Can Medical Malpractice Lead to Cerebral Palsy?

If you suspect that your doctor was negligent during the birthing process and your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, as a result, you may wonder if you have a medical malpractice case on your hands. Here's what you need to know.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a neurological condition that affects movement and muscle coordination. It is caused by damage to the brain, typically before or during childbirth. While cerebral palsy cannot be cured, early intervention and therapy can help improve a child's quality of life.

Negligence Can be a Factor

In some cases, cerebral palsy can be caused by medical negligence. If a doctor or other medical professional fails to provide the standard of care that a reasonable person would expect in similar circumstances, and this negligence results in an injury, they may be held liable for medical malpractice.

Signs of Negligence

• You were not given timely or appropriate prenatal care. This can include things like not being given the proper tests or screenings or not being seen by a specialist when there were complications with your pregnancy.
• Your doctor failed to monitor you or your baby properly during labor and delivery. This includes things like not monitoring the baby's heart rate or not responding appropriately to fetal distress.
• Your doctor used excessive force during delivery. This can cause physical damage to both you and your baby and increase the risk of cerebral palsy.
• During delivery with forceps, vacuum extractors, or another instrument, an error was made. If these instruments are misused, they can cause serious injury.
• You underwent an unnecessary C-section. In some cases, doctors may recommend a C-section when it is not medically necessary to avoid liability if something goes wrong during vaginal delivery. This puts both mother and child at unnecessary risk.

We’re Here to Listen

No parent should have to watch their child suffer because of someone else's negligence—but unfortunately, it happens every day. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you believe that medical malpractice played a role in causing their condition, don't hesitate to talk to our experienced birth injury attorneys at Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen about your case. With their help, you could get the justice and compensation you deserve for what you've been through.

Reach our Miami birth injury attorneys at (866) 629-1061 or visit our website to get started on a consultation request form.