Cerebral Palsy Attorneys in Battle Creek, Michigan
Parents of children with cerebral palsy (CP) recognize how overwhelming it can be to sort through the information, resources, and expenses associated with a birth injury diagnosis. Our Battle Creek cerebral palsy lawyers understand how out of reach legal action can feel and are dedicated to ensuring support, comfort, and success throughout the process—at Michigan Cerebral Palsy Attorneys, we hope to carry some of your weight. Throughout this website, you’ll learn about cerebral palsy and your legal options from our friendly, experienced birth injury team.
If you suspect medical malpractice was at the root of your loved one’s cerebral palsy or birth injury diagnosis, don’t hesitate to call us–our skilled Battle Creek cerebral palsy lawyers will provide you with a free legal consultation to clear up any questions or concerns you may have, determine if you have a case, and inform you of your legal options. We encourage you to contact us in any of the following ways:
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Call our office toll-free at (888) 592-1857
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Brain-Related Birth Injury, Cerebral Palsy, and Medical Malpractice
Battle Creek Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Making a Difference
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition triggered by an injury, insult, or deformity to a child’s developing brain. CP is a non-progressive, chronic, non-life-threatening disorder that primarily affects movement (motor control, coordination, reflexes, muscle tone, posture, balance, and related movement features), but may also affect cognition and learning, the senses, behavior, and more. A number of individuals with cerebral palsy also have seizures and epilepsy. Most individuals with cerebral palsy acquired the condition before or during labor and delivery, but some acquire CP after birth from trauma, infection, insult, or related accidents.
When is Cerebral Palsy the Result of Medical Malpractice?
Battle Creek Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Discuss CP and Medical Malpractice
When cerebral palsy is the result of pregnancy and delivery complications, pinpointing the condition’s exact cause is not always simple. However, our Battle Creek cerebral palsy lawyers have decades of extensive experience working with birth injury malpractice cases and are skilled in determining the cause of clients’ cases of cerebral palsy. In this section, we’ll name a few of the many ways that, when mismanaged by a medical professional, the typical complications and conditions associated with pregnancy, labor, delivery, and infant care can cause cerebral palsy.
- Umbilical cord problems interrupt the natural, efficient flow of oxygenated blood, nutrients, and gases from the placenta to the baby and compromise the baby’s health and oxygen intake. Nuchal cords, which are a pregnancy complication characterized by the looping of the umbilical cord around the baby’s neck, are both common and dangerous complications of pregnancy. Compressed cords are characterized by interruption to the flow of nutrients when the cord becomes lodged between the baby and the mother’s pelvic area. Prolapsed cords precede the baby into the birth canal and increase the baby’s risk of oxygen deprivation, cord compression, cerebral palsy, and HIE.
- Placental complications: Like umbilical cord problems, complications with the placenta restrict the flow of nutrients, blood, oxygen, and gases to the baby. In cases of placental insufficiency (which often occurs after 37 weeks of pregnancy), the placenta loses efficiency and surface area and produces fewer nutrients. Placenta previa occurs when the placenta attaches to the uterus and partially or fully covers the cervix, disallowing vaginal birth. Placental abruption occurs when the placenta partially or fully separates from the uterus, often causing oxygen deprivation and brain damage in the baby.
- Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE; birth asphyxia) is a labor and delivery emergency that, when mishandled by a medical professional, may lead to severe lifelong disabilities, cerebral palsy, and even death. HIE occurs when an infant suffers prolonged periods of oxygen loss around the time of delivery. HIE can result from a broad range of mismanaged pregnancy conditions and complications, some of which include nuchal cords, umbilical cord prolapse and compression, placental abruption, uterine rupture, maternal hemorrhaging, deliveries that fail to progress, and many more.
- Intracranial hemorrhages, also known as brain bleeds, occur when the excessive pressures, insults, and forces of delivery cause bleeding within an infant’s skull or brain. Intracranial hemorrhages commonly result in the type of brain damage that causes cerebral palsy. Intracranial hemorrhaging is often triggered by challenging vaginal delivery—for instance, common causes of brain bleeding include size incompatibilities and malpresentation (macrosomia, cephalopelvic disproportion, face presentation, and breech presentation), the failure to perform a C-section in prolonged vaginal deliveries, the misuse of delivery assistance tools (forceps and vacuum extractors), and tachysistole and hyperstimulation from the overuse of Pitocin and Cytotec.
- Fetal monitoring errors may cause cerebral palsy, disabilities, and brain damage because fetal heart tracings indicate fetal distress and the need for medical intervention.
- Delays in performing and ordering a C-section delivery during challenging or dangerous vaginal deliveries may cause cerebral palsy, brain damage, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, and lifelong disability.
- Maternal and fetal health problems: Infections in the mother or baby pose serious risks for birth injury and must be properly monitored, managed, and treated by medical professionals. Some infections include rubella, herpes, chorioamnionitis, sepsis, meningitis, villitis, urinary tract infections, bacterial vaginosis, toxoplasmosis, and others.
We’ve only listed a few of the causes of cerebral palsy stemming from medical malpractice in this section, but we invite you to read more about the subject here.
What are the Treatments and Therapies for Cerebral Palsy?
- Medications: Medications are available to control seizures and spasticity, two common side effects of cerebral palsy.
- Surgical procedures: Selective dorsal rhizotomy, tendon release procedures, strabismus operations, seizure procedures, feeding gastronomy tube (PEG tube) insertion, baclofen pump insertion, and more
- Other medical procedures: Magnesium sulfate treatment, hypothermia treatment (brain cooloing)
- Adaptive Equipment: Mobility, communication, and recreation aids
- Therapy: Physical, recreational, and occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, conductive education (CE), hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), stem cell therapy, and intensive suit therapy
- Complementary and alternative therapy: Yoga, bodywork, cranial sacral therapy, Reiki, nutritional and diet therapy, hippotherapy and equine-assisted therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, reflexology, electrical stimulation therapy, and behavioral therapy
Legal Help for Victims of Birth Injury
Battle Creek Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
If you suspect that medical error caused your loved one’s birth injury, don’t hesitate to call us. Our Battle Creek cerebral palsy lawyers have years of experience with birth injury malpractice litigation—if you have a case, our birth injury lawyers will determine the cause of your loved one’s cerebral palsy and fight to obtain the compensation he or she deserves. Reach out to our Battle Creek cerebral palsy lawyers for a free legal evaluation today by filling out our online contact form or calling us at (888) 592-1857.