When Cerebral Palsy Is The Result of Medical Malpractice
Medical malpractice that results in serious birth injuries for your newborn baby is extremely devastating for families. Unfortunately, childbirth is complicated. When things go wrong during delivery, babies can suffer with lifelong injuries. Cerebral palsy is one such condition that stems from a lack of oxygen to the infant’s brain during the delivery process. This momentary lack of oxygen results in a number of neurological disorders that could affect your child’s motor abilities and muscle coordination. Around 80 percent of individuals diagnosed with the condition have spastic cerebral palsy which means they have a difficult time moving from one position to another. Athetoid cerebral palsy causes involuntary movements, difficulty swallowing, low muscle tone and slurred speech. Ataxic cerebral palsy causes tremors, depth perception problems and a distorted sense of balance.
Cerebral Palsy and Medical Malpractice
The majority of people diagnosed with cerebral palsy have had the condition since birth. The lack of oxygen to the brain and body during birth is often, but not always, a result of medical malpractice. The lack of oxygen can be a result of a number of failures from your doctor. Physicians may fail to detect and treat infections in the mother during pregnancy, to monitor the baby’s heart rate during and after birth appropriately, to adequately plan a C-section for larger babies or to detect a prolapsed umbilical cord. Doctors may delay in performing a C-section that is medically necessary or they may make unreasonable mistakes during delivery.
Contact an Experienced Pittsburgh Medical Malpractice Attorney
It’s estimated that around 8,000 babies are diagnosed with cerebral palsy every year. Babies will typically exhibit the early signs and symptoms within their first 18 months of life. If you are concerned that your infant may be showing signs of this condition, then contact your baby’s pediatrician as soon as possible. If your child is diagnosed and you believe it could be an injury caused by medical malpractice, then contact our legal professionals at Berger & Lagnese, LLC. We are equipped with the skills to determine the cause of your loved one’s cerebral palsy, and we want to help your family seek justice. Our office can be reached at 412-471-4300.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.