Cerebral Palsy

What Is Cerebral Palsy?

According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy is a disorder of posture, muscle tone or movement that occurs when a baby’s brain develops incorrectly or experiences a trauma before or during birth.  The condition can be caused by traumatic head injury, an infection, fetal stroke, lack of oxygen to the brain or a random genetic mutation.  Cerebral palsy impacts the senses, as well as cognitive and learning ability.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy can present with a variety of different symptoms.  In some cases, the baby’s muscles may be too stiff.  In other cases, the body is not stiff enough and lacks proper muscle tone.  Babies with cerebral palsy may also have exaggerated reflexes, difficulty walking, motor skill delays, difficulty swallowing, tremors or lack of muscle coordination.  As the child ages, he or she may favor one side of his or her body during movements, have problems speaking and be unable to make precise motions.

In more severe cases, other neurological problems can develop. Some children with cerebral palsy experience urinary incontinence, dental problems, abnormal pain perceptions, seizures, mental disabilities and problems with hearing or vision.  As they progress into adulthood, individuals with cerebral palsy may suffer from osteoarthritis, malnutrition, premature aging or depression.

What Can a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Do for You?

If your child developed cerebral palsy during the birthing process, you may be entitled to compensation.  In some cases, the doctor or other medical personnel responsible for your child during labor and delivery may have contributed to the condition’s development by causing trauma to the child’s brain, failing to monitor oxygen levels properly, or not performing a cesarean section in a timely manner.  By reviewing your child’s medical records and researching the medical personnel involved in the case, a cerebral palsy lawyer can help you determine whether the doctor or hospital was at fault for the condition’s occurrence.

If your cerebral palsy lawyer finds that the doctor or other personnel caused the child’s condition, he can file a lawsuit against the offending parties. If the lawsuit is a success, you may receive compensation for your child’s past and future medical care, as well as punitive damages for the emotional stress, embarrassment or other negative psychological effects you and your child have experienced.

Find a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

Injury Lawyer Database provides real statistics on plaintiff’s lawyers, including medical malpractice and birth injury lawyers.  Reviewing our statistics is one way to determine the quality of a lawyer.  To find the right cerebral palsy lawyer to represent you, always start with careful research.  Compare the effectiveness to determine the best cerebral palsy attorneys in your area.  Find out everything you can about the doctor who was responsible for your child’s care.

Use Statistics

Here on our website, you can find a wealth of statistics and information to help you get started.  Examining real statistics from cerebral palsy lawyers in real court cases will help you get a sense of the best cerebral palsy lawyer for your case.  If you need additional assistance, we can assist you in finding a lawyer to handle your claim.

Sources:

NIH’s PubMed Health

Mayo Clinic