If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of complications during birth, you may be eligible for compensation. A Surprise birth injury lawyer from the Birth Injury Lawyers Group may be able to help.
Our clients get to focus on their children while we handle their claims. Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 for a free consultation.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Many children born with cerebral palsy did not develop this condition while in utero. The complications that led to your child’s condition may have been the result of negligence or medical malpractice on the part of the attending doctors and nurses present during delivery. These practices could have been inflicted on the baby physically during birth or could have been part of a previous condition that the doctor did not monitor correctly.
Some factors that can lead to cerebral palsy include:
Injury before birth. If the pregnant mother had an infection (such as German measles) or was hurt in a car accident, the growing fetus could sustain a brain injury that can cause cerebral palsy.
- Head injury during labor and delivery. The infant’s skull can be fractured or injured in another manner because of the incorrect use of forceps or vacuum extraction.
- Insufficient oxygen. Prolonged labor and delivery, heavy birth weight, or being stuck in the birth canal are all factors that could cause oxygen deprivation. If the child had the umbilical cord wrapped around their throat, they could have experienced brain cell loss due to suffocation and hypoxia.
- Events after birth. An infant can sustain a brain injury from untreated jaundice or seizures in the days or weeks following birth.
Other conditions or situations can cause cerebral palsy, as well. Although your child’s condition may make itself apparent very early on, most children are not formally diagnosed with cerebral palsy until they are two years old.
Medical practitioners assume a high duty of care for their patients and are bound by ethics to provide the best possible treatment for the mother and child. Failure to do so can result in a child’s lifelong disability. Our team at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group can investigate the practices surrounding your child’s birth to determine responsibility.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
How Cerebral Palsy Can Affect Your Child’s Life
Your child’s cerebral palsy is a permanent condition that they will have for the rest of their life. There is no cure for cerebral palsy yet. Some of the ways that cerebral palsy can affect people as children and adults include:
- Mobility. Since cerebral palsy affects a person’s ability to control their muscles, they can experience problems with walking, balance, and coordination. Mobility impairment due to cerebral palsy exists on a spectrum that can range from having to use a wheelchair to walking with a limp.
- Communication. Cerebral palsy impacts the part of the brain that processes language. Your child may be unable to control the muscles of their head and mouth to form speech.
- Education. Some people with cerebral palsy have intellectual impairments that can pose a challenge to learning. These individuals may need accommodations at school and in the workplace.
- Independent living. Some people can live independently if the symptoms of their cerebral palsy are mild. Others may need continued assistance. Independent living skills can include many things, such as being employed, cleaning the house, preparing meals, and managing finances.
- Sleep. The chronic pain associated with cerebral palsy frequently leads to disrupted sleep for the patient and caregivers.
- Personal care. Some people with cerebral palsy cannot feed themselves, dress, bathe, or perform other daily grooming activities without hands-on assistance from a caregiver.
The special needs of a child with cerebral palsy can be very expensive. Our team believes that you should not be responsible for paying for your child’s care if their condition was brought about by the negligence of a medical professional. By giving us a call, we can estimate the past, present, and future costs of your child’s disability, and work that into your claim. For more information, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529.
Surprise Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me (800) 222-9529
The Costs of Cerebral Palsy
The brain damage that causes cerebral palsy is permanent. The expenses for medical care, equipment, and caregiving can add up to an enormous amount over a lifetime. Equipment does not last indefinitely. Parents cannot serve as caregivers forever. The individual with cerebral palsy might have frequent medical issues that need prolonged treatment.
Some of the costs that your settlement may be able to cover include:
- Past, present, and future medical costs
- Assistive equipment, such as a wheelchair
- Cost of ongoing therapy
- Lost wages, due to intensive childcare
- Wages of an at-home nurse or caretaker
- Improvements to your home, such as handicap-accessible bathrooms, ramps, grab bars, and wider doorways
- Modifications to your family vehicle
These are not the only damages you may be able to recover. Our team can work with you to determine the costs of your child’s condition. We can work to fight not only for justice but for the compensation you deserve to cover your growing expenses.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
How We Can Help
In Arizona, the statute of limitations regarding your case may vary. A cerebral palsy lawyer serving Surprise, Az can determine what timeline best applies to your situation. We can help file your claim so that you can focus on caring for your child.
Some of the services we provide include:
- Managing communications with your insurance company
- Filing appropriate paperwork to meet statute of limitations deadlines
- Negotiating with the liable parties for a fair settlement
- Collecting evidence as to what caused your child’s condition
- Determining the value of your child’s medical costs
- Representing you in court should your claim be devalued or denied
When you call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, we are ready to help you understand your rights through the legal process. Your child deserves the best quality of life following a cerebral palsy diagnosis. For a free, no-obligation case review, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529 today.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."