Cerebral Palsy Lawsuits

Every Hour an Infant Is Born with Cerebral Palsy, Making It the Most Common Physical Disability in Childhood

Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and to maintain balance and posture. It can be caused when doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals make medical mistakes during an expectant mother’s pregnancy, labor or delivery.

There are four main types of cerebral palsy:

• Spastic Cerebral Palsy: The most common type of cerebral palsy, accounting for 80 percent of all cases. People with spastic cerebral palsy have increased muscle tone (hypertonia) in most of the muscles of the body, although some of the muscles may actually have low tone (hypotonia). As a result, their muscles are stiff and/or weak, and their movements can be awkward.
• Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy: People with this type of cerebral palsy have difficulty controlling the movement of their hands, arms, feet and legs. Sitting and walking pose a challenge.
• Ataxic Cerebral Palsy: This type of cerebral palsy is characterized by problems with balance and coordination.
• Athetoid Cerebral Palsy: This type of cerebral palsy causes involuntary and uncontrolled movements.

Cerebral palsy that involves symptoms of more than one type is called mixed cerebral palsy.

Healthcare Provider Errors That Cause Cerebral Palsy

Healthcare provider errors that can result in cerebral palsy generally fall under three categories:

• Poorly managed medical conditions of the expectant mother, including high blood pressure, diabetes and liver problems
• Complications during labor and delivery that put an infant at risk for birth asphyxia, meaning a severe lack of oxygen
• Failure by doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to properly interpret and act upon fetal heart rate monitoring during labor

Not every case of cerebral palsy is attributable to healthcare provider errors, and it is important to rule out other causes such as metabolic or genetic factors.

Prognosis for Child with Cerebral Palsy

The severity of cerebral palsy varies from case-to-case, with patients requiring various levels of treatment and assistance. Comprehensive treatment and early intervention services can significantly improve a child’s life after diagnosis.

Treatment for cerebral palsy can include:

• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Speech and language therapy
• Recreational therapy
• Additional therapies such as aqua therapy, equine therapy and others
• Medications to reduce muscle tightness, treat pain and manage complications related to spasticity and other symptoms
• Surgery to sever tendons to relax spastic muscles and reduce pain

Some people with cerebral palsy will have difficulty speaking, and others may have intellectual deficits. However, many patients with cerebral palsy have normal intelligence.

Adaptive equipment and assistive technology can help better a child’s quality of life by improving mobility, communications, the ability to perform daily living activities and the ability to engage in the joys of childhood play.

Trial Lawyers for Life’s Most Challenging Moments

The attorneys at Feldman Shepherd have a proven record of achieving multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements throughout the U.S. on behalf of children injured by medical mistakes that cause cerebral palsy and other birth and neonatal injuries. We understand the importance of these cases in providing for a child’s lifelong needs and developmental support and are committed to providing compassionate, but resolute, legal representation that addresses the unique concerns of each child and family.

Call us to learn how we can help your family at (877) 595-9761.