Cerebral palsy is caused by situations that force brain cells to die, which results in various motor-related and learning problems. These situations include blocked blood flow, lack of oxygen, and physical injuries. Most cases of cerebral palsy occur during pregnancy and childbirth.
According to experts in the field, medical malpractice is responsible for most cerebral palsy cases. In addition, infant trauma and injury can be caused by various actions and inactions of medical staff that block the flow of oxygen and blood to the fetal brain.
Medical negligence includes rough handling of the mother during pregnancy or childbirth. In addition, faulty blood supply is one of the most common causes of brain malformations that generate developmental problems and poor motor control. Doctors and hospital staff can easily make mistakes that cut off the blood supply to an infant’s brain.
The second type of cerebral palsy develops when the brain suffers neurological damage to the critical areas of the brain that control motor responses and the way that muscles move. Causes of neurological damage include the following:
- Labor and delivery complications like breech births
- Severe oxygen shortages in the brain, caused by various conditions
- Infant injuries caused while using forceps or vacuum extractors to force the baby out of the birth canal
- Infections sustained by the mother during pregnancy
- Jaundice – the buildup of bile pigments that can cause brain cells to die
- Rh incompatibility between the mother’s and infant’s immune systems, causing blood cells to die and produce jaundice
- Strokes during birth
Medical malpractice consists of doctor and staff errors, rough handling of the mother or infant, and failure to monitor and anticipate certain conditions during the birth process.
If you suspect medical errors as the cause of your child’s cerebral palsy, you can get help from a cerebral palsy lawyer. Hiring a skilled and experienced lawyer helps you navigate the world of medical malpractice claims and counterclaims. Most cases settle out of the court with the hospital, doctors, insurers, and malpractice policies. Nevertheless, some cases need to go before a judge or jury who will offer verdicts and damages depending on the case. Either way, the presence of a lawyer knowing your state’s laws on medical malpractice is crucial for parents and children to move past the trauma and have the chance to have a healthy, fulfilling life.
Medical Malpractice Examples that Can Lead to Cerebral Palsy
Here are some examples of medical malpractice situations that could lead to cerebral palsy:
- Failure to detect and treat maternal infections
- Not monitoring the fetal heartbeat
- Using birth-assistance tools inaccurately
- Failure to perform safe surgical interventions
- Failure to schedule a C-section when indicated
- Failure to respond promptly to bleeding
- Misuse of vacuum extractors or forceps
- Negligent management of the delivery and labor processes
- Failing to resuscitate an infant in cardiac arrest
- Failure to diagnose an overly large baby
Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy consists of a group of disorders related to infant brain development, movement, posture, and muscle tone. Signs and symptoms can develop immediately after birth or during the preschool years. For example, you might detect exaggerated reflexes, floppiness in the arms and legs, unsteady walking, unusual posture, and frequent involuntary movements or tics.
People with cerebral palsy often have problems swallowing normally, difficulties focusing the eyes, and a reduced range of motion. In addition, many patients simply have trouble with intellectual development.
Why You Need Expert Medical and Legal Assistance
Medical malpractice and medical errors can include highly technical issues that most laypersons don’t completely understand. Malpractice cases include negligent acts and omissions, misdiagnoses, and failure to detect various fetal disorders like blocked airways. Moreover, technical issues like administering too much Pitocin or failing to respond to signs of an intrauterine rupture require some degree of medical expertise.
It’s critical for mothers and their birth partners to recognize the dangers of medical malpractice and cerebral palsy. If you’re uneasy about anything that happens during labor, medical malpractice might have occurred. Moreover, hospital staff make mistakes as all people do, and the pressure and fast pace of hospital treatments often lead to increased instances of errors.
That’s why you should always hire an experienced lawyer for any medical malpractice case and seek justice and compensation from the parties at fault.
