How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis has profound implications on the child's life as well as that of their family. Compensation can help them have a fulfilling life by giving them access to medical equipment, care and assistance.
Medical negligence is often the cause of cerebral palsy. It can be caused by an absence of prenatal care, problems during labour and delivery or other occurrences.
Causes
There is no cure for CP however early diagnosis and treatment can improve the abilities of a child. Doctors can diagnose CP by observing the muscle tone of a child and coordination, as well as movement. They can refer the child to specialists like neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists who can assist in managing symptoms and increase the quality of life.
Every person suffers from cerebral palsy differently. It can be mild and have a minimal impact on the abilities of a child but it can also be severe and cause impairments across every body part. The signs 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 a child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's known as hemiplegia. When it happens on both sides, it's called diplegia. A severe CP can cause a locked-in (spastic) condition that is characterized by spasticity in muscles that restricts the movement of a person and can lead to difficulties with speech and eating.
Childbirth-related medical errors are an often-repeated cause of CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses must be extra cautious when giving birth to babies because brain damage may have serious consequences. If a medical mistake causes oxygen deprivation or other brain damage that causes cerebral palsy, the doctor could be held responsible for negligence. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or not being able to monitor and escalate an intense labor.
Signs and symptoms
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, he or she will likely have an array of physical symptoms. They could be characterized by stiff or tight joints or muscles, a limp, involuntary movements, and issues with balance and posture. Other problems include intellectual disabilities, speech delays as well as hearing and vision issues.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain's maturation. This is usually the case in the early years of childhood. A delay in reaching milestones such as sitting up, crawling or walking is a typical symptom of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulty swallowing and may require a feeding tube.
There are a variety of factors that can contribute to a brain injury that leads to CP. This includes diseases like toxoplasmosis, or rubella in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during labor or birth is the leading cause of CP.
Symptoms may range from mild to severe, depending on the kind of. Spastic cerebral palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most frequent type. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as choreoathetoid or athetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled writhing movements of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP can include ataxic palsy, which has shakey movements or paraplegic cerebral palsy where the legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
The specific symptoms of cerebral palsy can vary, a majority of people with the condition have to manage stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also be struggling with balance and coordination. The type of movement problem that they have depends on which brain area was injured and the extent of the injury.
Many people suffering from CP need special physical therapy that can increase their muscle tone, mobility and stretch their joints and muscles. It can also ease the pain and prevent contracture. Braces, exercises, or other treatments might be included.
CP is caused by musculoskeletal issues, such as hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis are also common. These conditions can cause significant mobility issues, which reduces life expectancy.
Other treatments can include speech and language therapy for children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can help them discover new ways to communicate and may involve sign language, communication boards, or voice synthesizers.
These medicines are used to limit abnormal movements, ease the pain, and manage seizures. The medication is taken by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the surrounding fluid around the spinal cord.
Compensation
If your cerebral palsy case is successful, you will be awarded compensation to cover the cost of medical equipment, specialist care and treatment. The amount of compensation will be based on the mental and physical effects of your child's condition as well as any expenses or losses that you might have incurred. This could include the loss of earnings due to having to stop work to care for your child, home adaptions and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments.
Based on the severity of your child's injuries Your lawyer could hire an expert in disability services to write a "life care plan' that meticulously lists all the needs of your child from the time of their diagnosis until they reach adulthood. This will help you calculate the most accurate compensation amount. It is typically in the form of a lump sum as well as regular annual payments which could be indexed to keep up with inflation.
cerebral palsy attorney houston should be aware that a payout from a legal action isn't a huge sum. It's a way of acknowledging an the injustice that occurred due to the fact that a medical professional did not meet their duty of care during labour, pregnancy and delivery.