Cerebral Palsy And The Birth Injury Attorney

Cerebral Palsy is a disorder of the motor control systems of the brain. The vast majority of CP cases are caused by damage to the developing brain of the fetus, new born or toddler. The cerebrum, also called the telencephalon, and the diencephalon constitute the forebrain. The forebrain is just behind the forehead. Cerebral palsy suffers are afflicted with one or more of three classifications of uncontrolled muscle movements - spastic, ataxic or athetoid. Medical malpractice is frequently found to be the source of the damage to the cerebrum and for this reason birth injury attorneys are often retained to pursue damage claims for cerebral palsy victims.

Your birth injury lawyer will explain to you that damage to the motor control areas of the developing brain is the cause of cerebral palsy. While it is true that recent research indicates the brain does not completely finish development until the early twenties, the motor control areas mature by the age of four. 75% of CP cases are the result of damage suffered inutero, 5% during birth and 15% after birth but before the child's 4th birthday.

Cerebral palsy is a permanent condition, which is one of the reasons a birth injury attorney is required. CP is a permanent disability that includes secondary interference with movement, muscle control development and even skeletal damage. Additionally, victims can have epilepsy and/or impairment in perception and/or sensory processing, communication and cognition.

For all of these reasons a competent, experienced birth injury attorney is vital if your child's CP was the result of medical malpractice.

You need to get financial compensation if at all possible, because caring for a child with CP is an expensive proposition. It is possible that the brain damage your child has suffered was the result of human error, not fate.