Beware Of These “Trends” Concerning Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
How to Make a Successful Cerebral Palsy Claim A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can have a profound effect on the child and their family. Compensation can help them live a full life with access to medical equipment, care and support. Many cases of cerebral palsy result from medical negligence. This could be caused by an absence of care during pregnancy, problems during birth or other events. Causes There is no cure for CP however early diagnosis and treatment can help improve the child's capabilities. Doctors diagnose CP by looking at the muscle tone of a child and coordination, as well as movement. They might refer the child to specialists such as neurologists, orthopedists for children and physiatrists to assist in managing symptoms and increase the quality of life. Cerebral palsy affects every person differently. It can be mild, with no impact on a child's ability function, or severe enough to cause impairments throughout the body. The signs include a floppy (floppy neck) head and muscles that are stiff or uncontrolled and walking difficulties, or having trouble with speech and other functions. If a child's condition is cerebral palsy on one side of the body, it's known as hemiplegia. If it occurs on both sides, it's known as diplegia. The severity of CP could result in a locked-in (spastic) condition, which is characterized by muscle spasticity. This can limit the ability of a person to move and can result in difficulty speaking and eating. Birth-related medical errors are one of the main causes of CP. Nurses, doctors, and midwives must be careful when delivering the baby as damage to the brain can cause serious problems. A physician could be held accountable for malpractice if a medical error results in cerebral palsy or brain damage due to oxygen deprivation. This includes negligence when scheduling or performing a C-section urgently or failing to monitor and increase the intensity of labor. Signs and symptoms If your child suffers from cerebral palsy, he / is likely to have an array of physical symptoms. The symptoms can include stiff or tight muscles and a limp, involuntary movements, as well as issues with balance and posture. Other issues could include speech delays, intellectual disability as well as hearing and vision issues. Cerebral palsy symptoms are caused by a degeneration of the brain, usually in infancy or early 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 may also have difficulty swallowing, and may need a feeding device. A variety of factors can cause the brain injury that causes CP. These include infections like toxoplasmosis and rubella in the womb high blood pressure during pregnancy; and genetic predisposition. A serious lack of oxygen to the brain (asphyxia) during labor or delivery is the main cause of CP as is the occurrence of bleeding in the brain from blocked or broken blood vessels. Based on the kind of cerebral palsy, symptoms can vary from mild to severe. The most common form of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral palsy. It is characterised by stiff muscles. Dyskinetic cerebral palsy (also known as athetoid or choreoathetoid) involves slow and uncontrolled motions of the arms, legs and body. Other types of CP could include ataxic cerebral palsy, characterized by a shaky motion or paraplegic cerebral aphasia where the legs and arms are affected. Treatment Although the specific symptoms of cerebral palsy are different, the majority of sufferers of the condition have to cope with stiffness and loss of muscle control. They may also experience issues with balance and coordination. cerebral palsy law firm lake forest of issues they suffer from depend on the region of the brain that was injured as well as its severity. Many people with CP require specific physical therapy that assists them to improve their mobility and muscle tone and stretch and work their muscles and joints. It can also ease the discomfort and prevent contractures. It could involve exercises, special braces or other treatments. Musculoskeletal disorders like patella alta, hip dysplasia, cervical stenosis, and scoliosis are common in CP. These can cause significant issues in mobility, reducing life expectancy. Speech and language therapy can be used to help children who are unable to communicate effectively. This can assist them to learn new ways of communicating and may include sign language, communication boards or voice synthesizers. These medications can be used to ease stiff or overactive muscles and reduce abnormal movement. They also reduce pain, and manage seizures. The medication is taken by mouth or injected into affected muscles or into the fluid that surrounds the spinal cord. Compensation A successful cerebral palsy claim can result in compensation for your child's for special care, equipment and treatment. The amount of compensation will be based on the mental and physical effects of your child's illness as well as any expenses or losses you might have incurred. These might include loss of income due to having to take a break from work to take care of your child, home modifications and transport costs to get your child to and from appointments. Depending on the severity of your child's injury the lawyer may recommend an expert in disability care to create a “life care plan' that lists all the needs of your child starting from the date of their diagnosis until adulthood. This will allow you to calculate an exact amount of compensation. This is usually in the form of a lump sum and regular annual payments, which could be indexed to keep pace with inflation. It is important to know that the compensation resulting from a successful legal case isn't a quick buck. It's an acknowledgement of wrongdoing that occurred because a medical professional did not meet their duty of care during labour, pregnancy, and birth.