Cerebral Palsy Attorneys in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that primarily impairs movement, muscle tone, coordination, motor function, balance, reflex, and posture. The condition is caused by injury to the brain during development and is most commonly inflicted before, during or right after birth. Throughout this page, the Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers from our birth injury law firm will briefly discuss the causes, side effects, and signs for cerebral palsy.
Medical professionals are obligated to identify, manage, prevent, and treat the many medical complications known to cause cerebral palsy. Our Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers handle medical malpractice birth injury cases every year that result from the failure of medical professionals to manage complications within the standard of care. We understand the importance of financial assistance in the life of a child recovering from a birth injury, and have decades of experience fighting to secure compensation from Michigan birth injury cases.
If your birthing experience in Kalamazoo, Michigan was particularly complicated and your child was diagnosed with a birth injury such as cerebral palsy, Michigan Cerebral Palsy Attorneys can help you understand your legal options. Our legal team will provide you with a free case review and inform you of your legal options. Should our Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers take your case, you will not be charged until we win or settle in your favor. Contact the Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers at Michigan Cerebral Palsy Attorneys in any of the following ways:
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Call our Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers toll-free at (888) 592-1857
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What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
Our Kalamazoo Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Discuss Cerebral Palsy and Medical Malpractice
A number of complications and conditions may lead to cerebral palsy, but it is most often the result of premature birth, birth trauma, or hypoxia and ischemia (a lack of oxygen to a baby’s brain and body tissues). Unfortunately, these causes are too often the result of malpractice and negligence on part of medical professionals.
In this section, we’ll list a few of the many complications associated with pregnancy and delivery that may lead to cerebral palsy when mismanaged by a medical professional.
Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE): HIE, or birth asphyxia, is a type of brain injury that occurs as a consequence of damage to the developing brain. Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is one of the leading causes of cerebral palsy and is often the result of a mismanaged pregnancy or delivery. Without the proper medical care, several of the complications associated with pregnancy and delivery can lead to HIE. When a medical professional fails to control and identify such complications and the result is cerebral palsy or another injury, it is considered malpractice.
Some complications that may lead to HIE include the following:
- Premature birth: Preterm delivery is one of the most highly-recognized causes of cerebral palsy. In fact, premature babies are 30 times likelier to develop CP than babies born after 37 weeks of gestation.
- Post term birth: Like premature babies, postmature infants also have heightened chances of suffering hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Post term pregnancies see more macrosomic babies, diminished placental functioning, higher instances of meconium aspiration, and greater chances for cord compression.
- Birth trauma: Traumatic events around the time of birth, including the misuse of delivery assistance tools (forceps and vacuum extractors) and abnormalities in sizing and position (macrosomia, cephalopelvic disproportion, breech presentation, etc.) can cause intracranial hemorrhages and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy with resultant cerebral palsy.
- Nuchal cord: When the umbilical cord wraps in a 360 degree loop around the baby’s neck, a nuchal cord is present. Nuchal cords disrupt the flow of blood and oxygen and can cause HIE, decreased fetal development, vasa previa, and umbilical cord prolapse.
- Umbilical cord prolapse and compression: A prolapsed cord precedes the baby down the birth canal. When the cord enters the birth canal before the baby, the passage of oxygenated blood flows less freely
Abnormal amniotic fluid levels: Both polyhydramnios and oligohydramnios can cause hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy with resultant cerebral palsy. Polyhydramnios, a condition marked by excessive levels of amniotic fluid, increases the risk for conditions that lead to HIE (such as cord prolapse, placental abruption, and premature birth). Oligohydramnios, a condition characterized by insufficient amounts of amniotic fluid, also may lead to conditions that cause HIE (such as cord compression, fetal growth restriction, preeclampsia, and placental abruption).- Anesthesia mistakes interfere with the flow of oxygen to the mother and child, often resulting directly in fetal oxygen deprivation.
- Fetal monitoring errors: When medical professionals fail to monitor and correctly interpret fetal heart tracings, they may leave instances of oxygen deprivation and fetal stress unmanaged. When the result is cerebral palsy, brain damage, HIE, or any other injury, it is medical malpractice.
- Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia, or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure in the mother, constricts the blood vessels in the placenta, occasionally diminishing the flow of oxygenated blood to the baby. Medical professionals must closely diagnose, monitor, manage, and treat preeclampsia in order to avoid hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, brain damage, and cerebral palsy.
- Uterine rupture: Tearing of the uterus is a labor and delivery emergency that may limit oxygen flow to the baby in two major ways. Uterine rupture can cause the placenta to separate from the uterine wall, decreasing the flow of oxygen and blood to the baby. Blood flow is also compromised when the mother loses large quantities of blood from a torn uterus.
Side Effects, Signs & Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy patients experience a wide range of side effects, symptoms, and signs. As a reminder, signs are factors that can be measured and confirmed in a clinical setting, while symptoms are factors expressed by a patient based solely on personal experience. In this section, we’ll briefly list a few side effects, symptoms, and signs to help you learn more about personal treatment plans and the processes of diagnosis.
- Delays in reaching developmental milestones
- Failure to blink at or turn towards loud noises by the appropriate age
- Failure to hold the hands together, develop fine motor function, or grasp objects easily by the appropriate age
- Difficulty when standing, pushing up, or sitting up
- Inability to control bladder and bowels by the appropriate age
- Difficulty speaking after 12 months of age
- Medical signs
- Failure of a baby to breathe immediately after he or she is born
- Seizures, seizure disorders, and epilepsy
- Deformities of the joints or bones
- Abnormal limb posture and poor muscle tone
- Gait defects
- Favoring one side of the body or lopsided crawling
- Imbalance
- Control and coordination difficulties
- Spasms and spasticity
- Difficulty grasping objects
- Involuntary movements
- Primitive reflex retention
- Retaining the tonic, grasp, rooting, step, or crawl reflex beyond the normal age of integration
To read more about the various signs, symptoms, and side effects of cerebral palsy, visit our Signs & Symptoms webpage here.
Legal Help for Medical Malpractice Victims
Kalamazoo Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Making a Difference
Caring for a loved one with cerebral palsy is demanding. At Michigan Cerebral Palsy Attorneys, we appreciate how far the financial compensation from a successful malpractice suit can go in an injured child’s life. Whether your loved one suffered a birth injury from one of the causes we discussed or from another complication, our Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers encourage you to reach out for the legal help you need. To begin a free case review with our Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers, please contact us in one of the following ways:
- Complete our contact form here
- Call our Kalamazoo cerebral palsy lawyers toll-free at (888) 592-1857
Additional Reading from Our Kalamazoo Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
- Cerebral Palsy (CP) and Disability Resources in Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Information on Cerebral Palsy
- Our Cerebral Palsy Verdicts and Settlements