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Medical Errors And Cerebral Palsy

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A diagnosis of cerebral palsy is difficult for any parent to hear. The term cerebral palsy (CP) is used to define a variety of neurological disorders that have to do with the brain and muscle control. Sufferers of these disorders may have increased muscle tone, reduced muscle tone, or a combination of the two, causing difficulty with coordination, muscle control, and body movement.

Some children develop CP during gestation, when a mother is infected with German measles, also known as Rubella. Another way of getting the disorder is from jaundice. If left untreated, jaundice can damage the brain tissue and nervous system. Some children who have CP, however, get it at or directly after birth as a result of a serious medical error.

During a woman's pregnancy, her medical provider is directly responsible for the care of both her and her unborn child. During gestation, failure to diagnose an infection can have an adverse effect on the fetus, causing brain damage and possibly resulting in the development of this disorder.

Even more damaging than substandard prenatal care is when an injury occurs at the moment of the baby's birth. If the baby becomes stuck inside the birth canal, the doctor needs to act quickly to get it out and keep it alive. Failure to do so can result in a loss of oxygen to the baby's brain, a leading cause of CP.

Sometimes the equipment the physician uses in order to facilitate the delivery is to blame for the condition. The use of a vacuum extractor has a marked effect on the fetus and can cause a host of problems, ranging from mild scrapes and bruising to bleeding in the brain. This hemorrhaging, if unnoticed, can severely damage the brain, causing cerebral palsy. Severe bruising may also cause the disorder. When a bruise breaks down, it turns into bilirubin, a substance which is normally filtered out by the liver. If there is too much bilirubin in the body or if the liver is not capable of handling it due to another problem, such as a premature birth, the excess bilirubin can eventually cause brain damage.

Once the membranes have been ruptured, the baby needs to be delivered within 48 hours. Failure to do so can result in an infection entering the womb. This is extremely dangerous for a baby and can bring about CP if not treated quickly and efficiently.

A child who is diagnosed with CP may require a lifetime of treatments, including physical therapy and medications. Both of these can be extremely costly. CP, in its severest form is a life-altering disorder, which forever changes the lives of those inflicted, both emotionally and financially. It is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible if your believe your baby developed this disorder as a result of medical errors or negligence. Patients and their families that have been harmed by medical malpractice are no longer standing idle, but are, instead, using the judicial system to receive compensation for the errors that these physicians have made. It is important to seek legal representation quickly in order to receive justice for your child.

You may have evidence to file a lawsuit if:

Your doctor did not practice implied consent. Implied consent is a broad term defined as permission granted from the patient using spoken words, signs, or silence. Prior to conducting any exam, procedure, or surgery, a doctor must explain what it is he or she intends to do and the possible consequences and side effects of such actions. By doing so, an implied consent suggests that the patient has agreed to continue the procedures without having to sign a formal contract. If a doctor neglects to follow these rules during prenatal exams, he or she can be held liable for injuries acquired during the developmental stages, as no real permission was ever granted.
An inexperienced doctor may suggest an unusual operation or conduct other procedures that are atypical of hospital standards. There are countless reasons why this scenario might occur. Most commonly, a doctor's performance is weak because of overwork and exhaustion. Even if an action is unintentional, a doctor can be held liable for medical mistakes if they directly go against expert testimonials. This evidence is required for the case to hold up in court.
If medicines or drugs are improperly administered during labor, responsible parties may be held accountable.
Hospitals are fast-paced, hectic environments. In an effort to save time, doctors and other responsible parties may rush through deliveries, creating complication during childbirth that go untreated. In this instance, negligence has occurred, and those involved in the delivery process are to blame.

When choosing a lawyer, it is imperative that you select someone that is knowledgeable in medical malpractice. A lawyer that specializes in birth injury lawsuits, especially those with experience in cerebral palsy lawsuits, are more capable of recognizing feasible lawsuits. A solid case can help you receive compensation for the medical errors made before or during the delivery of your child.