Subscribe To This Site

What Is Cerebral Palsy

It’s an issue that we are all aware of but exactly what is cerebral palsy and what is the legal recourse to you as a parent if your child suffers from the condition?

Cerebral palsy or CP is an umbrella term that stands for many different non-progressive or non-contagious medical conditions that cause physical disability, brain trauma or are detrimental to human development.

What Is Cerebral Palsy

It is often diagnosed in babies who were the victims of negligent care during their delivery.

When the cerebrum area of the brain is affected by a disorder that affects development or causes a harmful condition, it can be classified as cerebral palsy. The “palsy” usually means the disorder of the movement.

what is cerebral palsy

What Is Cerebral Palsy And What Are Its effects?

Cerebral palsy can limit motor control, appropriate development in babies, failure to thrive, and other motor conditions.

Unfortunately, approximately five percent of all babies born will have some sort of condition what will be defined by doctors as cerebral palsy.

Because there are no known cures for CP, there are limits to the treatment doctors can provide to the patient or baby.

Cerebral palsy is usually diagnosed upon physical examination after a birth using CT or MRI type x-rays and neurological testing.

Babies who suffer medical negligence or trauma can be born with CP, often so severe that brain damage and motor skills are severely limited.

While there is no cure for CP, physical therapy is the most utilized method of treatment and the earlier the physical therapy can begin the better. Because most babies with CP may incur other medical conditions while they grow, sometimes physical therapy must wait until their limbs are able to endure it.

If a CP baby experiences seizures due to CP, it can be treated with medication. Medications may also be used for babies born with CP who experience pain or muscle spasms.

What Is Cerebral Palsy And Can You Take legal Action?

Many times, a birth injury can cause cerebral palsy or related conditions and while it is hard for some parents to come to a decision to hire a solicitor to fight for compensation for their child, it is often the only way a family can be compensated for a medical error.

For instance, in 2007 a child who was twelve years old, but born with cerebral palsy due to medical negligence received a six million settlement—an award that will help both the parents and the child cope with the condition. A condition brought about by negligent error.

If your child is born and diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you feel that you may have a medical negligence claim, you should not be afraid to talk to an expert about it.

Cerebral palsy claims in the medical negligence field are on the rise. Some of these claims are the result of error on either the part of a hospital or doctor and are now being noticed through examination of medical procedures during births.

When you seek out a birth injury lawyer, make sure you find one that has cerebral palsy birth experience. In addition, for all cerebral palsy claims, you must meet two elements to prove liability.

First, a breach of duty must have occurred; be that a fault of the obstetric doctor, midwife or other attending medical personnel.

Second, there must be what is called causation. Causation determines whether the fault literally caused the birth injury and the cerebral palsy disability.

When you hire a birth injury lawyer for a cerebral palsy birth claim, they will interview and obtain experts in the medical field to help decide if your case holds the evidence needed to follow through with your claim.

Once that is decided, a good birth injury lawyer and his or her team of assistants will work with you to ensure you are awarded any compensation due.

Before you hire a birth injury lawyer, make sure they have experience, are a member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (a branch of the Law Society), and ask what their success rate and experience are in dealing with cerebral palsy claims.

A specialist solicitor will understand the question; What Is Cerebral Palsy and how does it affect the parents and will be able to advise on the most appropriate legal course.

While no one likes to enlist a solicitor for any reason, especially if it involves placing blame on someone, remember, if your child has cerebral palsy as a result of medical negligence, it is your entitlement and responsibility to seek out a birth injury lawyer to help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

It is also important that the parties at fault are publicly recognized for any failure or damage they may have done to you, your child, and your family.