How to Make a Cerebral Palsy Legal Claim Cerebral palsy has the potential to affect children's lives in many ways. Parents of children who suffer from cerebral palsy may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in order to get financial compensation that can change their lives. Most lawsuits settle through a settlement, rather than a trial. This is because lawyers want to ensure that their clients receive money fast and trials can be costly. Costs for Treatment of Cerebral Palsy If your child has cerebral palsy, it will require a long-term medical treatment to ease symptoms and ensure the highest level of functioning. This could include physical therapy, speech and occupational therapies that can be enhanced with surgery, medications as well as assistive devices and changes to the home. These treatments can be extremely expensive and beyond the budgets of many families. According to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the lifetime cost of treatment for someone suffering from cerebral palsy can exceed $1 million. This includes direct costs like wheelchairs and home modifications as also indirect services such counseling and mental health care. In certain situations, your child may need surgery to lengthen tight or stiff muscles or remove a bone that is malformed or straighten a spine. Pain relievers and seizure suppressants along with muscle relaxants are usually prescribed. You may have to hire a nurse or caregiver who is available 24 hours a day, in the event of your child's illness. A legal settlement or a verdict from a birth injury lawsuit can help you pay for the cost of treating your child's CP and also pay for specialized treatment. To set up a consultation for free for an experienced attorney, call. At ABC Law Centers, we conduct an extensive investigation and work with medical experts to determine if doctor's negligence contributed to the brain damage of your child. We don't charge a fee until we win. Loss of future earning potential A child suffering from cerebral palsy could need to attend many doctors' appointments and therapy sessions. They might also require wheelchairs or adaptive technology. This could put a strain on the finances of your family. Our knowledgeable lawyers can help you claim compensation for these expenses. As your child grows older, the severity of their CP may affect their ability earn money and work. This could have a negative impact on the quality of life of your child and your financial future as a family. A skilled New York medical malpractice lawyer will be able to determine the amount damages you could be awarded for this. This includes both non-economic and economic compensation. The signs of CP include difficulty walking, stiff muscles, crossed knees, and arms that are tucked in their sides (abnormal gait). Other signs could be weakness in muscles or a lack of ability to open joints completely. There are several types of cerebral paralysis, and their severity varies. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most prevalent and is characterized by jerky, limited movements and tight muscles that can't stretch. Hypertonia and hypotonia are both types of CP. Cerebral palsy is a lifelong condition that is uncurable. It is often caused by an injury to the brain that occurs before or shortly after birth. A medical error such as oxygen deprivation during delivery process is often to blame. Pain and Suffering Although cerebral palsy makes some movements difficult, the condition generally does not cause physical pain. However it can cause mental and emotional distress that can cause anxiety and depression. Other disabilities can be affecting children, such as vision or hearing disorders. They may also have cognitive problems or delays in speech. The condition is caused by damage to the brain. This can happen during pregnancy, delivery or even immediately after birth. It is often caused by a deficiency of oxygen to specific brain areas. It can also result from medical negligence like the doctor not taking into consideration the pre-existing medical conditions of a woman or an error made by a doctor during the delivery. A doctor can diagnose cerebral palsy by conducting an extensive physical exam of a toddler or child, looking for symptoms of a low level of muscle tone and spasticity in ankles, knees and shoulders, and balance issues. A CT or MRI scan can be used to detect brain injury. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, you should seek the help of a medical malpractice attorney in New York as soon as possible. A lawsuit can seek reimbursement for the cost of treatments, ongoing care and financial compensation for pain and suffering. The law only gives you the time to start a lawsuit so don't wait. Financial Compensation It is costly for a parent to raise a child with cerebral paralysis. The family may need money for therapy equipment and medical treatments, as well as support services that aren't covered by insurance. A substantial jury award or out-of-court settlement could make a major difference for families who must take on this burden. The attorneys at Sokolove Law can help you receive financial compensation to pay for the treatment of your child and other related expenses. We'll work closely with your child's doctor as well as other specialists to develop an accurate picture of the expected lifetime costs for your family, which includes non-financial harm such as pain and discomfort. The non-financial damages are harder to quantify. There are various methods to calculate these damages, including the per diem method, which is a method of multiplying the number of days in which an injury can affect the income of a person's daily by the number of days it will alter their life. We also take into account the psychological and emotional stress that your child may be experiencing. Our lawyers will review your medical records and schedule a time to meet with you to provide a confidential, no-cost consultation to discuss the factors that caused the birth injury of your child. If we discover that a medical professional committed negligence, we'll file a lawsuit on your behalf. In most cases, the defendant will negotiate a settlement with the plaintiff prior to going to court. If, however, the defendant is not willing to reach an agreement on a fair amount then your case will go to court.