March 13, 2013 (Press-News.org) Medical errors can lead to cerebral palsy
Article provided by Joseph Chaiken & Associates
Visit us at http://www.jchaikenlaw.com
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 out of 303 children in America are born with cerebral palsy. Additionally, according to the United Cerebral Palsy Association, more than 500,000 Americans have the disorder. Although there are many causes, medical errors made before or during birth cause a significant number of cases.
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a group of neurological disorders that affect motor function. There are four types: spastic, ataxic, dyskinetic and mixed. Each type affects different motor abilities. Spastic cerebral palsy, by far the most common type, causes muscle stiffness, reduced ability to walk and involuntary muscle contractions. In addition to the pain this condition causes, it can cause several other disorders such as:
-Difficulty swallowing
-Vision or hearing problems
-Inability to speak
-Breathing problems
-Learning disabilities
-Loss of bladder or bowel control
-Seizures
-Joint problems
The symptoms of the disorder first appear within three years following birth. Additionally, the severity of the symptoms varies from person to person. For example, some people will be able speak normally, but are unable to walk. Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive disorder, meaning that the symptoms remain stable and do not get better or worse over time. Currently, there is no cure.
What causes it?
Cerebral palsy is caused by abnormal development in the brain or damage to the brain. The brain damage that causes it can happen before, during or within a few years after birth. Brain damage that occurs before or during birth, which is called congenital cerebral palsy, makes up about 80 percent of cases.
Although cerebral palsy can be caused by gene mutations or infections, it can also be caused by medical malpractice occurring before or during the birth process. Some of the most common medical errors that can cause the disorder are:
-Mistakes using medical tools or equipment during delivery, such as forceps or vacuums
-Failure to monitor fetal heart rate during labor or delivery
-Failure to diagnose or treat infections that can cause cerebral palsy, such as meningitis
-Failure to recognize or respond to signs of fetal distress
-Failure or unnecessary delay in performing a caesarian section when it is medically necessary
-Failure to identify or treat conditions that cause a depravation of oxygen in the baby's brain such as a prolapsed umbilical cord.
What are my legal rights?
Pennsylvania law requires doctors and medical staff to exhibit a certain minimum standard of competence when carrying out their duties. If their actions fail to meet this minimum standard, the law considers those actions to be medical malpractice. If medical malpractice causes cerebral palsy to develop, those affected have the legal right to seek compensation to pay for their child's lifetime of care and to help overcome the life-long difficulties the child will face.
If your child has developed cerebral palsy as a result of a medical error, contact an experienced medical malpractice attorney. An attorney can advise you of your legal options and protect your right to compensation.
Medical errors can lead to cerebral palsy
Although cerebral palsy can be caused by gene mutations or infections, it can also be caused by medical malpractice.
2013-03-13
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Damage caused by TBI can linger for years
2013-03-13
Damage caused by TBI can linger for years
Article provided by The Hirsch Law Firm, PLLC
Visit us at http://www.jonhirschlaw.com
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are a common problem across the nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1.7 million Americans suffer a TBI each year. The medical community has long known about the short-term brain damage that TBIs can cause. However, a recent study suggests that the brain injury caused by TBIs can last much longer than previously thought.
Researchers at the University of South Florida ...
Proposal may affect Nebraska child custody determinations
2013-03-13
Proposal may affect Nebraska child custody determinations
Article provided by Vacanti Shattuck
Visit us at http://www.cvhslaw.com
In February, a Nebraska lawmaker introduced two bills to the Judicial Committee that could change how courts award child custody. The proposed changes are meant to equalize the amount of time that separated parents spend with their children.
In a divorce, child custody is one of the most contentious issues. Often one parent receives a greater share of the time with the child or sole physical custody. This parent's home is usually where ...
Financial pitfalls faced by women post-divorce
2013-03-13
Financial pitfalls faced by women post-divorce
Article provided by The Law Office of Thomas V. Sassone, P.C.
Visit us at http://www.tvslawpc.com
Statistically, women have the harder time financially after a divorce than men. A study conducted by the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University has found that on average, a man will see an approximate 10 percent increase in his standard of living post-divorce, but a woman will experience a 27 percent decrease. Experts attribute the disparity to the possibility that many women are not involved with finances during ...
Iowa Legislature mulls tougher distracted driver law
2013-03-13
Iowa Legislature mulls tougher distracted driver law
Article provided by Shanks Law Firm
Visit us at http://www.shankslaw.net
The dangers that distracted drivers pose to other motorists on our nation's roadways has received a lot of attention in the press lately, and for good reason. After all, common sense tells us that taking our eyes off the road is a dangerous behavior that dramatically increases the risk of a car accident. Unfortunately, Iowa drivers are not immune to such behavior. As a result, the Iowa legislature has proposed toughening its laws against ...
2013 tax changes may spell confusion for small business owners
2013-03-13
2013 tax changes may spell confusion for small business owners
Article provided by The Gartzman Law Firm, P.C.
