When a doctor commits an error, it can lead to devastating consequences. If you believe this happened during the delivery of your baby, and if this error caused a brain injury for the newborn that you believe has led to the onset of cerebral palsy (CP), you have the right to seek compensation for your family’s pain, suffering, and medical bills.
Consider contacting a New Mexico cerebral palsy lawyer for help in proving that the doctor who was responsible for the delivery of your baby made a mistake that led to the brain injury. At the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, our team takes pride in defending the rights of victims who suffer injuries due to the negligence of others, including doctors. For a free case review, contact our cerebral palsy lawyer as soon as possible.
Looking for Early Signs of Cerebral Palsy
If you and your baby had a difficult delivery, this increases the chances of the baby suffering some sort of significant injury during birth. Should the injury affect the baby’s brain, either through direct trauma or through a lack of oxygen to the brain during delivery, the onset of cerebral palsy is a possibility.
Because babies cannot communicate any pain or health issues they are suffering, it can be difficult to diagnose cerebral palsy. Additionally, because babies do not frequently move on their own and do not have full control of their limbs, it can be tough to have a clear diagnosis soon after birth.
Some of the earliest signs that the baby may have cerebral palsy include:
- Muscle spasming
- Involuntary movements of arms or legs
- Arms held tight to the body without moving freely
- Inability to support the weight of the head
- Appearance of paralysis on one side of the body
Advocating for Your Baby
Because you spend the most time with your baby in their early stages of life, you may have a better chance of spotting some of these early signs of cerebral palsy than a doctor. If you have concerns about the way your baby is developing or about some of the potential signs of cerebral palsy, alert your doctor as early as possible.
Doctors may order a number of tests to try to spot problems with the baby’s health that could be a sign of cerebral palsy. Once cerebral palsy is diagnosed, doctors can begin treatments that attempt to ease the baby’s symptoms and allow the baby to become as self-sufficient as possible as they age.
To further advocate for your baby, consider hiring a Las Cruces cerebral palsy lawyer. The team at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group will study the facts of your case, looking for signs of a doctor’s negligence that could help you receive the fairest settlement. Per NM Stat § 41-5-13, medical malpractice victims generally have three years to start their claim. Call us today at (800) 222-9529 for a free consultation.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Possible Causes of Cerebral Palsy
There are multiple reasons why a baby could end up developing cerebral palsy. Some of these reasons are unavoidable, and there is nothing anyone could have done to prevent the condition.
Other times, though, the negligence of doctors, nurses, or the hospital could play a role in the onset of cerebral palsy. This means the baby’s family may have the ability to seek compensation for the baby’s injuries. Some of the potential causes of cerebral palsy include:
- Infection: where the mother contracted an infection while pregnant, and a doctor did not catch the presence of the infection or treat the infection before it passed on to the fetus, which affected brain development.
- Injury during pregnancy: where the mother suffered some sort of trauma while pregnant, such as a car accident, and this trauma caused an injury to the fetus, leaving it with damage to the skull and brain.
- Difficult birth: where the baby did not continue to receive the oxygen needed during the delivery process, perhaps because the baby was stuck in the birth canal because the doctor did not properly anticipate that the baby’s head was too large for the birth canal.
- Injury during or after birth: where a baby suffered some sort of head or brain trauma, such as if a doctor improperly used forceps during the birth or if a caregiver dropped the baby after the birth.
- Low birthweight: according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says a baby who weighs less than 5.5 pounds at birth has an elevated risk of developing cerebral palsy, and a baby who weighs less than 3 pounds has a significantly elevated risk.
- Early birth: where a baby who is born at the 32nd week of pregnancy or earlier will have an elevated risk of developing cerebral palsy.
Las Cruces Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me (800) 222-9529
Let Us Help Your Family Receive the Settlement You Deserve
Although doctors are able to deliver a baby safely and successfully the majority of the time, it just takes one mistake on behalf of the medical personnel involved in the birthing process to lead to a life-altering brain injury that leads to the onset of cerebral palsy for the baby.
According to Boston Children’s Hospital, there is no cure for cerebral palsy and it will affect the ability of the baby to function for their entire life. Any settlement for medical malpractice involving your baby with cerebral palsy should take into account the potential medical care and other types of care they will need for the rest of their life.
If you choose to hire a Las Cruces cerebral palsy lawyer to defend your right to seek compensation, you will have an advocate on your side throughout the case. The team at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group will defend you against the doctor’s insurance company. For a free consultation, call us at (800) 222-9529 today.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."