Dominik Knouse asked 3 months ago
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim
A diagnosis of cerebral paralysis can have profound implications on the life of the child as well as the lives of their family. Compensation can help them live a fuller life, with access to medical equipment, care and assistance.
Many cases of cerebral palsy are the result of medical negligence. This can be due to inadequate care during pregnancy, or problems during delivery or other incidents.
Causes
Early diagnosis and treatment of CP can improve a child’s capabilities. Doctors can diagnose CP by looking at a child’s muscle tone and coordination, as well as movement. They might refer the child to specialists, such as pediatric neurologists, pediatric orthopedists and physiatrists. These specialists can assist in managing symptoms and improve quality of life.
Cerebral palsy affects everyone differently. It can be moderate and have only a slight impact on the child’s capabilities or severe and cause impairments across all body parts. The signs can include a head that is floppy (floppy neck) as well as a muscles that are stiff or inflexible, difficulty walking or having difficulties with speech and other functions. If cerebral palsy is only affecting the child’s body, it is called hemiplegia. If it affects both sides of the body, it is referred to as diplegia. Severe CP can lead to a locked-in (spastic) condition characterized by spasticity in muscles that restricts the person’s movement and can lead to issues with speech and eating.
Childbirth-related medical errors are a frequent reason for CP. Midwives, doctors and nurses should be extra cautious when delivering babies as damage to the brain could result in serious consequences. If a medical error results in oxygen deprivation or other brain injury that causes cerebral palsy, the physician could be held responsible for negligence. This includes a lack of planning or performing an urgent C-section, or failure to supervise and escalate the complexity of labor.
Symptoms
If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy, he / will likely suffer from an array of physical symptoms. These symptoms could include tight or stiff muscles and a limp, involuntary movements, as well as issues with posture and balance. Other issues include speech delays, intellectual disabilities and vision and hearing problems.
The symptoms of cerebral palsy result from damage to the brain’s immature state. It usually occurs during infancy or the early years of childhood. A slowing down in reaching milestones such as rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking is a typical sign of CP. Children with CP are also more likely to have difficulties swallowing and may require feeding tubes.
Many factors can contribute to the development of a brain injury that leads to CP and other conditions, such as rubella, cytomegalovirus, or toxoplasmosis in the womb, high blood pressure during pregnancy and genetic predisposition. Asphyxia (a severe deficiency of oxygen) during delivery or labor is the leading cause of CP.
Depending on the type of cerebral palsy, the symptoms may vary from mild to severe. Spastic cerebral palsy law firms palsy (characterized by stiff muscles) is the most prevalent form. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy attorney palsy (also known as athetoid or choreoathetoid) is characterized by slow and uncontrolled motions of the legs, arms and the body. Other types of CP can include ataxic palsy, which has a shaky motion and paraplegic cerebral parsy that affects legs and arms are affected.
Treatment
Although the symptoms of cerebral palsy may differ, the majority of people who suffer from the condition experience stiffness and loss in muscle control. They may also be struggling with coordination and balance. The type of movement issue that they face is determined by which brain area was injured and the degree of the injury.
Many people with CP require specific physical therapy in order to improve their mobility, flexibility, and muscle tone and stretch their joints and muscles. It also helps relieve tension and prevent contractures. It could include exercises, braces that are specially designed, or other treatments.
CP is characterised by musculoskeletal conditions like hip dysplasia and patella alta. Scoliosis and cervical stenosis also occur. These can cause significant issues in mobility, which decreases life expectancy.
Other treatments may include speech and language therapy for children who cannot communicate effectively. This can assist them to discover new ways of communicating and could include sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers.
Medications can be used to ease stiff or overactive muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also alleviate pain, and to control seizures. These medications can be administered orally or directly into the affected muscles, or into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord.
Compensation
A successful claim for cerebral palsy can result in compensation for your child to pay for special care, equipment and treatment. This will be determined by the psychological and physical effects that your child’s condition has had on them, as well as any losses and expenses you’ve had to pay. This could include the loss of earnings because you have had to take a break from work to take care of your child, home adaptions and transportation costs to transport your child to and from appointments.
Your lawyer may hire an expert in disability-related care dependent on the severity of the injuries to your child. The specialist will write an “life care plan” that will outline their needs from the time of diagnosis until they are adults. This can help you calculate the most accurate amount of compensation. This usually takes the form of a lump sum as well as regular annual payments that can be adjusted to keep up with inflation.
You must be aware that the amount of compensation you receive from a legal action isn’t a huge sum. It’s a recognition that injustice has occurred, all because medical professionals did not fulfill their obligation to medical care during pregnancy, labour and the birth.