Fulton County Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
Cerebral palsy is the result of severe trauma or injury to the brain that happens while a baby’s brain is still maturing. Medical errors are among the primary causes of this type of birth injury. If you believe that a healthcare provider’s malpractice caused your child’s cerebral palsy, it may be wise to consult with a Fulton County cerebral palsy lawyer to find out what legal options may be available to you. A skilled medical malpractice attorney who utilizes both cutting-edge technology and the help of an in-house doctor could help you navigate the complex legal process and fight for the maximum court award for your damages.
Medical Malpractice and Cerebral Palsy Birth Injuries
There are a variety of actions by the medical team that could cause a cerebral palsy birth injury. Some common examples include delayed delivery of an infant, failure to recognize that the infant is in distress, improper use of delivery tools such as forceps, failure to appropriately identify or monitor risk factors during pregnancy and/or delivery, and failure to diagnose an umbilical cord prolapse. For example, if the medical team does not recognize that the infant’s umbilical cord has prolapsed, the baby could be deprived of oxygen and suffer irreparable brain damage.
Risk factors present in the mother and or child must be monitored throughout the pregnancy, labor and delivery process, as specific indicators could heighten an infant’s risk of developing cerebral palsy. Leading risk factors for cerebral palsy include maternal infections during gestation, carrying multiple children in the womb, when the mother and infant have incompatible blood types, and infants who are born underweight. A cerebral palsy attorney in Fulton County could review the circumstances leading to a child’s birth to help determine whether the medical team’s actions fell below the acceptable standard of care.
Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
The symptoms exhibited by a child with cerebral palsy can vary based on the infant’s type of cerebral palsy. For instance, a child who has spastic cerebral palsy suffers from very rigid muscles due to excess muscle tone, which impacts his or her ability to walk and/or use of his or her arms. Another type of cerebral palsy, ataxic cerebral palsy, is often recognizable by a severe lack of coordination and poor reflexive abilities.
When a child is less than a year old and has cerebral palsy, there are some common physical symptoms he or she may exhibit, including head instability, refusal to roll over, rigid legs when lifted up, and difficulty crawling. A child who becomes limp or flaccid when lifted, is unable to sit up at the appropriate point in the developmental timeline, and displays a lack of muscle control could also be showing signs of cerebral palsy.
Collecting Compensation to Provide for a Lifetime of Care
If a physician or other member of the medical staff was negligent during the child’s birth and that person’s negligence was the reason for the child’s cerebral palsy injury, the child may be entitled to financial damages. The costs of caring for a child with cerebral palsy can be significant and can last a lifetime. A Fulton County cerebral palsy attorney could help recover damages such as the child’s hospital bills, physical and occupational therapy costs, prescription bills, costly future medical care, modifications to a home, necessary medical equipment and other tangible losses due to the birth injury. Damages for the pain, suffering, and emotional trauma endured because of the injury may also be recovered. Lastly, lost wages may be another item of damages that can be claimed.
Contact a Fulton County Cerebral Palsy Attorney
If your child sustained a cerebral palsy injury due to medical negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Georgia requires that birth injury claims be filed promptly, so it is wise to speak with a Fulton County cerebral palsy attorney as soon as possible to ensure your rights are protected.
To discuss your claim with a client-centered Fulton County attorney directly, call at any time for a free case review.
