If the brain’s motor centers suffer permanent damage that prevents them from developing, a newborn child could be diagnosed with cerebral palsy. This condition will affect your child’s entire life. They will always have some functional losses, even if they undergo a lifetime of physical therapy. These physical disabilities can affect mobility, dexterity, and speech.
Most cases of cerebral palsy are congenital. However, some cases are, instead, acquired. These conditions result from birth injuries or other forms of medical malpractice. The Joliet, IL, cerebral palsy lawyers at Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys help families recover compensation from negligent healthcare providers.
For legal assistance, contact our law office to schedule a free initial consultation at (815) 726-1616.
How Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help You With a Cerebral Palsy Case in Joliet, IL
For over 15 years, Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys have represented injured people throughout Joliet, Illinois, in their quest to recover fair compensation from those who injured them.
Our team of Joliet birth injury lawyers has decades of experience fighting insurers and at-fault parties on behalf of families like yours.
We’ll do the following for you if your child suffers an injury due to a medical professional’s negligent acts or omissions:
- Review the situation with you and explain your legal options
- Investigate your case by gathering relevant documents, records, and other evidence
- File an insurance claim with the at-fault party’s insurer
- Negotiate with the insurer to resolve the case without litigation
- File a lawsuit against the at-fault party if settlement negotiations fail
A child with cerebral palsy faces a lifetime of physical and financial challenges. With that in mind, do not hesitate to contact our Joliet medical malpractice lawyers to discuss your child’s situation and how we can fight for their future.
Is Cerebral Palsy a Common Birth Injury?
Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood motor disability. But across all births, cerebral palsy remains rare. To put that into perspective, children with the condition only account for about three out of every 1,000 live births, or roughly 0.3% of newborns.
Infants can also acquire cerebral palsy after birth, though. Brain trauma that occurs early in life can damage the motor centers before they fully develop, causing cerebral palsy symptoms. Roughly 10% of all cerebral palsy cases happen within the first two years of life instead of immediately at birth.
The Causes and Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy results from brain damage. Disease, genetic predisposition, and trauma can all cause this condition. However, cerebral palsy is usually not diagnosed at birth. Instead, the child’s symptoms will only make themselves known later in life when the child misses developmental milestones.
Some common symptoms that might signify cerebral palsy include the following:
- Not rolling over, crawling, or walking on schedule
- Arched back
- Unusually stiff or floppy muscles
- Clenched muscles
- Seizures
Since the diagnosis happens so long after the inciting injury in most cases, it can be difficult to trace the cause. However, if you and your attorney can identify a cause arising from someone else’s negligence, you can pursue a personal injury claim on behalf of your child.
The following causes of cerebral palsy might result from professional negligence:
Anoxia or Hypoxia
Anoxia occurs when the brain does not receive any oxygen. Hypoxia, while similar, specifically refers to a case in which the brain did not receive enough oxygen. These conditions can happen during labor and delivery if the umbilical cord is compressed or the baby’s circulation is compromised. In either case, when oxygenated blood cannot reach the brain, it suffers damage.
Rough Handling
Rough handling can cause a skull fracture, leading to brain damage. Dropping a baby or using instruments like forceps too aggressively can cause such an injury.
An Undiagnosed or Untreated Infection
Infections are a common cause of brain injuries in fetuses. If the mother develops an infection that her doctor fails to diagnose or treat, the pathogens can reach the child’s brain and damage it.
Compensation Recoverable in a Cerebral Palsy Claim
Compensation in a medical malpractice claim can cover your child’s economic and non-economic damages.
Their economic losses include all the hard costs they will incur during their lifetime due to their cerebral palsy, such as:
- Medical treatment and physical therapy costs
- Diminished earning capacity due to their disabilities
- Caretaker expenses, if they will need assistance
Non-economic damages represent the reduction in your child’s quality of life due to their injuries. They may experience pain and mental stress as they deal with their condition. Compensation for non-economic losses can cover pain and suffering, disability, and disfigurement. The amount of compensation will depend on the severity of your child’s symptoms.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Joliet Cerebral Palsy Attorneys
Children with cerebral palsy require long-term medical care and therapy. Contact Zayed Law Offices Personal Injury Attorneys to discuss your child’s case and how we can help them recover the resources they need for their future.
