Seek Recompense for Cerebral Palsy with New York Birth Injury Lawyers
Cerebral palsy is a debilitating condition, and, if related to a birth injury, is also one of the most common conditions dealt with by experienced New York birth injury lawyers. What’s heartbreaking is that the condition is widespread: about one in every 278 U.S. children have some type of the disease, with 30% of patients having seizure disorders, as well. On top of it all, proper care of a cerebral palsy patient may require about $6 million or even more for the individual’s entire lifetime.
That’s a legitimate reason why the family of an eight-year-old girl fought for rightful compensation from the hospital that treated the mother, subsequently settling for a $2.82 million settlement. The lawsuit which the family filed was levied on the grounds that the mother experienced a relatively problem-free pregnancy until near its end, when she was admitted to the hospital after suffering from four days of unusual bleeding.
Despite her predicament, the mother reportedly received inadequate medical attention, even being haphazardly discharged at one point, only to return the next day complaining of more pain. It was then that she was discovered to be fully dilated; birth had been imminent for a long while, but because it wasn’t addressed during her visit, her birthing troubles had been blamed for the long periods of oxygen deprivation and other birth complications that the child had suffered.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by any type of infection during pregnancy which directly affects the baby’s brain development. However, the disorder can also be directly linked to medical malpractice, where half-baked and misinformed decisions have caused a child to suffer brain injury. This may be caused by the child being temporarily, but critically deprived of oxygen, or being dropped inadvertently or forcefully pulled, or hit in a sensitive area by an instrument during delivery.
Fortunately, detecting cerebral palsy early is possible. The earliest signs of cerebral palsy include: floppy/stiff muscles, inability to hold up the head, and a characteristic leg cross when the baby is picked up (for babies younger than 6 months). For babies older than 6 months, there’s also the inability to roll over, bring the hands together, and overall inability to properly crawl (scoots on the buttocks) or stand.
Cerebral palsy cases which stem from birth injuries and other delivery mistakes are serious cases, and their complexity requires specific legal action. Fortunately, trusted New York City birth injury lawyers from firms like the Law Offices of Joseph Lichtenstein can help when you need them. You can be warned to be vigilant in these types of situations, but when medical mistakes occur and birth defect is the result, then compensation is duly owed you and your child.
(Source: Family Settles For $2.82 Million In Birth Injury Lawsuit Victory, Injury Lawyer News, March 6, 2015)