Birth injuries are a traumatic experience, both for the child and their parents. Problems during the process of childbirth can cause serious injuries that can have permanent consequences. Sometimes these birth injuries are accidental; other times, they can be caused by doctor negligence or medical malpractice.

One type of common birth injury is cerebral palsy. The condition is believed to be caused by lack of oxygen to the infant’s brain (called hypoxia) or to the body (asphyxia) during childbirth. It can also be caused by premature delivery or birth trauma — sometimes caused by medical malpractice or mistakes made during the labor or childbirth.

In cerebral palsy, brain trauma causes damage to the parts of the brain that regulate movement. Depending on the specifics of the damage, cerebral palsy can cause a wide variety of complications. As such, cerebral palsy has several subtypes.

Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common subtype of cerebral palsy. Physicians may refer to this type simply as “cerebral palsy.” In spastic cerebral palsy, patients often suffer from debilitating muscle spasms and muscle tightness, where muscles tighten harder than they would in a healthy person. This tension strains joints and tendons, and can cause arthritis and tendonitis. Physical therapy, Botox treatments (in the affected nerves, not the face), and neurosurgery may help patients with these disorders.

Ataxic cerebral palsy, which causes tremors and trouble moving, afflicts about 5 to 10 percent of patients with cerebral palsy. This condition is especially obvious in fine-motor tasks, like cutting with scissors or writing. Many individuals with ataxic cerebral palsy also have issues with visual and auditory processing.

Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy usually causes patients to have trouble sitting up and walking. Additionally, motor skills are also impaired. For such individuals, motions most of us take for granted, like picking up a cup, are very difficult and require training. This type is most characterized by unusual combinations of over- and under-developed muscles, which makes it hard for patients to control their movements. It affects about 10 percent of cerebral palsy patients.

The final type is mixed cerebral palsy. This form of cerebral palsy is exactly what it sounds like: an unpredictable mixture of symptoms from the other types. This combination of symptoms complicates treatment.

While cognitive impairment may go hand-in-hand with cerebral palsy, many individuals with this disability have normal intelligence. Frustratingly, the combination of difficulty speaking, moving, and walking makes it very hard for patients to express themselves.

Cerebral palsy birth injury lawsuits have been filed by the parents of children with cerebral palsy and other birth injuries. These birth injury lawsuits allege that a specific physician’s negligence either caused an injury or made the situation worse.

These birth injury lawsuits seek to recoup the cost of medical treatment, physical and occupational therapy, and lost income potential due to the child’s disability. In many countries and states, special laws exist to help deal with statutes of limitations and other issues specific to this type of medical malpractice lawsuit.

If you had a child that was injured at birth, you may have legal options. You can start to explore your situation by obtaining a free case evaluation from an experienced birth injury lawyer. The initial consultation is completely free of charge and from it, you can receive additional guidance on the best steps to take in your exact situation.