Visit us at http://www.gartzmantaxlaw.com
After a no small amount of last-minute scrambling to avert the so-called fiscal cliff, Congress recently passed a number of changes to the federal tax code. Some of these changes, both good and bad, could have a significant impact on small business owners.
While the potential for increased tax liability under the new plan is a major concern for many small business owners, some say the real challenge will be keeping ...
Tax payment plan vs. tax settlement: What's the difference?
2013-03-13
Tax payment plan vs. tax settlement: What's the difference?
Article provided by The Gartzman Law Firm, P.C.
Visit us at http://www.gartzmantaxlaw.com
Many serious tax problems stem from a simple and relatively common situation: being unable to pay the amount due to the IRS. What many people who find themselves in this situation do not realize, however, is that being unable to afford a tax payment is not necessarily what lands a person in hot water with the IRS. Instead, it is how these individuals choose to deal with the situation -- or not deal with it -- that ...
Personal bankruptcy options: liquidation vs. reorganization
2013-03-13
Personal bankruptcy options: liquidation vs. reorganization
Article provided by Purrazzella & Purrazzella, P.A.
Visit us at http://www.purrlaw.com
When financial difficulties turn from bad to worse and people fear they may never be able to catch up on their overdue bills, many turn to bankruptcy as a way to make a fresh financial start. While most people have heard of bankruptcy, many are unaware of how the process works and how it can benefit people who are struggling with unmanageable debt.
What is bankruptcy?
Bankruptcy is a legal procedure that helps ...
New technologies lead to new dangers on our nation's highways
2013-03-13
New technologies lead to new dangers on our nation's highways
Article provided by Noel M. Ferris
Visit us at http://www.noelmferris.net
Over the past decade, cell phones have become an essential tool for people in nearly every walk of life. While these devices definitely have their benefits, they are also responsible for the emergence of a significant threat on our nation's highways: distracted driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,092 people were killed and an additional 419,000 people were injured in motor vehicle accidents ...
Rhode Island divorce: basic family law considerations
2013-03-13
Rhode Island divorce: basic family law considerations
Article provided by Law Office of Hoopis & Hoopis
Visit us at http://www.hoopisandhoopis.com
When a couple plans to divorce in Rhode Island, the parties must address several legal topics that go beyond the relationship, itself. For example, litigants must assess property division, child custody and visitation, child support and other similar issues if they are applicable to the end of the marriage.
Jurisdiction
The first step in the process concerns jurisdiction. In Rhode Island, divorce proceedings ...
Guilty until proven innocent?
2013-03-13
Guilty until proven innocent?
Article provided by Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C.
Visit us at http://www.baritzlaw.com
In the 2002 movie Minority Report, Tom Cruise's character, police Chief John Anderton, leads Washington D.C.'s "Pre-crime" unit that uses a trio of gifted humans ("Pre-cogs") to see the future and prevent crime before it actually happens. The Pre-cogs are trusted so implicitly in the year 2054 A.D. that future criminals are punished for crimes they supposedly would have committed before being stopped by police.
While ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Less intensive works best for agricultural soil
Arctic rivers project receives “national champion” designation from frontiers foundation
Computational biology paves the way for new ALS tests
Study offers new hope for babies born with opioid withdrawal syndrome
UT, Volkswagen Group of America celebrate research partnership
New Medicare program could dramatically improve affordability for cancer drugs – if patients enroll
Are ‘zombie’ skin cells harmful or helpful? The answer may be in their shapes
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center presents research at AACR 2025
Head and neck, breast, lung and survivorship studies headline Dana-Farber research at AACR Annual Meeting 2025
AACR: Researchers share promising results from MD Anderson clinical trials
New research explains why our waistlines expand in middle age
Advancements in muon detection: Taishan Antineutrino Observatory's innovative top veto tracker
Chips off the old block
Microvascular decompression combined with nerve combing for atypical trigeminal neuralgia
Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry
Lung immune cell type “quietly” controls inflammation in COVID-19
Fiscal impact of expanded Medicare coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists to treat obesity
State and sociodemographic trends in US cigarette smoking with future projections
Young adults drive historic decline in smoking
NFCR congratulates Dr. Robert C. Bast, Jr. on receiving the AACR-Daniel D. Von Hoff Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education and Training in Cancer Research
Chimpanzee stem cells offer new insights into early embryonic development
This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack
FlexTech inaugural issue launches, pioneering interdisciplinary innovation in flexible technology
In Down syndrome mice, 40Hz light and sound improve cognition, neurogenesis, connectivity
Methyl eugenol: potential to inhibit oxidative stress, address related diseases, and its toxicological effects
A vascularized multilayer chip reveals shear stress-induced angiogenesis in diverse fluid conditions
AI helps unravel a cause of Alzheimer's disease and identify a therapeutic candidate
Coalition of Autism Scientists critiques US Department of Health and Human Services Autism Research Initiative
Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine
Mission accomplished for the “T2T” Hong Kong Bauhinia Genome Project
[Press-News.org] Medical errors can lead to cerebral palsyAlthough cerebral palsy can be caused by gene mutations or infections, it can also be caused by medical malpractice.