Search
Call Us
Enquiry
Menu
If you or your child have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and believe that the disorder has been caused by clinical negligence at birth, the solicitors at Healys can help you mount the strongest possible case for compensation.
We aim to provide:
Call Healys Medical Negligence Solicitors today. Our friendly team is here to help. You can see how we have helped our clients in our case studies section.
Cerebral palsy is in fact an umbrella description for a set of motor and posture disorders, most of which are caused by damage suffered during birth or foetal development, with birth injury among the predominant causes.
Although there are many possible symptoms, depending on the specific cerebral palsy disorder, it is true that the most prevalent form is spastic cerebral palsy. The clinical negligence solicitors at Healys can help you claim for this type of cerebral palsy as well as other diagnostic subsets of the disorder.
The general symptoms of this condition are muscle stiffness, floppiness, or weakness, uncontrolled and random body movements, as well as issues with co-ordination and balance.
However, there are four main types of cerebral palsy, which are listed on the NHS website.
There is no known cure for cerebral palsy, however a range of treatments is available which can help alleviate symptoms and help the individual and their family deal better with the effects of the condition. Many of these treatments work best if they are started from a young age.
Some treatments available to those with cerebral palsy are:
Dystonic cerebral palsy is relatively common, with around 15% of all cerebral palsy sufferers categorised as having dystonia. Around 15,000 people in the UK are thought to have this specific disorder.
Also called athenoid or dyskinetic cerebral palsy, dystonic cerebral palsy is caused by damage sustained to the cerebellum or basal ganglia, which then results in symptoms including twisting, tic-like movements, as well as involuntary muscle spasms and twitches.
Unlike spastic cerebral palsy (in which muscles remain tight at all times), dystonic cerebral palsy causes muscle tone to fluctuate between excessive tightness and slackness.
Due to the nature of this type of cerebral palsy disorder, those affected can have difficulty controlling their speech.
Cerebral palsy is caused by damage to the brain whilst it is still in the vulnerable stage of early development. This damage is the cause of the improper function of the brain throughout life. The majority of cases are related to issues during pregnancy, as well as to observable structural problems with the brain.
An infection during pregnancy can be a cause, as well as in rare cases a genetic anomaly. Sadly, cerebral palsy can also be triggered by medical negligence. An injury during birth can be caused by medical mistakes such as the improper administering of oxygen to the new-born.
Although cerebral palsy is considered a major disability, it is possible for sufferers to live long and happy lives. The condition does not worsen over time and a variety of tools are available to help manage it.
Although the illness is permanent, symptoms can be managed. Therapy, medication and self-care are all widely adopted strategies for dealing with the symptoms.
The extent to which a cerebral palsy sufferer is able to live independently and manage day-to-day affairs varies widely. It is dependent largely on the individual’s ability to self-care. Performing activities such as bathing, feeding and grooming are often problematic to varying degrees.
Living with cerebral palsy can be an expensive business. Therapy and equipment can have high costs; especially when concerning a lifelong illness. This is why medical negligence claims are complex and require expert legal representation.
Cerebral palsy claims are typically very high value, with settlements commonly reaching six or seven-figure sums.
Healys in Brighton and London represent cases of all values and bring a specialist clinical negligence service to ensure the right combination of lump sum and annual periodical payment.
If you would like to pursue a cerebral palsy claim for you or your child with our clinical negligence solicitors, please call us today for clear advice and information.
12th August 2019
In 2018, official figures showed the waiting list for an NHS operation was over 4.3 million patients long. To put this into context, if we were to print this off, assuming an average of 50 patients per page, and laid end to end, the list would be 23 kilometres long (or 14 miles) – enough to stretch from our office in Brighton to Worthing (via the A27).
9th August 2019
You may be surprised (and somewhat perturbed) to hear the true scale of healthcare ‘adverse events’ in the UK – these are defined as “instances which indicate or may indicate that a patient has received poor quality care”. Continue reading »
4th July 2019
In two recent articles we looked at the law and procedures of Coronial Inquests in some detail. Our first article, ‘What happens at an Inquest (and other frequently asked questions)’ gave an overview of the Inquest procedure. During the course of this blog we asked, and provided answers to, questions such as, ‘When is an Inquest required?’, ‘What is the purpose of an Inquest?’, ‘What will happen at an Inquest?’ and a number of other common issues that face those involved in the Inquest procedure. Continue reading »
26th June 2019
The death of a loved one is probably the most traumatic, harrowing experience any human being will experience in their lifetime. Not only is there a period of unimaginable grief, suffering and uncontrollable feelings of sadness and loss to go through, but in addition there are a wealth of practicalities that have to be dealt with – a funeral to be arranged, finances to be sorted out, fellow grieving relatives who need supporting and potentially, sales of property and effects to be dealt with. Continue reading »
24th May 2019
No amount of money can compensate for the loss of a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, but it can at least soften the financial blow. In one case, the widow and four children of a man who was struck down by a hit-and-run driver achieved a seven-figure settlement of their claim. Continue reading »
