical negligence. It could be due to the lack of medical attention during pregnancy, issues during the birth process or other incidents.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can enhance a child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP through a child's movement, muscle tone and coordination. They might refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.
Cerebral palsy affects everyone differently. It can be mild with no impact on a child's ability to function, or severe and cause physical impairments throughout the body. The symptoms could include a neck that is floppy (floppy neck) as well as a muscles that are stiff and uncontrolled as well as difficulty walking or having issues with speech or other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting one side of the child's body, then it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, then it's called diplegia. In severe cases, CP could result in locked in (spastic), condition with muscle spasticity. This may limit the ability of a person to move and can make it difficult to speak and eating.
Medical mistakes during childbirth are the leading cause of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be careful when delivering babies because brain damage can result in serious consequences. A doctor may be held liable for malpractice if a medical error causes cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This includes a lack of planning or performing an urgent C-section, or failing to monitor and escalate a complicated labor.
Symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, he / is likely to experience several physical symptoms. These symptoms may include tight or stiff muscles 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.
Cerebral palsy symptoms are triggered by damage to the immature brain, usually during infancy or early childhood. A delay in milestones, such as rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling may be an indication of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have trouble swallowing and might need a feeding tube.
Numerous factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that causes CP and other conditions, such as rubella, toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a massive lack of oxygen) during labor or birth is the most common cause of CP.
The symptoms can be mild or severe based on the type of. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most frequent type. cerebral palsy law firm little rock (also called athetoid, choreoathetoid, or choreoathetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled writhing of the arms, legs and body. Other forms of CP can include ataxic palsy, characterized by a shaky motion and paraplegic cerebral parsy, in which legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Though the symptoms of cerebral palsy can differ, most people who suffer from the condition experience stiffness and decrease in muscle control. They may also have problems with balance and coordination. The type of movement problem that they face is determined by which brain area was injured and the extent of the injury.
Many people with CP need specific physical therapy in order to improve their mobility, tone of muscles, and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also relieve pain and prevent contractures. It can include exercises, braces that are specially designed, or other treatments.
Musculoskeletal conditions like hip dysplasia, patella alta, scoliosis, and cervical stenosis are common in CP. These can cause significant issues in mobility, reducing the life expectancy of patients.
Other treatments could include speech and language therapies for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children discover new ways to communicate and could include communication board or voice synthesizers.
These medications can be used to stop abnormal movements, decrease pain, and prevent seizures. These medications can be taken orally or directly into the affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful claim for cerebral palsy could result in compensation for your child's for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical impact that your child's condition has had on them, in addition to any losses and expenses you have incurred. This could include the loss of income due to you having to stop working to take care of your children, home modifications and transportation expenses.
Depending on the extent of your child's injury, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability services to create a "life care plan' that clearly outlines all their needs starting from the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This can help calculate the most accurate compensation amount. This usually is lump sums and regular annual payments that are indexed to keep up with the rate of inflation.
You should know that compensation for a legal case that is successful is not a monetary windfall. It is a recognition that injustice has occurred, and all due to medical professionals failed to fulfill their duty of providing care during labor, pregnancy and delivery.