Although giving birth is a time in a woman’s life that can be quite joyful, that joy has sometimes turned into serious concern, especially when a child is injured during birth. Cerebral palsy birth injury is one such possible injury.

While some birth injuries cannot be avoided, others may be the result of negligence and could give rise to a claim for medical malpractice. This can be a sad and heartbreaking discovery for parents who discover that their child’s injuries could have been prevented.

There can be hundreds of birth injury lawsuits every year. Medical malpractice attorneys have often assisted families and parents in litigating these lawsuits and obtaining compensation for parents to assist them with their medical expenses and other losses.

A parent of a child who has been injured during childbirth may have the legal right to seek compensation for any expenses associated with the extraordinary needs created by their child’s birth injury.

There are several common birth injuries that may occur. Some may result from the negligent use of obstetrical forceps, vacuum extraction, or cesarean section during deliver. Some of these include cerebral palsy, oxygen deprivation, mental retardation, Erb’s Palsy, Klumpke’s Palsy, Brachial Plexus, and Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Cerebral Palsy Birth Injury

A cerebral palsy birth injury can lead to a disorder of movement, muscle tone, or posture. It affects more than 200,000 U.S. babies every year. Treatment of this condition may help, but currently, no cure has been found.

A cerebral palsy birth injury happens due to an abnormal brain development, often occurring before birth. It refers to a set of neurological conditions that lead to muscular weakness or stiffness.

Some of the symptoms of a cerebral palsy birth injury are exaggerated reflexes, floppy or rigid limbs, and involuntary motions. These symptoms appear in the child before early childhood. In addition, long-term treatment of a cerebral palsy birth injury includes physical and other therapies, as well as drugs, and at times surgical procedures. Cerebral palsy birth injury is one of the more common types of birth injury.

It is important to understand that not every birth injury is due to medical malpractice. Sometimes, however, these birth injuries are due to medical malpractice. And cerebral palsy birth injury or brain damage are not always evident right away. These injuries take time and, sometimes, several years before symptoms begin to show.

A medical malpractice attorney may help families or parents discuss and litigate lawsuits pertaining to birth injury events. They may also help families secure compensation that can assist them in taking care of a child that has suffered from birth injury. Some of the recovered monetary damages that can become secured by families and parents may cover future loss of earnings, past and future medical expenses, care for physical therapy, special education and training, and pain and suffering.