A diagnosis of cerebral palsy can seem confusing, devastating, and overwhelming. You may feel like you don’t know where to turn. It’s important to know that the Arizona Birth Injury Lawyers are available to help. You may be able to seek compensation if a doctor or hospital’s negligence caused your child’s cerebral palsy. You can seek to recover medical expenses, the cost of equipment, and other losses.
Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 for a free case review. You can focus your time and attention on taking care of your child while a Tempe cerebral palsy lawyer handles your legal matters.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is one of the most common disabilities affecting American children. The condition arises from damage to the motor areas of the brain. Most patients have one of these four kinds of cerebral palsy:
Spastic Cerebral Palsy
This form of cerebral palsy accounts for about 75% to 80% of all cerebral palsy patients. The spastic muscles force the person into awkward and painful positions, like tightly clenched fists and feet locked in the “tiptoe” position.
Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy
With this type of cerebral palsy, the child cannot control the movement of their muscles. The arms and legs can move excessively, causing difficulty with balance and walking.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy
Balance and coordination difficulties are the hallmarks of ataxic cerebral palsy. The child might struggle to control the hand muscles when trying to write or have an unsteady gait when walking.
Mixed Cerebral Palsy
Some people have two or more types of cerebral palsy. The most common combination is for a person to have both spastic and dyskinetic cerebral palsy.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
How Cerebral Palsy Can Impact Your Child’s Life
Each person with cerebral palsy is different. Some people can walk unassisted while others need support. Some people with cerebral palsy experience chronic seizures, hearing loss, or impaired vision. The intellectual function can range from average intellect to significant intellectual disability, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Your child might experience one or more of these issues:
Communication
If a person struggles to control the muscle that one uses to form speech, it can be hard to communicate by oral conversation.
Mobility
Some people with cerebral palsy can walk with only a limp, while others cannot walk at all. The level of impairment of mobility will depend on the severity and type of cerebral palsy of the individual.
Learning
The person’s level of intellectual function will determine the amount of accommodation, if any, that they will need throughout their academic career.
Leisure Activities
The physical constraints of cerebral palsy can affect the child’s ability to play. A physical therapist or occupational therapist can help develop modifications and protocols to allow the individual to engage in physical exercise, hobbies, and recreation throughout his life.
Daily Personal Care
The level of motor skill function will determine whether the child can perform daily tasks independently, such as:
- Toileting
- Washing hands
- Dressing
- Brushing teeth
Sometimes the person can take care of some of these tasks with appropriate supports, but some individuals will need intensive assistance with daily personal care throughout their lifetime.
Sleeping Difficulties
People with cerebral palsy often experience chronic pain. Also, with their difficulty controlling their muscles, it can be hard for them to get comfortable to sleep or to change their position throughout the night.
Independent Living
Some people with cerebral palsy can eventually live independently with appropriate supports, but many must rely on daily assistance with the tasks of living independently. For example:
- Meal preparation.
- Supporting themselves through gainful employment.
- Cleaning the house.
- Home and yard maintenance.
- Managing finances—paying bills, making and following a budget, saving for a rainy day, and retirement.
These are but a few examples of the chores and functions that many people take for granted, but that can impose massive hurdles for a person with cerebral palsy.
Tempe Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me 1-800-222-9529
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
It can be challenging to identify what prompted a child’s cerebral palsy because most cases do not get diagnosed until the child is 2 or 3 years old. At that point, your cerebral palsy lawyer will have to gather the medical records and do some detective work to determine the cause.
Some examples of possible causes of cerebral palsy include:
Infections During Pregnancy
The mother has an illness such as German measles that harms the growing fetus.
Head Trauma During Labor and Delivery
The improper use of vacuum extraction or forceps during the birth process can cause a skull fracture or another type of head trauma.
Lack of Oxygen During Labor and Delivery
The baby can experience a lack of oxygen during labor and delivery from situations like these:
- Prolonged labor and delivery.
- The baby gets stuck in the birth canal.
- The baby gets choked by the umbilical cord.
Other incidents that caused the baby not to get enough oxygen could also be factors in cerebral palsy.
Failure to Treat Conditions Shortly After Birth
Sometimes the baby’s brain gets injured soon after birth. If the baby experiences seizures or has jaundice, brain tissue can get damaged.
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The Costs of Cerebral Palsy
A child will not outgrow cerebral palsy. Costs will continue for their lifetime and can add up to an astronomical sum.
Your child’s expenses could include things like:
- Doctors, hospitals, and prescription drugs.
- Surgery.
- Equipment like adapted vehicles, lift equipment, respiratory equipment and supplies, splints, physical therapy in the home, exercise equipment, and home modifications for wheelchairs, such as wide hallways and doors, lower countertops, door levers, ramps, and stairlifts.
- Physical and occupation therapy.
- Life skills training.
- Social skills therapy.
- Lifecare costs for daily assistance with medical treatments and personal care.
Every person is different. Your damages will depend on the facts of your situation.
"Our Birth Injury Lawyers have recovered over $750+ Million on behalf of our clients."
How to Find a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer in Tempe
If your child has cerebral palsy, you already have your hands full taking care of the child. You do not have the time or energy to handle a lawsuit against a doctor or hospital on your own. A cerebral palsy lawyer in Tempe can help.
Do not delay in speaking with a lawyer. You have only a limited amount of time to take legal action. If you miss the deadline, you could lose the right to go after compensation for your losses.
For a free case review, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."