Cerebral Palsy and Medical Negligence: What Parents Should Know

Cerebral palsy can result from genetic or developmental abnormalities. It can also, however, be caused by medical malpractice, such as negligent prenatal care or oxygen deprivation during labor or delivery. When this is the case, pursuing just compensation through a strong medical malpractice claim is the surest means of supporting your child’s health and well-being into the future. An experienced Harrisburg medical malpractice attorney at Mette Law cares about you and your claim and is standing by to help.

The Effects of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a brain disorder rather than a disease. It strikes in a child’s infancy or early childhood, and both bodily movement and coordination are affected. Some of the signs that are most closely associated with cerebral palsy include all the following:

• Abnormal muscle tone, which can involve weak or stiff muscles
• Issues with coordination and balance, including having a hard time learning to walk
• Lack of control over muscles
• Difficulty speaking, eating, or swallowing
• Seizures or tremors

Cerebral palsy can take time to diagnose, but missing classic developmental milestones is often an early indication.

When Medical Malpractice Applies

Medical malpractice claims hinge on professional negligence. This means failing to abide by the standard of care set by the medical profession. This is not about attaining perfection but, instead, relates to implementing the same level of care that one’s professional peers do under similar circumstances.

As such, doctors are held to the same standard as other doctors at their level of expertise under similar circumstances. This standard requires taking the same precautions that other reasonable doctors at the same level would take in similar situations. Specialists are held to a higher standard within their specialty.

If your child has cerebral palsy as a result of a doctor’s failure to uphold the necessary standard of care, it may be a matter of medical malpractice. A capable medical malpractice lawyer with extensive experience handling cerebral palsy cases can help.

Forms of Medical Malpractice that Are Closely Associated with CP

The forms of medical malpractice that are most closely associated with cerebral palsy include all the following:

• Failure to adequately monitor a high-risk pregnancy
• Mismanagement of fetal distress monitoring or failure to adequately respond to fetal distress
• Misuse of delivery aids like forceps or vacuum extractors, which can lead to brain trauma
• Inability to perform a C-section when necessary or failure to do so promptly
• Failure to address early signs of brain damage
• Not diagnosing or effectively treating infection in the mother or child
• Failure to effectively address signs of oxygen deprivation in the child

Speak to an Experienced Harrisburg Medical Malpractice Lawyer Today

Our formidable Harrisburg medical malpractice attorneys at Mette Law dedicate our practice to fiercely advocating for the rights of parents whose children have suffered cerebral palsy because of medical negligence. Your claim is important, so please don’t delay contacting us online or calling our firm at 717-232-5000 today.