The Different Types of Cerebral Palsy
Explained By A Medical Malpractice Attorney Serving Maryland, DC & Virginia
The term cerebral palsy actually describes many different disorders that affect the child’s brain’s ability to control movement. The two main categories of cerebral palsy are acquired cerebral palsy and congenital cerebral palsy.
Acquired Cerebral Palsy
Acquired cerebral palsy is when the child develops cerebral palsy after the birth process. Acquired cerebral palsy is actually less common than congenital cerebral palsy. This is because most cases develop during or before the birth process. The birth process can be an extremely stressful time for the child if complications arise.
If these complications are not identified and the necessary actions are not taken the mother and child could both suffer. It is estimated that less than twenty percent of cerebral palsy cases are acquired cerebral palsy. This typically happens due to some sort of brain damage to the child.
Congenital Cerebral Palsy
Congenital cerebral palsy is the most common type of cerebral palsy. As described above this means the cerebral palsy happens during the birth process. Symptoms of congenital cerebral palsy may not show up for months, possibly years. If your child has any symptoms you may want to speak to a doctor.
Improper care during pregnancy can cause congenital cerebral palsy. If a doctor or medical staff fails to provide proper care at any point during the birth process you may have a medical malpractice case.
Medical professionals are required to provide an acceptable level of care. This means they must perform certain tests before, during and after the birth process. If certain tests are not performed, important information could be missed that may put both the mother and child at risk.
Improper use of medical equipment such as vacuum extraction can cause brain damage that could lead to congenital cerebral palsy. If the doctor does not perform cesarean section in a timely matter the child may not have enough oxygen and therefore develop cerebral palsy.
Jaundice can be very common in new born infants. However you may be surprised to know that jaundice can also cause cerebral palsy. Jaundice is caused when execess amounts of bilirubin circulates in the blood steam. Jaundice causes the skin to turn to a yellow color. When a child has jaundice it will typically go away on its own. However there are other more serious types of jaundice that can develop. Tests must be done and treatments may need to be applied to the infant. If these tests and treatments are not done in a timely matter the child may suffer and develop cerebral palsy.
Medical professionals can sometimes make mistakes or even worse sometimes just they may be totally negligent. Whatever the reason behind the action, the bottom line is your child may be permanently impaired.
Children with cerebral palsy require additional treatments to help with normal everyday functions. The amount of treatments will be different from case to case.
With cerebral palsy cases it is not uncommon to have lifetime compensation. This is because the child will need treatments for their entire life, they may also be so impaired that may not be able to work at all. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy you may want to speak to our Maryland cerebral palsy lawyers.
Greenberg and Bederman has a reputation for winning substantial settlements for our clients. Read in our testimonials section to see how we have helped so many families in Maryland win settlements for their child. Many families feel as if they have no one to help them. Perhaps you have tried to speak to an insurance company and they denied your claim? Unfortunately this is not uncommon. Especially in these stressful times insurance companies will try more than ever to deny or reduce your claim. Our Maryland cerebral palsy lawyers work for you – we work to get you the highest compensation possible.
Additional Resources
- See also Causes of Cerebral Palsy
- See also Birth Injuries
- See also Cerebral Palsy Treatments
- See also Medical Malpractice – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Cerebral palsy victims require specialized medical care and therapy and will need financial and medical assistance throughout their lives, depending on the severity of the disorder. Added to the cost of such intensive long-term care is the loss of enjoyment of life that the medical victim experiences.
If you or a loved one has suffered from cerebral palsy, call our medical malpractice lawyers at Greenberg & Bederman at 301-589-2200 or toll free 800-800-1144, or submit our online medical malpractice free consultation form below.
We have cerebral palsy lawyers in Maryland, Washington DC and Virginia.
The initial malpractice consultation is free of charge, and if we agree to handle your cerebral palsy or malpractice case, we will work on a contingency fee basis, which means we get paid for our services only if there is a monetary recovery of funds. A lawsuit must be filed before an applicable expiration date, known as a statute of limitations, so please call right away to ensure that you do not waive your right to possible compensation.
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