The damaging effects of cerebral palsy and when to file a lawsuit

Any soon-to-be parents in New York know that a healthy baby is the best gift any parent can ask for. And while parents can do everything in their power to ensure that their baby is taken care of before it is born, the birth of the baby is dependant on the medical team assisting the mother.

We all know that sometimes things don't go smoothly during the birth of a child. If the child is too big, doctors may decide that a c-section is safest for both the mother and the child. In other cases, doctors may need to use tools to help deliver the baby if it becomes stuck. Although doctors are trained to use these tools in a safe manner, occasionally they wrongly deviate from standards of care. Even a small mistake, however, can be costly to the child and his or her parents.

Imagine as a parent that you start noticing strange symptoms in your child around age 2 or 3. Maybe your child has trouble eating or drinking out of a bottle. Later on, you notice that walking is more difficult for your child than others, and he or she has strange muscle spasms frequently.

These are all symptoms of cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that is often caused by birth injuries. The wrongful use of vacuums or forceps, failure to respond to fetal distress, and failure to determine when a c-section is appropriate can all cause an infant to develop cerebral palsy. Unfortunately, there is no cure for the disorder.

Children who have cerebral palsy often live with it for the rest of their lives. While this presents serious physical challenges to them, it also leaves parents facing serious financial challenges. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that a lifetime of cerebral palsy costs around one million dollars.

Few New York residents have that kind of money, which is why it is important to consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctors involved in the child's birth as soon as you find out your child has cerebral palsy. A successful medical malpractice lawsuit can result in compensation that will help make sure the child gets the care he or she needs.

Source: The Legal Examiner, "Cerebral Palsy May Be the Result of Medical Negligence," Eric T. Chaffin, Sept. 20, 2013