San Diego Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
Cerebral palsy is a birth injury that affects muscle ability and motor skills, and can lead to a host of other problems that seriously impair an individual’s ability to lead a happy and healthy life. Cerebral palsy occurs during pregnancy and results when the brain of the unborn child is either damaged or does not develop normally for some reason. While proper prenatal care may diagnose the affliction and could lead to more effective regiment of treatment, some instances of cerebral palsy occur as the result of medical malpractice and negligent action that takes place during the birthing process.
During delivery, a variety of problems can arise, all of which require a skilled physician with the ability to act appropriately and under time constraint. If umbilical cord entrapment is not detected before an expectant mother begins to deliver, then her unborn child’s oxygen supply can become compromised, and the lack of steady oxygen flow can have a negative impact on the child’s brain. If the child is positioned in such a manner that traditional means of delivery (vaginal) poses a risk to the child’s well-being, then a caesarian section should be performed in order to prevent the child from being unnecessarily injured during delivery. As a result, shoulder dystocia may occur, which could damage nerves and tendons in the newborn’s shoulder, leading to complications that could include permanent nerve damage, lack of muscle control, and decreased functioning of motor skills.
Whether nerves are damaged during delivery, or the brain is deprived of oxygen, which essentially kills brain cells, a child can succumb to the crippling effects of cerebral palsy without any warning. While we trust physicians and other medical professionals to administer the best possible care when we are at our most vulnerable, such care is not always administered, unnecessary mistakes are made, and innocent newborn children are burdened with bearing the brunt of the negative, life-altering affects brought about by cerebral palsy. In instances where such shoddy care was administered during the birthing process, such actions can be deemed as medical malpractice, and those responsible for administering the shoddy care can be held liable for compensatory damages that arise as a result.
If your child has suffered cerebral palsy as the result of poorly administered medical care, don’t hesitate to contact a skilled San Diego personal injury attorney. Steven Elia will examine the details surrounding your child’s affliction, including procedure and care administered by health care professionals, and will determine where negligent action may have contributed towards your child’s injury. Birth injuries can be life-altering, and necessary care can be extensive, not to mention expensive. Mr. Elia will civily prosecute the negligent party to hold them accountable for their actions. If your newborn has been injured, please call us today for a free evaluation of your medical malpractice case.