Every year, thousands of children are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, and often the disorder is a result of a birth injury sustained due to medical malpractice in the delivery room. The Cerebral Palsy Lawyers at Gilman Law, LLP have helped countless Florida families obtain the compensation they need to cover their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and other relevant damages when Cerebral Palsy has resulted from a birth injury. Our Cerebral Palsy Lawyers understand what you and your family have had to endure, and they’ll work hard to make sure those responsible for your suffering are held liable. You can be assured that the Cerebral Palsy Lawyers at Gilman Law will do everything legally possible to make sure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Cerebral Palsy
According to the United Cerebral Palsy Association, approximately 8,000 infants are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and up to 1,500 preschoolers are recognized as having it each year. Almost half of all children with Cerebral Palsy will also experience a seizure disorder and also some level of mental retardation, such as a learning disability, vision, speech, hearing, or language problems.
Cerebral Palsy is a brain disorder that affects one’s control over his or her movement, and can be caused by injury before, during or after birth. These injuries are often caused by the negligence or recklessness of a physician or other hospital staff during all stages of childbirth. There are a large number of mistakes that can be made in the delivery room that can lead to Cerebral Palsy, including failing to do a C-section or delaying the C-section for too long, failing to conduct tests during pregnancy, failing to deliver the child on time, failing to respond to changes in both the fetus or the mother and over use of vacuum extraction. A common reason for Cerebral Palsy is a lack of oxygen to the brain during delivery, also known as birth asphyxia.
A child may suffer from four recognized types of Cerebral Palsy. They include:
- Spastic Cerebral Palsy, where the muscles are in a constant state of involuntary reflex.
- Athetoid cerebral palsy involves slow and uncontrolled movements.
- Ataxic cerebral palsy is the most rare form of Cerebral Palsy.
- Mixed cerebral palsy is the most common form of Cerebral Palsy. This typically involves a combination of spasticity and athetoid movements.
Common signs of severe Cerebral Palsy that may be noticed shortly after birth include:
- Problems sucking and swallowing
- A weak or shrill cry
- Seizures
- Unusual positions. Often the body is either very relaxed and floppy or very stiff. When held, babies may arch their backs and extend their arms and legs.
Cerebral Palsy symptoms that may appear as a child grows include:
- Smaller muscles in affected arms and legs
- Abnormal sensations and perceptions
- Delays in reaching motor skills milestones, such as pushing up on arms, sitting up alone or crawling
- Favoring one side of the body, such as reaching with only one hand or dragging a leg while crawling
- Difficulty walking, such as walking on toes, a crouched gait, a scissors-like gait with knees crossing or a wide gait
- Delays in speech development or difficulty speaking
- Difficulty with precise motions, such as picking up a crayon or spoon
When a child has Cerebral Palsy, they will suffer its affects for a life-time. There is often uncontrollable movement that does not cease as the child gets older. A child with this disorder often develops learning disabilities and sometimes developmental disabilities. This means a lifetime of emotional and financial stress for the child and his or her entire family.
Legal Help for Cerebral Palsy Victims
The Florida Cerebral Palsy Attorneys at Gilman Law, LLP have a great deal of experience representing medical malpractice and birth injury victims. If you or a loved one has suffered from the effects of Cerebral Palsy, please fill out the online form for a free lawsuit case evaluation by a qualified attorney or call (888) 252-0048.