Unfortunately, many of the cases of cerebral palsy are a result of medical malpractice. Many parents are unaware that their child’s birth defect may have been caused by a birth injury during the delivery. While the majority of doctors and health care professionals are attentive and professional, medical errors are too common and have tragic consequences.
If you suspect that your child’s cerebral palsy was a result of medical malpractice we recommend that you contact a medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible.
How do I know if my child’s Cerebral Palsy was due to medical malpractice?
The following are just a few of the mistakes made during delivery that have caused children to be born with cerebral palsy:
- Leaving the child in the birth canal too long causing a lack of oxygen to the brain
- Failure to recognize and treat seizures following delivery
- Failure to detect a prolapsed cord (The umbilical cord can wrap around the child’s neck, cutting off oxygen to the brain)
- Excessive use of vacuum extraction
- Improper use of forceps
- Failure to perform a cesarean section in the presence of fetal distress
- Not responding to changes in the fetal heart rate
- Failure to respond to the mothers changing conditions, such as high blood pressure or toxemia
- Failure to timely diagnose and treat jaundice
Remember symptoms do not need to be present at birth for cerebral palsy if caused by medical malpractice.