Cerebral palsy is a serious health problem often resulting from not enough oxygen reaching an infant’s brain during labor or delivery. Its impact on the child and parents is lifelong, emotionally and financially. While some babies are born with cerebral palsy through no fault of anyone, about 10 percent of babies born with it developed it due to medical mistakes.
When Medical Malpractice Causes Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is often caused by hypoxia (insufficient oxygen to the brain), asphyxia (insufficient oxygen to the body), premature delivery, or trauma during birth. All of these causes can result from medical malpractice and mistakes made during labor or childbirth.
However, just because a baby is born with cerebral palsy, it doesn’t always mean that medical mistakes have been made. There are times that doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals act with the greatest care while attending to mother and baby, and there is a still a cerebral palsy diagnosis. But when medical negligence is the cause of cerebral palsy, these are the most common mistakes:
- failure to monitor the fetal heart rate appropriately during labor and childbirth
- failure to identify and treat infections in the mother during her pregnancy
- failure to identify a prolapsed umbilical cord
- failure to schedule and perform a cesarean section when the baby is too large to deliver vaginally
- delaying a cesarean section needed due to an emergency
- other negligence or mistakes in using medical instruments like forceps or vacuum during delivery
Taking care of a child with cerebral palsy is costly, can take a toll on the family emotionally, and it often requires a lifetime of care. If the condition was cause by medical malpractice, a cerebral palsy lawsuit can be filed, which holds the responsible party liable for his or her negligence, and provides compensation to the child and the family.
If you have a child who suffers from cerebral palsy due to negligence on the part of a medical professional, or you think that might be the case, the Pisanchyn Law Firm can help you. We offer a free consultation and we represent you on a contingency fee basis meaning you pay us nothing until we win your case. Call 1-800-444-5309 now for your free consultation.
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