How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy will have an impact on the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live a full and fulfilling life, with access to equipment, care and assistance.
Many cases of cerebral palsy are the result of medical negligence. It can be caused by the lack of medical attention prior to pregnancy, problems during labor and delivery, or other occurrences.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can help improve a child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the tone of a child's muscles and coordination. They can refer the child to specialists like neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists to assist in managing symptoms and improving quality of life.
Cerebral palsy affects everyone differently. It can be mild, with minimal impact on a child's function, or it can be extremely severe and result in impairments throughout the body. The symptoms could include a neck that is floppy (floppy neck), muscles that are stiff or inflexible and walking difficulties, or issues with speech or other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting one side of a child's body, it is known as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides, it is referred to as diplegia. In severe cases, CP could cause locked in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity. This could limit a person's movement and create difficulties with speech and eating.
The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is an often-repeated cause of CP. Nurses, doctors, and midwives should be extra cautious when delivering babies because damage to the brain could have serious consequences. A physician could be held responsible for negligence if a medical error causes cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deficiency. This could include negligence in scheduling or performing an urgent C-section, or failure to monitor and escalate a complex labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child has cerebral palsy, he / is likely to have various physical symptoms. These may include tight or stiff joints or muscles, a limp, involuntary movement and problems with balance and posture. Other issues could include intellectual disabilities, speech delays and hearing and vision issues.
Cerebral palsy symptoms are caused by damage to the developing brain, which is usually seen during infancy or early childhood. A delay in milestones such as sitting, rolling over, walking, or crawling could be an indication of CP. Children suffering from CP may also have difficulties swallowing, and may need a feeding device.
Numerous factors can contribute to the development of an injury to the brain that causes CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A massive lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is a major cause of CP as is the occurrence of bleeding in the brain from blocked or broken blood vessels.
Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms can vary from mild to severe. The most prevalent kind of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral paralysis, which is manifested by muscles that are stiff. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as choreoathetoid or athetoid) is characterized by slow, uncontrolled motions of the arms, legs and the body. Other types of CP include ataxic cerebral Palsy (which is characterized by a shakey movement) or paraplegic CP which affects the arms and legs are affected.
Treatment
Although the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy are different, the majority of sufferers of the condition have to deal with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have issues with balance and coordination. The kind of problems they have depend on the part of the brain that was injured as well as its extent of the injury.
Many people suffering from CP need specialized physical therapy to improve their muscle tone, mobility, and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also help relieve the pain and prevent contractures. Braces, exercises, or other treatments can be considered.
Musculoskeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia, patella alta, cervical stenosis, and scoliosis are common in CP. These conditions can cause major issues in mobility, which reduces the lifespan of a patient.
Speech and therapy for language may be used to assist children who are not able to communicate effectively. This may help children learn new ways of communicating and could include signing language, a communication board, or voice synthesizers.
These medicines can be used to stop abnormal movements, reduce pain, and prevent seizures. These medications can be taken by mouth or directly into the muscles affected, or into the fluid around your spinal cord.
Compensation
If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you can be awarded compensation to cover the cost of medical attention, equipment and treatment. The compensation will be based on the mental and physical consequences of your child's condition as well as any expenses or losses you may have incurred. This could include losing income due to having stop work to take care of your child, home modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
Based on the extent of your child's injury the lawyer might recommend hiring an expert in disability services to create a "life care plan' that lists all the needs of your child from the date of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will help you calculate a more accurate compensation sum. This is usually in the form of a lump sum as well as regular annual payments which can be index to keep pace with the rate of inflation.
You should know that compensation for a legal case that is successful is not a cash-flow opportunity. cerebral palsy attorney dothan 's a recognition of the fact that injustice has occurred due to medical professionals failed to fulfill their obligation to taking care during labour, pregnancy and the birth.