At the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, our mission is to get answers for families who have had a child affected by birth injuries, including those who have had a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition that can affect the quality of your child’s life while also causing significant financial strain for your family. If your child has received a cerebral palsy diagnosis, you may have many concerns.
We know how to fight for a fair settlement on your behalf. Call us today at (800) 222-9529 for a free consultation with an experienced Illinois Cerebral Palsy Lawyer.
Understanding Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder that affects the portion of the brain that controls muscle movement. This can lead to a host of problems for the child throughout their life, including:
- Difficulty in walking: the child may require the use of braces or crutches to be able to walk.
- Difficulty with fine motor skills: the child may struggle to write or manipulate simple tools.
- Problems with swallowing: the child may require special medication to be able to eat normally.
- Speech problems: the child may have trouble controlling the muscles that allow for oral communication.
- Vision problems: the child may be cross-eyed or suffer from strabismus.
- Involuntary muscle movements: the child’s muscles may stiffen without them being able to control them.
Children with cerebral palsy may have other symptoms than those listed here. Patients with cerebral palsy may also have co-occurring conditions such as epilepsy or be placed on the autism spectrum.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Treatment of Cerebral Palsy
No cure exists for cerebral palsy. Doctors can administer many therapies for the child with cerebral palsy to treat the symptoms, including:
- Muscle injections: which can help with involuntary muscle tightness for a specific muscle.
- Muscle relaxants: which can help when the child has multiple muscles that are tightening at the same time.
- Physical therapy: where the child uses exercise and muscle training to try to gain more control over their movements.
- Speech therapy: where a child who is struggling to speak can learn techniques to communicate clearly, including the possibility of learning sign language.
- Occupational therapy: where the child is shown the skills they need to live independently.
- Surgery: where doctors may attempt to correct the positioning of arms and legs through the lengthening of tendons.
Other treatments may be suggested for your child, including alternative medicines or recreational therapy. These interventions can become costly throughout a child’s lifetime. We believe that families should not have to struggle financially to provide a good quality of life for their child. Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 to learn more about what your settlement may cover.
Des Plaines Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me 1-800-222-9529
Determining Damages in a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit
In a case where a doctor’s negligence led to cerebral palsy, you have the right to seek damages. The compensation you may receive can cover:
- Past, present, and future medical costs
- Cost of ongoing therapy
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress for the child and family
- Any loss of future earning potential for the child
- Cost of equipment such as a wheelchair or crutches
- Modifications to the family vehicle
- Home improvements, including guardrails, chairlifts, wider doorways, ramps, and durable flooring
You may receive damages for items other than those we have listed here. A representative from the Birth Injury Lawyers Group may be able to calculate the total cost of modifications needed to ensure a good quality of care for your child.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, the damage to their brain may have occurred before, during, or after birth. While 85% of cerebral palsy cases are congenital, meaning that they were born with the condition due to unknown causes in utero, there are cases where a healthy child can develop cerebral palsy 28 days after birth.
Cerebral Palsy from a Birth Injury
Sometimes, a baby can suffer an injury during the birthing process. This could include medical malpractice on the part of an attending professional that could have led to an injury resulting in cerebral palsy. Some of the situations that can lead to such a birth injury include:
- Depriving the baby of oxygen for too long
- Misusing forceps, causing a brain injury
- Improperly performing a vacuum extraction, causing a brain injury
- Dropping the baby after birth
- Waiting too long to order a C-section, placing undue stress on the baby
- Allowing the birth process to go on for 18 hours or longer
- The mother contracting a bacterial infection during the pregnancy
Acquired Cerebral Palsy
If the injury that leads to the formation of cerebral palsy occurs when the baby is older than one month, it is called acquired cerebral palsy. Potential causes of this condition include:
- An infection in the brain, such as meningitis
- A brain injury from a car accident
- Shaken baby syndrome
- A lack of oxygen to the brain
- A lack of blood flow to the brain
- Untreated jaundice or seizures occurring soon after birth
We believe that you should not have to pay out-of-pocket for your child’s care as a result of a medical professional’s negligence. We can help you pursue compensation to cover the cost of your child’s care and hold the liable party responsible for their actions.
"Our Birth Injury Lawyers have recovered over $750+ Million on behalf of our clients."
Call Us Today
At the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, we have experts on staff that can help you and your family with questions you may have regarding the legal process. Once you hire us, we are ready to begin representing you in negotiations with the defendant’s representative.
A member of our team will evaluate the facts of your case, study medical reports, and interview those who were present at the time of the birth. Through this information, we can determine which parties’ negligence caused the injuries your child suffered and hold them liable for the cost of your damages. We do not receive payment for our services until the case reaches a settlement. Should the case go to trial, we will stand by your side during the entire process. For a free consultation, call us today at (800) 222-9529.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."