Charlotte Cerebral Palsy Lawyers

Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormalities or disruptions to the brain’s development, usually before a child is born. The condition can also be caused by brain abnormalities that happen early in a child’s development or during childbirth. The full extent of cerebral palsy symptoms does not always show up until years after the initial onset.

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we have extensive experience fighting for the rights of our clients who have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to a doctor’s negligence. Contact our Charlotte personal injury attorney’s as soon as possible to schedule your case evaluation. North Carolina imposes a statute of limitations on medical malpractice lawsuits. If you do not file your personal injury lawsuit in time, you could lose your right to compensation.

When a developing infant suffers from medical practice during pregnancy, or during delivery, they can develop cerebral palsy. When doctors and nurses fail to detect dangerous situations or they fail to act quickly, their negligence can cause the baby to experience a lack of oxygen which results in cerebral palsy. Many children who are diagnosed with cerebral palsy require extensive ongoing care and need expensive medical treatment.

When a pregnant woman has an infection, the infection can threaten the baby’s brain development. Infections trigger the mother’s immune response, raising her temperature and increasing the baby’s bilirubin levels. When doctors fail to diagnose a pregnant woman's infection, or they diagnose it too late, their medical malpractice could cause the baby to experience a brain injury that results in cerebral palsy.

Medical professionals have the responsibility to make sure that the placenta does not detach during birth. When a detachment of the placenta goes unnoticed or untreated, the supply of blood reaching the baby’s brain will become limited. Before birth, the placenta makes sure that oxygen-rich blood continues to travel to the brain. When the placenta becomes detached, the oxygen-rich blood supply becomes cut off. When a placenta appears to be coming detached, the pregnant mother and her child need to be monitored closely by medical staff for any signs of fetal distress during the labor process and the delivery.

In some instances, injuries to the brain happen after the child’s birth. For example, when a doctor or nurse accidentally drops the baby, the baby could suffer bleeding of the brain that causes cerebral palsy. Internal bleeding can cause the brain to experience a limited supply of oxygen. When the oxygen supply becomes cut off, cells that are necessary for cognitive and motor function can become cut off.

HIE is a medical condition that happens when the brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen and blood. In the United States, HIE caused by asphyxia is the number one cause of infant fatalities. The incident rate in premature babies is 60% of all live births and affects 20 out of every 1,000 full term births.

Many of the causes of IVH are unknown. IVH typically happens to babies who are born extremely prematurely. The more severe the grade of the IVH, the more likely the child is to become diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Bleeding in the brain can cause a hematoma that results in damaged brain tissue. When doctors make errors or act negligently in a way that causes premature birth, the parents might be able to hold the doctor liable for brain damage caused by prematurity.

There are several different ways that medical errors can cause cerebral palsy during pregnancy and birth. Hospital staff have a duty to take precautions to ensure that the child is delivered safely. In some cases, doctors fail to properly monitor the heart rate of the child, to detect any fetal distress that could cause injuries.

When infants are born prematurely with low birth weight, doctors must take extra precautions to decrease the chance of the baby hemorrhaging after the delivery or during the delivery. Finally, when doctors fail to monitor newborns for jaundice, they increase the likelihood that the child will suffer a brain injury and become diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we have extensive experience fighting for the rights of our clients who have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to a doctor’s negligence. Contact our Charlotte personal injury attorney’s as soon as possible to schedule your case evaluation. Call our office at (704) 370-2828 to evaluate your options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville, and Monroe.