Birth Trauma, Cerebral Palsy - Birth Trauma Lawyer in Philadelphia

Cerebral palsy is a term used to describe a group of disorders that affect body movement and muscle coordination. Cerebral palsy is a birth trauma that is caused by damage to the brain before, during, or after delivery. Birth trauma lawyer Gerard Bernhardt represents victims of cerebral palsy in Philadelphia and surrounding areas to ensure they receive the compensation they need and deserve.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy is not a disease or illness - it is not contagious and it does not get any worse. The symptoms of cerebral palsy can change over time and vary from person to person. A person suffering from severe cerebral palsy may need life-long care, while a person with a mild case of cerebral palsy may not need any special assistance.

Depending on which areas of the brain have been damaged, people suffering from cerebral palsy may experience involuntary movements, muscle tightness or spasm, impairment of sight, hearing, or speech, and seizures.

There are numerous forms of cerebral palsy, including:

• Spastic cerebral palsy: People who suffer from spastic cerebral palsy have increased muscle tone, making their muscles stiff and their movements awkward.
• Athetoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy: People who suffer from athetoid cerebral palsy have uncontrollable slow, writhing movements that affect their hands, arms, feet, and legs. In some cases, the face and tongue are affected as well, making it difficult to speak.
• Ataxic cerebral palsy: People who suffer from ataxic cerebral palsy have increased or decreased muscle tone, which results in problems with balance and depth perception.
• Mixed cerebral palsy: Mixed cerebral palsy occurs when the person suffers from more than one type of cerebral palsy.

If your child is suffering from cerebral palsy as the result of a birth trauma, contact birth trauma lawyer Gerard Bernhardt in Philadelphia today to discuss your case.

Could a Medical Mistake Have Caused My Child’s Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral palsy can be caused by birth trauma, including lack of oxygen to the brain or trauma to the head during labor and delivery. Unfortunately, a large percentage of cerebral palsy injuries are the result of medical malpractice.

If any of the following medical mistakes occurred during your delivery, contact birth trauma lawyer Gerard Bernhardt in Philadelphia today. He can advise you of your rights and ensure that you gather the essential evidence for your birth trauma case.

• Failure to perform a C-section when the baby is in distress
• Excessive use of vacuum extraction or forceps
• Failure to identify umbilical cord complications, such as a compressed or prolapsed cord
• Failure to respond to changes in the mother's condition during pregnancy, including high blood pressure or gestational diabetes
• Failure to respond to changes in the baby during labor, such as an increased or decreased heart rate
• Failure to order tests during pregnancy or failure to properly interpret tests during pregnancy
• Improper use of Pitocin, a drug used to induce labor

How Can I Tell If a Medical Mistake Caused My Child’s Cerebral Palsy?

There are several circumstances that may suggest cerebral palsy occurred as a result of improper medical care. If any of the following events occurred during or after the birth of your baby, a medical mistake may be the cause of your child’s cerebral palsy:

• The doctor made an emergency delivery with vacuum extraction, forceps, or C-section
• Your baby needed to be resuscitated after delivery
• Your baby was transferred to a different hospital or spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) following delivery
• Your baby had seizures immediately after birth or within the first 24 to 48 hours
• Your baby required an MRI after delivery
• Your baby needed oxygen to assist breathing after delivery
• Your baby is floppy at birth, demonstrates poor sucking ability, and has blue skin after delivery
• A specialist was called in to care for your baby after delivery

The doctors and nurses caring for the mother and child are responsible for providing appropriate and effective care before, during, and after delivery. If the standard of care is not followed and the child suffers cerebral palsy as a result, the health care providers can be held liable. If your child has suffered birth trauma or cerebral palsy in Philadelphia or surrounding areas, contact birth trauma lawyer Gerard Bernhardt today.