Cerebral Palsy

There are few conditions that have the emotional and economic effect of cerebral palsy – and few sights more heartbreaking than a child struggling with this hard-hitting disease. Sadly, between one and four children for every 1000 live births in the United States suffer from this debilitating condition.

Do We Have Experience Handling Cerebral Palsy Cases?

This is a particular area of concentration that our firm takes great pride in the representation of children impaired by cerebral palsy caused by birth injuries. This experience has helped us to recover scores of millions of dollars for our clients and their families.

Our representation does not end at a settlement or verdict. We use our experience to assist our clients in handling the compensation that they are awarded. Although children afflicted with cerebral palsy can lead very productive lives, the reality is that children suffering from this heart-breaking condition often need constant supervision and assistance to live full and productive lives. We work closely with various banking institutions to establish trust accounts to meet our clients’ individualized needs. We ensure that the child and family have the proper housing, transportation, education and therapeutical needs to fulfill their requirements.

How Can We Help You?

Investigating whether or not your child’s condition was preventable requires experienced legal assistance. The lawyers and medical staff at Harry S. Cohen & Associates, PC are here for you, your child and your family. Our dedication to our clients, combined with our knowledge of the law, enables us to determine the correct course of action for your family.

If you feel that your child suffers from cerebral palsy that was caused by the carelessness or negligence of a physician, please contact our firm immediately. Let our caring staff review your case at no charge. We can assist victims of cerebral palsy and their families to receive much needed compensation. We understand that cerebral palsy changes the lives of both victims and their families.

What Is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is an umbrella-like term used to describe a set of chronic disorders that impair the brain’s ability to adequately control movement and posture.

Cerebral means anything in the head and palsy refers to anything wrong with control of the muscles or joints in the body. If someone has cerebral palsy, it means that due to an injury to their brain (the cerebral part) they are unable to use some of the muscles in their body in a normal fashion (the palsy part). Children who suffer from cerebral palsy, otherwise known as CP, may not be able to walk, talk, eat or play in the same ways as most other kids.

There are three major types of cerebral palsy:

• Spastic (difficult or stiff movement)
• Athetoid or dyskinetic (uncontrolled or involuntary movements)
• Ataxic (loss of depth perception and balance)

Although CP is not a disease or a genetic disorder, it is not something you “grow out of.” Tragically, children who have CP will have it all their lives.

What Can Cause Cerebral Palsy?

There is not one specific cause of cerebral palsy; however, it can be caused by injury to the brain before, during or after birth. Causes can include asphyxiation (not enough oxygen), shoulder dystocia, premature delivery, the use of forceps, infection or even a vacuum delivery. Unfortunately, many of these injuries are preventable through proper prenatal and obstetric care.

What are the Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

Diagnosing a child with cerebral palsy may be difficult and may require the child to be developed enough to display CP’s symptoms. Therefore, CP is usually not diagnosed until a child reaches two to three years of age. Some of CP’s symptoms can include:

• Slow development
• Problems swallowing
• Poor head control
• Not crawling or walking at typical stages
• Involuntary movement
• Limited motion
• Slow overall development
• Ataxia (Poor coordination and balance)
• Difficulty writing
• Difficulty sucking or feeding
• Difficulty speaking, hearing, or seeing
• Poor control of the head
• Seizures
• Perception problems

Parents should always discuss their concerns with their baby’s pediatrician.