Cerebral Palsy Information

Debilitating and permanent, cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that impairs speech, thought, movement and coordination. Although most cerebral palsy patients are born with this condition, the symptoms of cerebral palsy may not be fully apparent until a child is around 3 years old (as development highlights cognitive and muscular disabilities).

Given that cerebral palsy is incurable, treatments tend to be involved, life-long and costly.

Consequently, it's essential that parents understand the causes of and risk factors for cerebral palsy because, when medical mistakes have played a role in causing an infant's cerebral palsy, families will be entitled to settlements and lifetime benefits for their injured child.

Families who have a child living with cerebral palsy can find out if they qualify for lifetime benefits by calling the affiliated attorneys of Litigators Incorporated, P.C. today. Our affiliated, experienced birth injury attorneys understand the hardships and emotional pain that accompanies birth injuries such as cerebral palsy and they have committed their practice to helping families recover the compensation they need to ensure the highest quality of life for their injured children.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

In some cases, cerebral palsy will develop as a result of unpreventable factors, such as genetic dispositions or fetal development disorders. In fact, many instances of cerebral palsy have unidentifiable causes.

However, in other cases, cerebral palsy may occur following medical mistakes made before, during or after a baby's birth. Malpractice that can contribute to a case of cerebral palsy includes failing to promptly detect and appropriately treat:

• an infant's lack of oxygen
• exposure to toxins (such as lead or mercury)
• infant signs of distress (including changes in heart rate)
• infant infections (including meningitis)
• jaundice in newborns
• maternal infections (including syphilis, measles or chicken pox)
• maternal signs of distress (such as high blood pressure, blood poisoning or elevated heart rates)
• prolapsed cord (a condition in which the umbilical cord wraps around a baby's neck and cuts off his air supply)
• seizures (in either the pregnant mother or the newborn)

Risk Factors for Cerebral Palsy

Medical mistakes are most likely to occur when other labor and delivery complications, such as the following, arise:

• breech birth (babies are delivered feet first, rather than head first)
• low birth weight
• multiple births
• premature birth

Other medical mistakes that can cause cerebral palsy include:

• excessive use of vacuum extraction (during delivery)
• improper use of forceps (during delivery)
• failure to perform essential C-sections (when signs of fetal or maternal distress indicate the procedure is necessary)

In any of the above-listed events, babies are highly likely to suffer brain damage that results in cerebral palsy. Additionally, injured newborns and their families may be entitled to compensation by pursuing a cerebral palsy lawsuit.

Indications that Medical Malpractice Occurred

Certain practices that take place following a complicated birth can indicate that a child has suffered malpractice-related brain damage. Indications that malpractice has contributed to a case of cerebral palsy may include:

• giving newborns CPR and/or hooking them up to an oxygen supply
• transferring newborns to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs)
• calling in specialists to care for a newborn
• performing MRIs or other brain scans on newborns
• witnessing a newborn experience seizures in the first few days following birth

Anyone who suspects that his or her child's cerebral palsy resulted from medical mistakes should set up a free initial consultation with one of our affiliated cerebral palsy lawyers.

During an initial meeting, prospective plaintiffs can learn more about their legal rights and find out if they are entitled to a settlement and lifetime benefits for their child's brain injury.

Has your child been born with Cerebral Palsy? If so, contact an affiliated attorney of Litigators Incorporated, P.C. for help today. They are committed to helping you. They have the experience and the knowledge necessary to serve as your advocate and help you through this difficult time. Toll free (866) 251-0808.