Finding out that your child has cerebral palsy (CP) is, for almost every parent, an unforgettable and life-changing event. Parents and their children with cerebral palsy will share a lifetime of struggles due to the difficulties that directly stem from cerebral palsy. If you are asking why your child has CP, the answer could be because of medical error.
Speak to a Connecticut cerebral palsy lawyer to understand the nature of the medical error and whether you have a possible case for compensation based on the details of your prenatal care and delivery. Call our team at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 to receive a complimentary case review.
Doctor’s Error Is a Possible Cause of Cerebral Palsy
While numerous factors can cause cerebral palsy, you should not simply assume that negligence was not the cause with respect to your child. You should start with the understanding that your child’s cerebral palsy was probably preventable—in countless cases, cerebral palsy is preventable.
If your child’s CP proves preventable, it is likely that medical error occurred and that a lawsuit alleging medical malpractice is in order.
Medical Error Committed Before Your Delivery
The cause of cerebral palsyis not always damage inflicted during the delivery process, although it may be. Research suggests that sometimes the origins of cerebral palsy lie in what a doctor did or did not do for you and your child during the prenatal stage.
Keep in mind that a doctor and others may also be liable for failing to alert you to the possibility that your child could be born with a condition such as cerebral palsy.
Possible forms of negligence that arise in the prenatal stage include:
- Failure of your doctor to screen for abnormalities during your pregnancy. Though cerebral palsy cannot be detected during pregnancy, other factors that could lead to cerebral palsy may be.
- Failure by your doctor to monitor your unborn child in a thorough manner, such as conducting prenatal genetic screening.
- Failure to conduct common tests during pregnancy, such as blood tests for the mother, ultrasounds for the child, and other necessary procedures throughout the pregnancy.
- Failure to notify you of any risks, test results, or other indicators of possible cerebral palsy.
One or more defendants in your impending legal case may have been negligent in multiple ways at various points throughout your pregnancy, during the delivery, and after the birth.
Medical Error Committed During or After Your Child’s Birth
It may be easier to pinpoint any errors by a doctor or other medical personnel if they happened during or after your child’s birth. Some possible causes of injury at these stages include:
- Damage caused by the doctor’s delivery method, such as forceps, vacuum devices, or their hands. If these methods caused damage to your child’s brain, it could be the source of their cerebral palsy.
- Failure to monitor your child’s blood flow and oxygen supply closely enough during delivery. These vital signs are indicators of whether an emergency C-section is necessary.
- After your child is born, allowing conditions that led to an infection that ultimately caused the injury in your child’s brain. Such infection could also be due to inadequate monitoring of the mother’s vaginal region.
These are just some of the possible circumstances that could warrant a medical negligence case. A lawyer will discuss the circumstances of your child’s cerebral palsy and, if you choose to proceed with legal action, may provide legal services on your behalf.
Call our team at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 for a free discussion about your case.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
A Lawyer Can Be an Indispensable Resource
You have plenty on your plate dealing with your child’s development, regardless of their age. A Waterbury cerebral palsy lawyer can pursue any awards that you are entitled to receive while you maintain your focus on your life.
Some of a lawyer’s responsibilities may include:
- Conducting an in-person or over-the-phone consultation with you as soon as possible.
- Consulting a medical expert on the details of your case and obtaining affirmation that negligence may have caused your child’s CP.
- Filing your case in court as soon as possible.
- Collecting all evidence that indicates wrongdoing by the defendant or defendants in your case.
- Handling all of your legal needs from our initial discussion through the completion of your case.
- Defending your rights and your child’s rights throughout the legal process.
It is wise to accept all of the help that you can get during this tough time. This help starts by calling a lawyer, who can attempt to obtain more help for you in the form of financial awards.
You May Be Able To Obtain Compensation for Your Mounting Expenses
Parents of children with cerebral palsy soon realize how expensive raising their child will be. Some of the additional costs you could face as the parent of a child with cerebral palsy include:
- A series of appointments with specialists just to diagnose the specific form of cerebral palsy that your child has.
- Rehabilitation appointments that will likely continue throughout most of your child’s life, perhaps even into adulthood.
- The cost of any caregivers required to help care for your child.
- The cost of any salary or wages that you sacrifice to help care for your child.
- Education costs, food costs, and other caregiving costs that could extend into your child’s adult years, depending on the severity of their CP.
A lawyer’s goal will be to obtain any financial assistance for these costs, as well as other losses resulting from a medical error that you are entitled to receive.
Waterbury Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me 1-800-222-9529
Call Our Team at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group Today
It is our mission to obtain justice and financial relief for your family. Call us today at (800) 222-9529 for a free case review, and to learn more about how a Waterbury cerebral palsy lawyer may be able to help.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."