According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cerebral palsy is the most commonly occurring motor disability in childhood. It affects about one out of every 323 children. While it is classified as a non-progressive illness that does not worsen with time, but the symptoms exhibited by the affected individual can change over time and affect many aspects of his or her life.
Was your child diagnosed with cerebral palsy? If so, you may face lifelong costs for treatment, care, and supervision for your child, especially if his or her case involves severe brain damage. Some cases may even require surgery, adding tens of thousands of dollars to your total care costs. Texas cerebral palsy lawyer can help you manage your case. Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today to learn more.
Understanding Cerebral Palsy in Killeen
The brain is comprised of different layers and centers, each of which has specific roles. For example, the outer layers of the brain, which are known as gray matter, control everything from sensation, thought, and movement to vision, hearing, memories, and speech. Depending on where and how significantly a specific brain center or layer is damaged, a patient can exhibit one of many different symptoms and disorders.
Because it lies close to the skull and requires a lot of oxygenated blood, the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for voluntary motor functions, is especially susceptible to injury. If the baby’s oxygen or blood supply is disrupted, cerebral palsy can occur. Problems with brain development during gestation can also cause this type of brain damage and cerebral palsy.
If your child received a cerebral palsy diagnosis, we are here to help. Call our Texas cerebral palsy lawyer today.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Causes of Cerebral Palsy and Related Symptoms
In order to determine whether or not you have grounds to seek compensation for your child’s cerebral palsy, you must first determine when and how your child sustained the birth injury that led to the condition. Doing this will also help you rule out certain illnesses that are associated with other types of brain damage.
Here are some of the leading causes of brain damage that can cause cerebral palsy. A Killeen cerebral palsy lawyer, working with an experienced medical expert witness, may be able to help you identify which of these factors played a role in your child’s case.
- Low birthweight: Children who weigh less than five pounds at birth.
- Premature births: Children born before week 37 of pregnancy.
- Multiple births: Pregnancies involving twins, triplets, or other multiple births come with a higher risk of cerebral palsy.
- Infections: Bacterial or viral infections in the mother can lead to inflammation that can cause brain damage.
- Blood issues: Blood incompatibility issues between the mother and child can cause harm to the developing brain of the baby.
- Birth complications: Issues such as placental detachment, umbilical cord issues, and issues with the baby’s blood or oxygen supply can result in cerebral palsy.
Call our cerebral palsy lawyer to learn more about how we may be able to help with your case.
Killeen Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me (800) 222-9529
Tests and Diagnoses for Cerebral Palsy in Killeen
Your child’s doctor will need to identify the type and severity of their cerebral palsy in order to build a treatment plan. This can involve diagnostic tests such as scans or blood tests as well as mental and physical development screenings to identify any deficiencies. Neurologists and therapists may also participate in this process.
The earlier you can diagnose your child’s case, the better. This will help you, the care team, and others, such as government agencies and school administration personnel, participate in the process of connecting you with the resources needed to give your child the support they need to keep up with their peers, learn new skills, and live as independently as possible.
It is important to note, however, that even when government assistance or insurance coverage is available, you may still want to seek compensation from the at-fault parties responsible for causing your child’s brain damage. The long-term costs of cerebral palsy can very quickly exhaust not just your financial resources but your physical, emotional, and mental resources as well.
A Killeen cerebral palsy lawyer can help you determine which costs and treatment expenses, if any, you may have grounds to claim.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
Compensation and Damages in a Killeen Cerebral Palsy Case
Your child may require imaging scans, tests of the brain’s electrical activity, genetic studies to rule out gene mutations, and metabolic tests to pinpoint enzyme issues that may have contributed to your child’s illness. All of these tests can be expensive, and you may face a slew of other ongoing treatment, support, and care costs related to your child’s condition.
Contact us for details on the damages you may be able to pursue. Common categories of compensation for cerebral palsy cases include:
- Diagnostic tests, medicine, doctor’s visits, and surgery costs.
- The costs of assistive devices, such as wheelchairs or crutches.
- Home improvement costs related to accessibility.
- Therapy and specialist fees.
- Lost income if you had to take time from work to care for your child.
- Your child’s pain and suffering.
At the Birth Injury Lawyers Group, we focus on medical malpractice cases that involve children, especially the types of birth injuries that lead to cerebral palsy. If your child missed key developmental milestones, has trouble with vision, or exhibits abnormalities of any type in his or her mental or physical growth, we are here to help.
We may be able to help you calculate the costs associated with financial recovery based on a birth injury case, how to go about filing a claim for malpractice, and what kinds of evidence are needed to prove negligence on the part of your child’s care team.
A Killeen cerebral palsy lawyer is just a call away. Contact us today for a free case evaluation with a member of our team by calling (800) 222-9529.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."