While cerebral palsy can occur naturally, it can also be caused by preventable errors in the delivery room or during prenatal care.
If your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by doctor negligence, the responsible parties may owe you compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and more in a medical malpractice lawsuit. A Dallas cerebral palsy lawyer from the Birth Injury Lawyers Group may be able to seek damages from the at-fault parties responsible for injuring your child.
Call our Texas cerebral palsy lawyer to learn about your legal options and the process of initiating a medical malpractice claim. We offer free, no-obligation consultations to Lewisville families.
If you choose to work with us on your case, we may be able to represent you on a contingency-fee basis, where you do not pay for our legal services unless and until you recover compensation in a settlement offer or court awards.
How Medical Malpractice Can Cause Cerebral Palsy
Although many medical procedures carry some amount of risk, sometimes a medical professional behaves in a negligent manner and performs actions that fall below a reasonable standard of care. When this happens, those professionals may be liable for the damages they cause their patients in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
When it comes to cerebral palsy, there are a variety of causes. Some of these are unpreventable, such as a genetic mutation or a premature birth. Other causes are due to doctor negligence.
Examples of doctor negligence that can cause a newborn to develop cerebral palsy include:
- Not screening the mother for a difficult pregnancy, which could indicate that a C-section would be a safer form of delivery
- Not checking for or treating an infection in the pregnant mother that spread to the womb
- Using excessive force on the baby during delivery
- Allowing the baby’s oxygen supply to be cut off during delivery
- Improper use of forceps of a vacuum extraction device
If you believe that doctor negligence caused your child’s cerebral palsy, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529. A member of our team can discuss your case and explain how a Lewisville cerebral palsy lawyer from our firm may be able to represent your family’s medical malpractice case.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Life With Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral is caused by damage to the parts of the brain that are responsible for movement. If they become damaged during pregnancy, during delivery, or soon after birth, the damage may be permanent. The symptoms and disabilities that the patient exhibits may depend on where and to what extent the brain was injured.
Cerebral palsy usually involves some form of motor dysfunction. Cerebral palsy may affect only the legs, only one side of the body, or the entire body, including the face. Some patients may have difficulty eating on his or her own.
From birth through adolescence and up to adulthood, cerebral palsy can cause a wide range of health issues. Vision, hearing, bone growth, and mental development may all be affected.
Treatment and Prognosis
Treatments for cerebral palsy tend to focus on helping the patient learn to live with his or her disabilities. Doing this may involve different forms of training and therapy, depending on the age of the patient and the degree of disability he or she faces.
An adolescent with mild cerebral palsy who can walk unassisted may only need to undergo physical therapy to build strength and flexibility to get along independently. More serious cases may require the regular use of a wheelchair or crutches for mobility.
A doctor may recommend surgery to correct bone alignment and muscular issues. Children with cerebral palsy may also require muscle relaxant injections or pain medication.
Occupational therapy can also be used to teach cerebral palsy patients to adjust to the limited use of their hands and limbs. With time, occupational therapy may allow patients to gain some function and independence by learning how to perform coordinated movements on their own.
If a negligent doctor caused your child to develop cerebral palsy, they may be liable for the costs of these treatments, and other damages, in a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Lewisville Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me 1-800-222-9529
Damages in Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
In Texas, you may be able to recover the following damages in a cerebral palsy medical malpractice lawsuit:
- Medical care for your child, including surgeries, therapies, and medications
- Estimated future costs of all medical care
- Mobility assistance devices and modifications to your home
- Lost wages for either parent that stops working to care for the child
- Non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering
Per Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 74.301, there may be a limit on the amount of non-economic damages you can recover.
To discuss what specific compensation may be available to you, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
A Lewisville Cerebral Palsy Lawyer From Our Firm May Be Able to Help You
A Lewisville cerebral palsy lawyer from the Birth Injury Lawyers Group may be able to handle your case from start to completion. This could allow us to:
- Manage all communications, legal deadlines, and paperwork on your behalf
- Identify the liable party
- Gather evidence of their liability, including medical expert testimony that malpractice occurred in your case
- Gather evidence of the extent of your damages
- Negotiate with the responsible party’s insurance company for a settlement
- Take your case to trial if they are unwilling to make you a fair offer
We may be able to offer you these services, and more, on a contingency-fee basis.
To get started, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529. A member of our team is standing by to discuss your case and your legal options in a free, no-obligation consultation.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."