How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have a profound impact on the life of the child and the lives of their families. Compensation can enable them to lead an active and full life by providing access, equipment and support.
Many cases of cerebral palsy are the result of medical negligence. This could be due to inadequate prenatal care, issues during labour and delivery or other occurrences.
Causes
There is no cure for CP, but early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the capabilities of a child. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the muscle tone of a child, movement and coordination. They may refer the child to specialists, like pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists. These specialists can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life.
Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be moderate and have only a slight impact on the abilities of a child, or it can be severe and cause impairments to all body parts. Some of the symptoms include the appearance of a floppy (floppy neck) head and muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled that are difficult to walk, or having trouble with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy only affects one side of a child's body, it is known as hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, it is known as diplegia. In severe cases, CP can result in a locked-in (spastic) condition that causes spasticity in muscles that restricts the movement of a person and can lead to issues with speech and eating.
Birth complications are a frequent reason for CP. Midwives, doctors, and nurses should be cautious when delivering babies since brain damage can cause serious harm. If a medical mistake results in oxygen deprivation, or other brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy, the physician may be held liable for malpractice. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C section urgently or failing to monitor and increase an intense labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, they will most likely exhibit a variety of physical signs. These could include tight joints or stiff joints as well as a limp, uncontrolled movement and problems with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, speech delays as well as hearing and vision problems.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's immature state. It usually occurs during the infancy years of childhood. A delay in milestones, such as rolling over, sitting, walking, or crawling could be a sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulties swallowing and may require feeding tubes.
Several factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that causes CP or CP-related conditions, including infections such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb and high blood pressure in pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a serious lack of oxygen) during labor or delivery is the main cause of CP.
The symptoms may range from mild to severe, depending on the kind of. The most prevalent form of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral psoriasis, which is defined by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid choreoathetoid, or choreoathetoid), is characterized by slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the arms, legs and the body. Other forms of CP can include ataxic palsy, characterized by an unstable motion, or paraplegic cerebral palsy in which the arms and legs are affected.
Treatment
Although the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of people suffering from the condition are required to cope with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also experience issues with coordination and balance. The kind of problems they experience will depend on the part of the brain that was injured as well as its severity.
cerebral palsy law firm billings with CP require specialized physical therapy that helps them improve their mobility and muscle tone as well as stretch and exercise their joints and muscles. It also helps relieve tension and prevent contractures. It could include exercises, special braces, or other treatments.
Musculoskeletal issues like patella alta, hip dysplasia, scoliosis, and cervical stenosis are common in CP. These conditions can cause major mobility problems, which reduces life expectancy.
Speech and therapy for language can be used to aid children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help children discover new ways to communicate. This could include communication board, or voice synthesizers.
Medications can be used to relax stiff or overactive muscles, reduce abnormal movement, reduce pain, and manage seizures. The medications are administered by mouth or injected into the affected muscles or into the fluid around the spinal cord.
Compensation
If your case of cerebral palsy is successful, you may receive compensation to help pay for your child's special care, equipment, and treatment. The compensation will be based on the mental and physical effects of your child's illness as well as any expenses or losses you may have suffered. This could include the loss of income due to having to stop work to care for your child, house modifications and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
Based on the degree of the injury to your child, your lawyer may hire an expert in disability issues to write a "life care plan' that carefully outlines all their needs starting from the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This can help determine a more accurate compensation sum. This usually takes the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments, which can be index to keep up with inflation.
It is important to know that the amount of compensation you receive for a successful legal claim is not a quick cash payout. It's a way of acknowledging an unfairness that was caused by the medical professional failed to provide the care they were supposed to in pregnancy, labour, and delivery.