How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has profound consequences for the child and their family. Compensation can allow them to live a full and active life by providing access to treatment, equipment and support.
Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy. This could be caused by a lack of medical attention during pregnancy, difficulties during the birth process or other incidents.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment for CP can improve a child’s abilities. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the child's muscle tone and coordination, as well as movement. They might refer the child to specialists like neurologists, pediatric orthopedists, and physiatrists, who can assist in managing symptoms and increase the quality of life for children.
Cerebral palsy affects all people differently. It can be mild with a minimal effect on a child's ability function, or it can be extremely severe and result in impairments throughout the body. The symptoms can include a floppy head (floppy neck) as well as a muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled, difficulty walking or having difficulties with speech and other functions. If a child has cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's referred to as hemiplegia; on both sides, it's called diplegia. The severity of CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition that is characterized by muscle spasticity, which restricts the person's movement and can lead to difficulties with speech and eating.
Birth-related medical errors are one of the main causes of CP. Doctors, midwives and nurses must be cautious when giving birth to a baby because damage to the brain could have serious consequences. A physician could be held accountable for malpractice if a medical mistake causes cerebral palsy or brain damage caused by oxygen deficiency. This is the case when scheduling or performing a C-section in a hurry or failing to monitor and escalate an intense labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, they'll most likely exhibit a variety of physical symptoms. This could include stiff or tight joints and limbs, a limp, erratic movement and issues with balance and posture. Other issues could include intellectual disability, speech delays and hearing and vision problems.
Cerebral palsy is a condition caused due to damage to the young brain, usually in early childhood or infants. A delay in milestones, such as sitting, rolling over, crawling, or walking can be an indication of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulty swallowing and may require feeding tubes.
A variety of factors can cause the brain injury that causes CP. These include infections like toxoplasmosis or rubella in the womb; high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. A massive lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during pregnancy or birth is the main cause of CP as is bleeding in the brain due to blood vessels that are blocked or damaged.
Based on the type of cerebral palsy, symptoms can vary from mild to severe. The most prevalent form of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral palsy. cerebral palsy attorneys houston is characterized by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as athetoid, choreoathetoid, or choreoathetoid) is characterised by a uncontrolled and slow writhing of the legs, arms, and the body. Other forms of CP could include ataxic cerebral palsy that has shakey movements and paraplegic cerebral parsy, in which the arms and legs are affected.
Treatment
Although the symptoms of cerebral palsy may differ, most patients with the condition experience stiffness and loss in muscle control. They may also have issues with coordination and balance. The type of problem that they suffer from is dependent on the brain region that was injured and the degree of the injury.
Many people suffering from CP require special physical therapy which helps them to improve their muscle tone and mobility as well as stretch and exercise their muscles and joints. It can also help relieve tension and prevent contractures. Braces, exercises or other treatments could be incorporated.
Musculoskeletal issues like patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis and scoliosis are prevalent in CP. These conditions can cause significant mobility issues and reduce life expectancy.
Other treatments can include speech and language therapy for children who cannot communicate effectively. This may help children learn new ways to communicate and may include sign language, communication board or voice synthesizers.
The use of medications can relax stiff or overactive muscles or muscles, limit abnormal movement, reduce pain, and manage seizures. These medicines can be taken orally or directly into the muscles affected, or the fluid surrounding your spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful cerebral palsy claim can result in compensation for your child's for medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. This will be based on the psychological and physical impacts that your child's condition has caused on them, as well as any costs or losses you have incurred. These could include loss of earnings as you had to take a break from work to care for your child, house modifications and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments.
Your lawyer might hire an specialist in disability care according to the severity of the injuries to your child. The expert will develop a "life care plan" that outlines their needs from the moment they are diagnosed until they are adults. This will help you determine a more accurate amount of compensation. It usually is lump sums and regular annual payments, which can be adjusted to reflect the rate of inflation.
You must be aware that a payout from a legal claim isn't a windfall. It is a recognition of injustice that occurred because medical professionals did not provide the care they were supposed to in pregnancy, labour, and birth.