Can Medical Negligence Cause Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a diagnosis no parent wants to hear, as it is a condition that causes permanent disability and requires ongoing medical attention. It is a significant problem in the United States today, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimating that an average of 1 in every 303 children in the United States have the condition. Cerebral palsy, often shortened as “CP,” is a non-progressive condition that causes problems with muscle coordination and potentially other disabilities that are usually caused by damage to the motor control centers of the brain. CP can be caused by events before, during, or after birth until around age 3. Cerebral palsy can cause problems in speaking, learning, movement, thinking, and sensory perception, among others. Signs and symptoms of CP may not be readily apparent and can include abnormal muscle tone, issues with fine motor control, poor reflexes, joint or bone deformities, problems with balance, involuntary, among others.

Causes

There are several factors that could cause CP, including confusion regarding medications, hereditary factors, birth injuries, prenatal issues, or medical malpractice. When malpractice causes CP, a person and their family may be able to recover damages through an Indiana medical malpractice lawsuit. According to our Indiana medical malpractice lawyer, many injuries that result in CP occur during birth, and may be due to a lack of oxygen to the newborn’s brain or body. Some of the kinds of medical mistakes that may lead to a child developing CP include:

• Failure to diagnose infections during pregnancy
• Waiting to perform a necessary cesarean section
• Not monitoring the fetal heart rate
• Not treating a prolapsed umbilical cord
• Failure to diagnose jaundice

There is no cure for cerebral palsy, and treatment involves a lifelong process attempting to mitigate the conditions people may have. While the brain damage associated with CP will not worsen over time, symptoms may grow worse with age. CP does not necessarily affect a person intellectually, and people with CP can range in IQ from genius to intellectually disabled. People with CP often engage in various forms of therapy, including physical, occupational, massage, and speech therapy, as well as requiring on-going medical care and attention. In addition, people with CP may utilize biofeedback therapy, which has been shown in studies to significantly improve gait in children with the condition.

As one can imagine, the cost of treating cerebral palsy can be astronomical, and if someone else needlessly caused your child’s CP it is important to hold them responsible through an Indiana medical malpractice lawsuit. Our Illinois birth injury lawyers can help.

Because the causes of cerebral palsy are extremely varied, it is important for anyone affected by this condition to consult with an experienced Indianapolis medical malpractice attorney to determine whether the CP was caused by medical negligence. Because these cases often involve highly specialized medical issues, it is best to retain a Chicago birth injury attorney who was the skill and knowledge necessary to adequately represent clients who are alleging that medical malpractice caused CP. Depending on the circumstance of your case, you could be entitled to significant recovery from the responsible party or parties. Contact our Fort Wayne, IN Medical Malpractice Lawyer for a free consultation today.