Cerebral palsy is one of the most frequently occurring childhood disabilities in the United States, affecting about three children out of every 1,000 live births. Because the parts of the brain that sustain damage during or soon after delivery do not heal over time, cerebral palsy is a permanent illness. It can lead to lifelong disabilities, trouble speaking, growth defects, premature aging, and long-term therapy at great cost to the family.
If your child suffered a birth injury as a result of the negligence or bad decisions of medical professionals responsible for delivering, treating, or caring for your child, you have the right to seek damages. Call one of our Minnesota cerebral palsy lawyers today at (800) 222-9529 to learn more about your legal options, the different types of cerebral palsy your child may suffer from, how to find and pay for the treatment your child needs, how to build a case to prove medical malpractice, and important timelines – known as the statutes of limitations – that you must file your case within if you are to successfully secure the compensation you deserve.
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is not fully understood, but we do know that it can develop as a result of oxygen deprivation during birth. It can happen if, during delivery, the baby gets stuck inside the birth canal or behind the mother’s pelvis. This can cut off the baby’s oxygen supply. If the baby’s brain does not receive an adequate supply of oxygen-rich blood, the cells of the brain may die. If the white matter of the brain is affected – these are the parts that are responsible for motor control – then those functions will never again be entirely normal. The effects of this kind of injury vary from child to child, but it usually includes problems with movement, such as involuntary movements, muscle spasms, muscle tightness, and difficulty walking. Some children also develop speech problems, issues with their sight and hearing, and even seizures or epilepsy.
It is important to note that a birth injury is different from a birth defect. Birth injuries are what a baby sustains as a result of physical trauma that occurs during the birthing process. As such, birth injuries are very often preventable. Birth defects, on the other hand, are usually the result of genetic factors such as gene mutations or developmental issues that are out of the hands of medical staff. Depending on the source of your child’s illness, the symptoms he or she exhibits, where and to what extent specific parts of the brain are damaged, and how soon therapeutic or surgical interventions can be implemented, a child may suffer only mild symptoms or may experience full-blown disabilities for as long as they live.
Cerebral palsy can develop in the following ways:
- Abnormal brain development: Issues that result in abnormal brain development can affect how brain signals are transmitted. Abnormal brain development can be caused by infection, fever, gene mutations, or physical trauma.
- Bleeding: An unborn child can have a stroke in the womb. This can lead to brain bleeding or blood clots in the brain.
- If the brain’s white matter, which is responsible for sending signals throughout the brain and to the rest of the body is damaged or sustains an injury, this can lead to disruptions in the signals that control movement.
- Insufficient oxygen supply to the brain can lead to cerebral palsy, and it correlates with low blood pressure in the mother, a rupture in the uterus, detachment of the placenta, and problems of the umbilical cord, all of which can restrict the amount of oxygen that reaches the child’s brain.
Negligence is also a common cause of brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy. This type of brain damage can occur in several ways. For example, trauma to the baby’s head during labor or delivery can lead to cerebral palsy. This can happen if the medical staff incorrectly use birthing devices. It can also happen if the medical team misdiagnoses the mother, incorrectly interprets the results of blood tests or scans, administers too much or too little medication of a specific type, or does not conduct tests that could have identified potential delivery issues that would then have been addressed.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
How We Can Help
If you believe your child or that of a loved one suffered a birth injury because of the types outlined above as a result of medical negligence, speak with an experienced cerebral palsy attorney to hold the negligent medical professionals and/or the healthcare facility responsible for the outcomes that you and your child will now have to live with.
To file a claim for damages, we will help you with the following:
- Evaluate your case based on its merits to determine whether or not a cerebral palsy injury claim is warranted.
- Collect the evidence needed to prove how, when, why, and by whom your child sustained a birth-related injury that led to cerebral palsy.
- Interview medical and legal professionals to use their testimony in support of your case.
- Quantify your losses so you can file for a specific amount in damages.
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf and represent you in court if your case goes to trial.
The sooner you act, the better, and the better chances your child will have if he or she has access to the care and treatment needed to help rehabilitate the injuries that have led to your child’s cerebral palsy. Call now at (800) 222-9529. Statutes of limitation apply to medical malpractice cases. The length varies from state to state, but remember that it may take some time for the symptoms of cerebral palsy to manifest themselves, and cases can take as long as 18 months to two years to be resolved. Do not hesitate or delay. Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group to start off with a free case evaluation and get your medical malpractice claim underway.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."