According to research from the Pennsylvania Department of Health, during the 2017-2018 school year, there were 114 students with cerebral palsy in Lehigh County. Although many of these cases may have occurred naturally, negligent medical professionals cause countless cases of cerebral palsy every year in Pennsylvania.
Fortunately, there are laws in place to protect you against medical negligence in Allentown. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy after a birth injury, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your pain and suffering.
You do not have to go through this alone. At the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, our attorneys are dedicated to fighting medical malpractice across the United States. The way we see it, medical professionals should have to answer for the consequences of their actions.
If you retain an Allentown cerebral palsy lawyer at our firm, we can be there to help you take legal action against the parties who caused your heartache and hardships.
To learn more about our legal services for cerebral palsy victims in Allentown, our team is happy to offer you a free consultation today. Contact the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529 to get started.
Recoverable Damages for Victims in Allentown
When you file a medical malpractice claim in Allentown, you are allowed to seek compensation for your economic and non-economic hardships – otherwise known as compensatory damages.
Compensatory damages can cover multiple types of pain and suffering, including:
- Medical expenses: Including the cost of hospitalizations, surgeries, rehabilitation programs, and other medical treatments
- Mental anguish: Encompassing the psychological trauma of the event, including loss of companionship, loss of enjoyment of life, damaged self-esteem, and more
- Physical pain: Covering pain from medical procedures, chronic pain during daily activities, and long-term pain associated with the condition
- Long-term accommodations: Including orthotics, braces, splints, specialized transportation methods, and more
- Effects on income: Such as lost wages and diminished earning capacity.
If the court determines that a severe injustice has been committed, you may also be eligible for punitive damages. However, punitive damages are rarely awarded because they are designed to punish the offender.
Moving forward, an Allentown cerebral palsy lawyer at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group can help you assess, document, and calculate the value of your case. That includes assigning monetary values to your intangible mental suffering. In doing so, our attorneys can more accurately address your unique losses during any settlement negotiations.
For more information on calculating your case value, contact a team member at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today. Your free consultation is waiting at (800) 222-9529.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
COMMON WAYS THAT DOCTORS CAUSE CEREBRAL PALSY
Studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that cerebral palsy effects between 1.5 and four babies out of every 1,000 live births around the world. However, medical negligence can make these cases much more common in certain states, counties, or cities. On a smaller scale, a single doctor can greatly increase the cases of cerebral palsy at one hospital compared to a similar facility.
With this in mind, research from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) details many ways that cerebral palsy can be caused by medical negligence, including:
- Using forceps or vacuum extraction tools during birth, leading to nerve damage, swelling of the brain, skull fractures, or internal bleeding
- Failure to diagnose and treat Jaundice in the newborn
- Exposing the mother to toxic chemicals during pregnancy
- Prescribing dangerous medications to the mother or child which cause birth defects, rapid heart rate, circulation issues, strokes, or other complications
- The umbilical cord wraps around the child’s neck and the doctors fail to resolve the situation, causing brain damage from the lack of oxygen
- Allowing the baby to be born feet-first, increasing the risk of head, neck, or nerve injuries
- Instead of performing a cesarean section (C-section) during a difficult birth, the medical staff proceeds with a traditional birth, thereby exposing the child to injury and infection.
Allentown Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me (800) 222-9529
Symptoms of Childhood Cerebral Palsy
Overall, “cerebral palsy” is a medical term used to describe several different conditions that may vary in intensity based on the severity of the injuries. Accordingly, the short-term and long-term effects of cerebral palsy may look different from one patient to the next.
According to research from the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of childhood cerebral palsy include:
- Difficulty chewing or swallowing
- Cognitive delays or learning disabilities
- Unusual changes in muscle tone
- The child’s reflexes seem abnormally rigid or floppy
- Tremors or seizures
- Delays in motor functions, such as crawling or standing
- Excessive amounts of drool
- Using one side of the body more than the other
- The child appears significantly older than their real age
- Stunted growth
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Fighting for Victims in Allentown
At the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, we know there was not a lot you could do to prevent this injustice. After all, you had every reason to trust the training and knowledge of a medical professional – especially during something as serious as childbirth.
Ultimately, it is up to medical schools, hospitals, manufacturers, certification boards, and doctors to prevent these devastating accidents from occurring. When these safeguards fail and you are put in harm’s way, somebody needs to be held responsible for the consequences.
When you retain an Allentown cerebral palsy lawyer at our firm, we can be there to help you seek justice from start to finish. Along the way, we hope our services give you one less thing to worry about during a time like this.
However, before you proceed with any legal action, you should know that 40 Pa. § 1303.513 places a seven-year statute of limitations on medical malpractice claims in Allentown. If you fail to file a claim within seven years of the injury in question, the court may dismiss your case.
To get started with your free consultation today, contact a representative at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."