Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral Palsy is a devastating birth injury for both the child and the parents. The term cerebral palsy refers to any one of a number of neurologic disorders appearing in infancy or during early childhood which permanently affect a person’s movement and muscle coordination. It is not a problem with muscles or nerves; rather it is caused by the abnormalities in the parts of the brain that control muscle movements.
Mismanaged labor, failure to timely perform a caesarean section, blood loss, lack of oxygen before, during, and even after delivery can all result in the permanent disability of Cerebral Palsy. In cases in which substandard health care is found to be the cause, the affected children and their families need to be compensated justly and the negligent caregiver needs to be held accountable for a mistake that will undoubtedly lead to a lifetime of physical therapy, medication, surgeries and other specialized care. Infants and their caregivers are likely to incur major medical and living expenses as a result of Cerebral Palsy. These costs can be offset through a settlement or judgment. Otherwise this burden will almost inevitably fall to the taxpayers.
Cerebral Palsy is diagnosed by evaluating how a baby or young child moves. The provider evaluates the child’s muscle tone; these children appear floppy or stiff. To treat this condition, a team of healthcare professionals works with the child and the family to identify the child’s needs in order to create an individualized treatment plan to help the child reach his or her maximum potential. This team generally consists of pediatricians, physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, orthopedic surgeons, physical and occupational therapists, eye doctors, psychologists, social workers and speech pathologists. Unfortunately, Cerebral Palsy cannot be diagnosed on an x-ray or blood test.
With access to well respected medical experts and medical resources, Gibson + O’Keefe vigorously represents their Cerebral Palsy clients. Gibson + O’Keefe is a preeminent medical malpractice law firm in Ohio with over 40 years of experience in the complex medical malpractice area of law. If your infant suffered from any type of Cerebral Palsy or birth injury, please contact our experienced attorneys today for a free initial consultation at (937)643-0600.