How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral palsy has an impact on the child and their family. Compensation can help them live an active and fulfilling life by providing access, equipment and support.
Many cases of cerebral palsy stem from medical negligence. It can be caused by the lack of medical attention prior to pregnancy, problems during labor and delivery, or other occurrences.
Causes
There is no cure for CP however early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the capabilities of a child. Doctors diagnose CP through the child's movements, muscle coordination and tone. They can refer a child to specialists like neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists, who can assist in managing symptoms and increase life-quality.
Cerebral palsy affects everyone differently. It can be mild, with no impact on a child's ability to perform, or it can be severe and result in impairments throughout the body. cerebral palsy attorneys el cajon can include a neck that is floppy (floppy neck), stiff or uncontrolled muscle and walking difficulties, or difficulties with speech and other functions. If a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's called hemiplegia. On both sides, it's diplegia. The severity of CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition, which is characterized by muscle spasticity. This may limit the ability of a person to move and can make it difficult to speak and eating.
The occurrence of medical errors during childbirth is the most common cause of CP. Midwives, doctors, and nurses should be extra cautious when giving birth to babies because brain damage can have serious consequences. If a medical mistake causes oxygen deprivation or other brain injuries that cause cerebral palsy, the physician may be held liable for malpractice. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C section urgently or failing to monitor and escalate the intensity of the labor.
Symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, he or she will likely have an array of physical symptoms. They could be characterized by tight or stiff joints or muscles, a limp, involuntary movement and problems with balance and posture. Other issues include intellectual disabilities, speech delays as well as hearing and vision issues.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy are caused by damage to the brain's immature state. It usually occurs 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 common sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to experience difficulty swallowing and may require feeding tubes.
Many factors can contribute to a brain injury causing CP. These include diseases like toxoplasmosis, or rubella during pregnancy; high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A significant lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during birth or labor is the main cause of CP as is the occurrence of bleeding in the brain that results from blocked or broken blood vessels.
Based on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms may vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most prevalent form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also called athetoid or choreoathetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled movement of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP may include ataxic cerebral palsy, characterized by shakey movements or paraplegic cerebral palsy where the arms and legs are affected.
Treatment
The specific symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of sufferers have to contend with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also have issues with balance and coordination. The kind of problems they suffer from depend on the region of the brain which was injured and the severity.
Many people with CP need special physical therapy to improve their muscle tone, mobility, and stretch their joints and muscles. It also helps relieve discomfort and prevent contracture. It can include exercises, special braces, or other treatments.
CP is defined by musculoskeletal problems like hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis can also be seen. These disorders can lead to major mobility problems and reduce life expectancy.
Other treatments could include speech and language therapies for children who cannot communicate effectively. This may help them discover new ways of communicating and may involve sign language, communication boards, or voice synthesizers.
They can relax muscles that are stiff or overactive or muscles, limit abnormal movement, reduce pain and seizures. These medicines can be taken by mouth or directly into the muscles affected, or into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful claim for cerebral palsy can result in compensation for your child's for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. The amount of compensation will depend on the mental and physical effects of your child's illness, as well as on any losses or expenses you might have incurred. This could include lost earnings due to having to work less to care for your children, home modifications and transportation expenses.
Your lawyer might hire an expert in disability care according to the severity of the injury to your child. The expert will develop an "life care plan" that details their needs from the moment they are diagnosed until they reach the age of adulthood. This will allow you to calculate an exact compensation amount. It usually takes the form of a lump sum and recurring annual payments which could be indexed to keep pace with the rate of inflation.
It is important to know that the compensation resulting from a successful legal claim isn't a windfall. It's an acknowledgement of the injustice that occurred due to the fact that medical professionals failed to provide the care they were supposed to during labour, pregnancy and the delivery.