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If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of the birthing process, reach out to a Delaware birth injury lawyer for help. The lawyers at Shelsby & Leoni P.A. are here to discuss your rights. You and your child may be entitled to compensation for a doctor’s potential negligence.
What Is Cerebral Palsy (CP)?
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a type of birth injury caused during childbirth and is the most common motor skill condition in childhood. Treatment is a lifelong ordeal that can cause you, your child, and your entire family significant emotional and financial stress.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy (CP)
CP is divided into two categories: congenital and acquired. CP caused during the birthing process falls into the congenital category and can result from trauma to the baby’s head during birth, improper use of forceps during delivery, or a prolonged shortage of oxygen to the baby’s brain while being delivered. An estimated 85% of all CP cases fall into the congenital category, meaning most cases trace back to what happened in the delivery room.
Acquired CP can occur within 28 days of your child being born, typically caused by a brain injury or infection after birth. When a hospital fails to diagnose or promptly treat such an infection or injury, that failure can also be the basis for a claim.
No matter what caused your baby to be born with CP, you may be entitled to significant compensation for your emotional and financial damages.
Warning Signs Your Child’s CP May Have Been Preventable
Certain signs are worth having reviewed by a birth injury attorney, not just a doctor, because they often point to a specific failure in your care:
- Bleeding in the brain: was it missed or not monitored for during a difficult delivery?
- Meningitis: was it diagnosed and treated quickly enough?
- Head injury: was it caused by improper use of forceps or a vacuum extractor?
- Untreated jaundice progressing to kernicterus: was it monitored and treated before it caused permanent damage?
CP is also more common when certain risk factors are present, such as premature birth, low birth weight, infection, or multiple births. When those risk factors are known in advance, hospitals are expected to monitor more closely, so a birth injury that follows one of them is still worth a legal review.
How a Delaware Birth Injury Lawyer Can Help You
Many cases of cerebral palsy are a direct result of substandard medical care. A birth injury will change your life and your child’s life forever. Your child may never be able to enjoy the same quality of life as other children, and you may face insurmountable medical expenses and mental anguish.
All of this may entitle you to benefits and compensation. Working with a skilled and experienced Delaware birth injury attorney can help you get the compensation you and your family are entitled to.
Contact Shelsby & Leoni for Help with Your Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit
Contact the team at Shelsby & Leoni P.A. for help today. We are skilled trial lawyers dedicated to making sure all liable parties are held responsible for your child’s injuries. We fight to get you the compensation you and your family deserve.
