Philadelphia Medical Malpractice: Cerebral Palsy

While obstetrics has come a long way over the years, childbirth still poses risks to both mother and child. With tests and sonograms, various issues and conditions can be detected and diagnosed. However, birth-related injuries, such as cerebral palsy, can and do occur. When the injury is caused by the negligence of a medical professional, that person may be held liable for the damages caused by his or her careless actions. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you believe his or her condition was a result of medical malpractice, please do not hesitate to contact the law firm of Gilman & Bedigian today.

According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy is “a disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by damage that occurs to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth.” The onset of this condition occurs early on in a person’s life, typically during infancy or the early childhood years. However, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the majority of those who have cerebral palsy are born with it but it may not be detected until later on. This is called congenital cerebral palsy. In addition, there are some who have acquired cerebral palsy which occurs after birth and is caused by damage or infection in the brain early on in life.

Cerebral palsy causes those affected to have “impaired movement associated with abnormal reflexes, floppiness or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, abnormal posture, involuntary movements, unsteady walking or some combination of these.” In addition, those with cerebral palsy can have difficulty with swallowing, their eyes may have difficulty focusing, they can have intellectual disabilities, blindness, deafness, and they may even suffer from seizures.

There are three different forms of cerebral palsy. The NINDS states that these forms are spastic cerebral palsy, dyskinetic cerebral palsy, and ataxic cerebral palsy. In addition, a person may have mixed types of the disease if his or her symptoms don’t fall into one specific category.

Medical Malpractice and Cerebral Palsy

Common medical mistakes that lead to cerebral palsy can include:​

• ​Failure to obtain relevant medical information prior to birth. This can include failing to perform certain tests and/or misinterpreting the results of such tests. 
• Medication errors during pregnancy
• Improper assistance given when a mother is experiencing a challenging or prolonged labor. This could include failing to act in time or intervening in an inappropriate manner

In addition to the errors listed above, any deviation from the standard of care that results in cerebral palsy could mean that you may be able to pursue a medical malpractice claim against the responsible medical professionals.

Philadelphia Cerebral Palsy Representation

If you believe that your child was injured during birth, contact the experienced and knowledgeable attorneys at the law firm of Gilman & Bedigian for a free case consultation. We are dedicated to helping our clients get just compensation when they have been injured due to another’s negligence. Let us fight for you. Call us toll free today at 800.529.6162, or fill out our online contact form.