How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have profound consequences for the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to have a fulfilling life by giving them access to the equipment, care and assistance.
Many cases of cerebral palsy result from medical negligence. It could be due to an absence of medical attention during pregnancy, difficulties during delivery or other incidents.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment for CP can enhance a child’s capabilities. Doctors determine CP in relation to the child’s movements, muscle coordination and tone. They can refer the child to specialists such as neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists to assist in managing symptoms and improving quality of life.
Everyone is affected by cerebral palsy in a unique way. It can be moderate and have only a slight impact on the abilities of a child however, it can also be severe and cause impairments across all body parts. The signs include a floppy (floppy neck) head and stiff or uncontrolled muscles that are difficult to walk, or having difficulty speaking 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 known as diplegia. A severe CP may lead to a locked in (spastic) condition, characterized by muscle spasticity. This can restrict the person’s mobility and make it difficult to speak and eating.
Childbirth-related medical errors are a frequent reason for CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be extra cautious when giving birth to babies since brain damage can cause serious harm. If a medical mistake causes oxygen deprivation or other brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy, the physician may be held liable for negligence. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or failing to monitor and increase an intense labor.
Symptoms
If your child has cerebral palsy lawyers palsy, he / is likely to have an array of physical symptoms. These symptoms may include tight or stiff muscles or joints, a limp, uncontrolled movement, and issues with posture and balance. Other issues could include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and hearing and vision problems.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain’s maturation. This is usually the case in the infant or early years of childhood. A delay in reaching milestones, such as standing up, crawling or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children suffering from CP might also have trouble swallowing, and may need a feeding device.
A variety of factors can trigger the development of an injury to the brain that causes CP and other conditions, such as toxoplasmosis, rubella or cytomegalovirus in the womb as well as high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during labor or birth is the main cause of CP.
Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms can range from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most common form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid or choreoathetoid) involves uncontrolled and slow movement of the legs, arms and body. Other types of CP may include ataxic cerebral palsy that has shakey movements, or paraplegic cerebral palsy attorney palsy where the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Although the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy vary, most people suffering from the condition are required to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have problems with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they face is determined by the brain region that was injured and the extent of the injury.
Many people suffering from CP require specialized physical therapy that helps them to improve their muscle tone and mobility and stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also help relieve tension and prevent contractures. It could include exercises, braces that are specially designed, or other treatments.
CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions like patella alta and hip dysplasia. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These disorders can lead to significant mobility issues which can reduce the life expectancy of patients.
Speech and language therapy can be used to aid children who are not able to communicate effectively. This may help children learn new ways to communicate and may include sign language, a communication board or voice synthesizers.
These medications can be used to reduce the abnormal movement, reduce seizures, and ease pain. These medications can be administered by mouth or directly into the affected muscles, or into the fluid around your spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful cerebral palsy claim could result in compensation for your child’s for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. The amount of compensation will be based on the mental and physical effects of your child’s illness, as well as on any expenses or losses that you might have incurred. These could include loss of earnings because you have had stop work to care for your child, home adaptions and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
Depending on the extent of your child’s injury the lawyer might recommend hiring a specialist in disability care to develop a «lifecare plan’ that clearly outlines all their needs starting from the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will help you determine a more accurate amount of compensation. This typically takes the form of lump sums as well as regular annual payments which can be indexed to keep up with the rate of inflation.
It is important to know that the compensation for a legal case that is successful is not a windfall. It’s an acknowledgement that injustice has occurred, all because medical professionals did not fulfill their duty of care during pregnancy, labour and the birth.