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Miami Cerebral Palsy Lawyer | Florida Cerebral Palsy Attorney
Cerebral palsy is a complex condition that can significantly impact a child’s life. It often results from brain injuries that occur during childbirth, sometimes due to medical malpractice or negligence. When faced with this diagnosis, families may feel overwhelmed, unsure of where to turn for support and guidance. This is where the Miami cerebral palsy lawyers at Flanagan & Bodenheimer can make a difference.
Flanagan & Bodenheimer Injury and Wrongful Death Law Firm is committed to advocating for the rights of children who have been affected by birth injuries, holding negligent parties accountable, and securing the compensation needed to cover the specialized care and support these children may require.
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you believe that medical malpractice may have played a role, don’t hesitate to reach out to our law firm at 305-638-4143 or complete our online form for a free consultation. Our birth injury lawyers are here to listen to your story, answer your questions, and provide the support and guidance you need.
Table of Contents
- How Can a Miami Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Help My Family?
- Cerebral Palsy Symptoms
- Types of Cerebral Palsy
- Types of Birth Injuries Linked to Cerebral Palsy
- Medical Malpractice & Cerebral Palsy
- Free Consultation With a Florida Cerebral Palsy Attorney
How Can a Miami Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Help My Family?
One of the key roles of a Miami cerebral palsy lawyer is to assess the circumstances surrounding a child’s diagnosis and determine whether medical malpractice played a role in causing the condition. This involves a thorough investigation into the events leading up to, and during, childbirth, as well as consulting with medical experts to establish a causal link between the actions of healthcare providers and the resulting brain injury.
Seeking legal representation in these cases is not just about obtaining compensation; it’s also about seeking accountability and preventing similar incidents from occurring in the future. By holding negligent parties accountable for their actions, families can help ensure that healthcare providers adhere to the highest standards of care in the future, ultimately preventing harm to other children and families in the future.
Cerebral Palsy Symptoms
Cerebral palsy presents a spectrum of symptoms impacting movement, coordination, speech, eating, and development. Symptoms can range from affecting the entire body to specific limbs or sides.
Common movement and coordination issues include:
- Spasticity (stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes)
- Muscle tone variations (too stiff or too floppy)
- Lack of balance and coordination (ataxia)
- Tremors (jerky movements)
- Difficulty walking (toe-walking, crouching, wide gait)
- Trouble with fine motor skills (buttoning clothes, using utensils)
Speech and eating difficulties may involve:
- Delays in speech development
- Trouble speaking
- Swallowing problems
Developmental symptoms may include:
- Delays in reaching motor skill milestones
- Learning and intellectual disabilities
- Delayed growth
Other neurological symptoms can include:
- Seizures
- Hearing and vision difficulties
- Sensory issues and pain perception
- Bladder and bowel problems
- Mental health conditions
While the underlying brain condition remains stable, symptoms may evolve over time, and untreated issues can worsen without aggressive treatment.
Types of Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is not a one-size-fits-all condition. In fact, it encompasses a spectrum of types, each with its own unique characteristics and challenges. These are the four types of cerebral palsy and their characteristics:
Spastic Cerebral Palsy:
- Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type, affecting around 70-80% of individuals with cerebral palsy.
- It is characterized by stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes, leading to difficulty with movement and coordination.
- Depending on the extent of muscle stiffness, spastic cerebral palsy can affect one side of the body (hemiplegia), both legs (diplegia), or all four limbs (quadriplegia).
Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy:
- Dyskinetic cerebral palsy, also known as athetoid or choreoathetoid cerebral palsy, accounts for about 10-20% of cases.
- This type is characterized by involuntary, uncontrolled movements, often accompanied by fluctuations in muscle tone.
- Individuals with dyskinetic cerebral palsy may have difficulty maintaining posture, speaking, and performing tasks requiring fine motor skills.
Ataxic Cerebral Palsy:
- Ataxic cerebral palsy is less common, representing approximately 5-10% of cases.
- It primarily affects coordination and balance, resulting in shaky movements and difficulties with precision tasks.
- People with ataxic cerebral palsy may struggle with activities like walking, writing, and buttoning clothes due to poor coordination and depth perception.
Mixed Type Cerebral Palsy:
- Some individuals may exhibit symptoms that overlap multiple types of cerebral palsy, leading to a diagnosis of mixed type cerebral palsy.
- This can present additional challenges as it combines characteristics of spastic, dyskinetic, or ataxic cerebral palsy, making treatment and management more complex.
While there is currently no cure for cerebral palsy, early intervention, therapy, and assistive devices can significantly improve quality of life and promote independence. At Flanagan & Bodenheimer, we understand the diverse needs of families affected by cerebral palsy. If you believe medical malpractice may have contributed to your child’s cerebral palsy, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 305-638-4143 or complete our online form for a free consultation.
Types of Birth Injuries Linked to Cerebral Palsy
- Oxygen Deprivation (Asphyxia): Oxygen deprivation during childbirth can occur due to various factors, including umbilical cord complications, placental abruption, or prolonged labor. Lack of oxygen to the baby’s brain can result in brain damage, leading to cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries during birth can occur due to excessive force or improper use of birthing instruments such as forceps or vacuum extractors. Head trauma during delivery can cause damage to the baby’s brain, resulting in cerebral palsy or other developmental disorders.
- Infections: Infections contracted by the mother during pregnancy or childbirth, such as bacterial or viral infections, can increase the risk of cerebral palsy in the infant. Inadequate prenatal care or failure to diagnose and treat infections promptly can contribute to birth injuries and long-term neurological complications.
- Jaundice and Kernicterus: Severe jaundice in newborns, if left untreated, can lead to a condition called kernicterus, characterized by high levels of bilirubin in the blood. Kernicterus can cause brain damage, resulting in cerebral palsy and other neurological impairments.
Medical Malpractice & Cerebral Palsy
Medical malpractice occurs when healthcare providers fail to meet the standard of care expected in their profession, resulting in harm to the patient. In the context of childbirth, medical malpractice can play a significant role in causing birth injuries and cerebral palsy. Examples of medical negligence that may lead to cerebral palsy include:
- Failure to monitor fetal distress and respond appropriately during labor.
- Delayed or improper delivery techniques, such as failure to perform a timely cesarean section.
- Mismanagement of complications during childbirth, such as umbilical cord prolapse or shoulder dystocia.
- Failure to diagnose and treat maternal infections or conditions that could affect the baby’s health.
- Improper use of medical devices or excessive force during delivery.
Free Consultation With a Florida Cerebral Palsy Attorney
Families whose children have been diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to birth injuries caused by medical negligence may be entitled to seek compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit. Compensation may cover medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, ongoing care needs, and pain and suffering. Over the years, Flanagan & Bodenheimer has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for medical malpractice victims. Click here to see some of our results.
Our firm purposely maintains a small caseload, ensuring that each client receives the focused support they deserve. We also understand the financial strain families may face, which is why we operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning clients only pay if we secure a successful outcome for their case. We also bear all of the costs of bringing the case.
While our main offices are located in Miami, FL and Hollywood, FL, we accept cases throughout all of Florida. This includes Fort Lauderdale, Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Pembroke Pines, Miramar, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Naples, and other areas. We handle a range of personal injury cases in Florida including wrongful death, car accidents, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, cruise ship injuries, slip and falls, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, mesothelioma, and more.