If you or a loved one has struggled with cerebral palsy due to a birth injury, then you certainly have the right to seek compensation for your pain and suffering. According to NOLO, cerebral is one of the most serious health problems that is caused by a birth injury. Oftentimes if a baby does not get oxygen to the brain fast enough after birth or if the baby is injured in the birth canal by a doctor who is not able to help with the process, this can result in cerebral palsy. Typically, cerebral palsy happens when the baby does not get oxygen to the brain shortly after birth. This can be because the baby has his or her umbilical wrapped around his or her neck, or simply because the baby does not start crying and gasping air in short order after emerging into the world.
Cerebral palsy is a medical term that encompasses a numberof neurological disorders. They hinder body movement and muscle coordination and can permanently disable a child or adult. Almost all neurological disorders occur because of a lack of oxygen to the brain that causes damage and causes a person’s movements or mental capacity to be altered. Whether or not cerebral palsy is caused by a medical malpractice error, most children are born with the disease. While there are certainly times that a doctor is to blame for the onset of cerebral palsy, there are times that the paralysis or muscular disorders may have been unavoidable.
Cerebral palsy is considered a non-progressive disorder, which means that it won’t typically get worse over time. Cerebral palsy is evident in about two to four of every 1,000 births in the United States and Europe. There are a variety of different ways that a child can contract cerebral palsy. Birth trauma, asphyxia, or a premature deliver can bring on cerebral palsy. As well, there are times that a doctor may fail to detect or treat an infection in the mother during pregnancy, and this can cause an early or dangerous delivery. There are also times that a doctor may fail to monitor the fetal heart rate during labor and birth and this may result in cerebral palsy for the baby.
In addition, a baby can contract cerebral palsy if the doctor does not detect a prolapsed umbilical cord during delivery or fails to perform a medically necessary cesarean section. Also, if a doctor decides to have the mother delivers her child naturally even though the child is too big to fit through the birth canal this can be a reason for cerebral palsy. When a doctor misuses the vacuum or forceps during a birth, this can also result in cerebral palsy. There are three different main types of cerebral palsy that a child can be diagnosed with, and each has its own serious symptoms. One type of cerebral palsy is spastic cerebral palsy. This accounts for about 80% of all cerebral palsy cases. This is characterized by stiffness and a person’s difficulty to move because of extreme tightness in a muscle group. Oftentimes people with spastic cerebral palsy have a hard time letting go of objects once they pick them up.
As well, there is Athetoid cerebral palsy. About 10% of all cerebral palsy cases are this sort, which is identified by slurred speech, involuntary movements, and difficulty swallowing. People with this type of cerebral palsy are also unable to maintain posture or may have low muscle tone. In addition there is ataxic cerebral palsy. This is the rarest form of cerebral palsy, and involves depth perception problems, a distorted sense of balance, and a difficulty coordinating muscle movements. As well, those with ataxic cerebral palsy may have tremors.
If you believe that you or a loved one could have avoided a lifetime of cerebral palsy if a doctor had been more careful, then you deserve a large settlement. You can contact a local medical malpractice attorney to seek the compensation that you deserve. You may be able to obtain finances which would help you to cover the medical care necessary for years to come. In some cases, cerebral palsy patients are able to obtain lifetime payments to cover their injuries, or may be entitled to millions of dollars in compensation. Don’t hesitate to contact a local medical malpractice lawyer today and get the representation you need to seek the rewards that you deserve.