Bolt Burdon Kemp’s specialist solicitors have assisted many families claim compensation where their lives have been impacted by cerebral palsy – a neurological condition which can be brought on when the brain is starved of oxygen during pregnancy or birth.
If you have been affected, our cerebral palsy solicitors will work with medical experts to investigate the circumstances of your situation, and are determined to get you justice if your child developed cerebral palsy due to medical negligence while you were pregnant, during labour or when giving birth.
Want to know more? Get in contact with our team of caring professionals who can guide you through this difficult process. Legal Aid funding is available for these cases.
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a life-long condition which affects muscle control and movement. It is caused by an injury to the brain.
Cerebral palsy can occur when the infant is deprived of oxygen in the womb or at birth, or if the infant contracts an infection while in the womb. It can also be genetic.
Sometimes cerebral palsy is preventable and can result from inadequate medical care. Problems can sometimes go undetected by medical professionals, for example if a mother has an infection which spreads to the womb and this is not appropriately treated, or if a baby is distressed during labour, but there is a delay or failure spotting this and in delivering the baby.
Find out more about cerebral palsy.
Symptoms of cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy sufferers have complex needs. The severity of the condition will differ from child to child and can impact different parts of the body, leading to differing physical abilities.
The main symptoms of cerebral palsy are:
- Muscle weakness
- Muscle stiffness
- Uncontrolled body movements
- Balance and coordination problems
- Seizures or fits
- Difficulty swallowing
Some people with cerebral palsy may have learning difficulties, such as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, which can cause problems with social interaction and communication.
In severe cases, intelligence and mental development will be impaired and the child will have both communication and learning difficulties.
Cerebral palsy is not always obvious in infants but, as the child grows, symptoms become more noticeable as the child struggles to develop at the same rate as other children. Visit our expert resource hub for more on Cerebral Palsy information for parents.
What to do if you received inadequate maternal care
It is a devastating truth that some cases of cerebral palsy are a result of mistakes made by medical staff.
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you believe you received substandard medical care, Bolt Burdon Kemp can help you claim compensation for your child and help secure funding for their future treatment and care.
How Bolt Burdon Kemp can help
You want to give your child the best treatment around but if you have had to give up work to become a full-time carer, then financial worries can be an added pressure at an already difficult time.
At Bolt Burdon Kemp we can help ease the pressures on you – claiming cerebral palsy compensation can give you financial peace of mind, so you can focus on your child.
We can also offer extra advice regarding treatment and will guide you through the process step-by-step. Our cerebral palsy solicitors can:
- Obtain interim compensation payments, so you can afford to pay for your child’s treatment without worry until you receive your full compensation pay out
- Arrange an “immediate needs assessment” to identify any additional help and support your child needs
- Call on our close relationships with brain injury case managers who can co-ordinate care and therapy packages for your child
- Work tirelessly to achieve justice for you and your child backed up by evidence provided by renowned medical experts in midwifery, obstetrics, neonatology, paediatric neurology and neuroradiology
We understand that bringing a compensation claim for cerebral palsy can be a stressful and anxious process and that no amount of compensation will be enough.
But cerebral palsy compensation could help secure treatment for your child and help you get through the difficulties ahead, while potentially preventing further cases of cerebral palsy in other children.
Our highly experienced cerebral palsy solicitors will ensure you have the support you need to improve your family’s future and help prevent other cases of cerebral palsy.
