Doctor Caused Encephalopathy?
Our Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Are on Your Side
Was your child diagnosed with cerebral palsy? The United Cerebral Palsy Foundation estimates that 764,000 people in the United States have this condition and 8,000 infants and babies receive cerebral palsy diagnoses each year. Sadly, proper care could have prevented many of these diagnoses.
Just like any form of encephalopathy, cerebral palsy affects basic brain functions. Cerebral palsy is also known as static encephalopathy, which indicates that its effects on a person’s brain are permanent. Often, this condition results from developments in the womb or from a birth injury. Careless errors made by medical professionals during prenatal care or birth can require a lifetime of medical care, therapy and other assistance for the child and family. Our Tampa Bay medical malpractice lawyers hold negligent professionals accountable for their mistakes.
We have more than 30 years of legal experience, and our results lead to serious changes: our clients have compensation to cover all the costs associated with encephalopathy, and hospitals have adopted new rules based on our efforts.
Does my Child have Cerebral Palsy?
Sometimes cerebral palsy is not immediately apparent, which is why parents should be aware of signs that a child may have the condition. The following are some symptoms of static encephalopathy in children:
In an infant younger than six months:
- The child feels stiff or floppy
- When you hold your child, his or her head lags
- When you pick your child up, his or her legs become stiff and they cross
In an infant older than six months:
- The child does not roll over
- The baby is unable to bring his or her hands together
- The infant is not easily able to bring his or her hands to his or her mouth
- The infant only reaches out with one hand and keeps the other one in a fist
In a baby older than 10 months:
- The child pushes off with one hand and leg while dragging the other hand and leg when crawling
- He or she does not crawl on all fours, but hops on his or her knees or scoots around on his or her buttocks
When Should I Talk to a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer?
After learning that your child has cerebral palsy, you should talk to a lawyer as soon as possible. If you are uncertain why your baby has the condition, your child may be a victim of medical malpractice. We can investigate your claim and pursue compensation to give your child’s future greater stability.
Though you may have reservations about talking to an attorney, our lawyers make the process easier by only accepting payment if we secure compensation for you. We care deeply about helping those affected by medical malpractice. You can trust that if we take your case, we will remain committed to finding compensation for you. Call our Tampa Bay lawyers at (800) 258-HELP for free attorney advice about cerebral palsy.
