Cerebral palsy is a life-long medical condition that affects voluntary and involuntary movements of the body. In many cases,  this medical condition is the result of an injury acquired by an infant before or during childbirth.

There are many ways to group the different types of cerebral palsy. One way is to categorize them based on the effect each has on the body’s motor functions:

• Spastic/pyramidal – Considered the most common type of cerebral palsy, it is characterized by increased muscle contraction and rigidity that affect voluntary movements.
• Non-spastic/extrapyramidal – This occurs when there is an injury in the involuntary motor system. It is characterized by involuntary movements that can be exaggerated with voluntary ones.

If you believe your child has developed cerebral palsy due to a medical personnel’s negligence, a lawyer at the Driscoll Firm may help you hold the responsible party accountable for all the damages your family has suffered. Call us at (800) 900-7704 today to discuss your eligibility in filing a medical malpractice lawsuit.

A breakthrough in diagnosing and treating cerebral palsy has been discovered by Australian researchers, ABC News reported on July 1.

With the general movements assessment, doctors would be able to detect infants who are at most risk of cerebral palsy as early as three months with 95 percent accuracy. This would allow doctors to promptly intervene in the condition, rather than waiting up to 19 months before starting the treatment. Researchers believe early detection and intervention could be very valuable in reducing the severity of this medical condition.

Life-long treatment and rehabilitation, complex emotions, and financial burdens are among the many challenges that a family of an individual with cerebral palsy may face. Unfortunately, there are instances when this medical condition is caused by a negligent medical practitioner. If you believe a medical professional should be held responsible for the condition of your loved one, consult with a lawyer at the Driscoll Firm about the possibility of taking legal steps against the party involved. Call us at (800) 900-7704 for a free consultation today.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is an umbrella term that refers to the inability to control muscle movements due to a complication in the brain. Although some believe cerebral palsy may have some autosomal patterns, the primary cause of CP is brain damage that occurs before and during birth. Unfortunately, several cases of brain damage-induced CP have been associated with the medical staff’s negligence to provide proper care before and during delivery.

There is still no cure for cerebral palsy, although several studies are in process. Additionally, different physical therapy techniques might be used to help children with cerebral palsy deal with symptoms of the condition. Devices such as casts, splints, and braces may all provide support and safety for individuals with CP.

If your child is suffering from this life-long medical condition because of a medical staff’s failure to properly provide care, a lawyer at the Driscoll Firm may help you consider the option of filing a medical malpractice case against the party responsible. Call us at (800) 900-7704 to discuss your situation.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a blanket term referring to an impaired ability to control body movements. CP is primarily a result of brain damage caused by several possible factors, including abnormal brain development and brain trauma. Sadly, many cases of cerebral palsy have been associated with medical staff’s negligence in providing adequate care before and during childbirth.

Clinical signs of cerebral palsy usually manifest when the child turns three and may vary from mild to severe. Children with CP primarily experience developmental delay and may have trouble reaching certain growth milestones such as sitting and walking. Children with CP often find it difficult to achieve balance and proper posture and may also experience trouble speaking. Drooling, too much sucking, and inability to perform motor functions, such as crawling or holding a crayon, may also indicate the onset of CP.

If you believe your child has been subjected to this life-long medical condition because of negligent medical staff, a lawyer at The Driscoll Firm might be able to help you hold the responsible party accountable for the financial harm your family has incurred. You may reach us anytime by dialing (800) 305-9800.

Cerebral palsy (CP) generally refers to a set of disorders affecting movement control due to injuries to the developing brain. According to the United Cerebral Palsy Association, 10,000 newborns are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year, and close to 800,000 Americans are living with this condition. Unfortunately, many of these cases are the result of negligence and medical malpractice.

To diagnose cerebral palsy, doctors may perform one or more of these tests:

• Electroencephalogram – A set of electrodes are attached to the scalp to check for epilepsy, which may indicate cerebral palsy in infants
• Physical examinations – Vision, hearing, and speech tests help detect impairments that may be associated with CP
• Brain scans – Cranial ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to check for any brain abnormalities, including CP.

If you believe your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by a medical professional’s negligence, a lawyer from The Driscoll Firm can help you file a lawsuit against the responsible party and seek much needed financial compensation. Call us today at (800) 305-9800 to learn more about pursuing such action.

Cerebral palsy is a condition characterized by involuntary muscle movements, abnormal posture, impaired reflexes, and instability when doing normal body functions, such as walking. Unfortunately, medical malpractice is known as one of the most common causes of this life-long medical condition.

Some of the most common negligent acts by medical staff that may result in cerebral palsy are:

• Failure to address the mother’s health conditions, such as meningitis and hypertension
• Forceful use of delivery forceps
• Too much use of Ventouse during vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery
• Failure to immediately remove the child from the birth canal, causing shortage of oxygen
• Failure to detect umbilical cord prolapse, which might constrict the flow of blood to the baby’s head

Our legal team at The Driscoll Firm knows how financially and emotionally draining it can be to deal with the life-long repercussions of cerebral palsy. However, when it is caused by medical malpractice, it may be possible to hold the medical professional responsible for related expenses.  Talk with us about taking legal action if your child has cerebral palsy by calling (800) 900-7704.

Disability group advocates have expressed discontent with the liberal use of the terms “cerebral palsy” and “retard” in Martin Scorsese’s film The Wolf of Wall Street.

In a joint statement, disability group The Arc chief executive, Peter Berns and United Cerebral Palsy president and CEO, Stephen Bennett noted the film’s ability to “[offend] audiences on many levels,”, especially on “its use of the R-word and its unacceptable mockery of people with cerebral palsy.”

Berns and Bennett are specifically referring to a scene where actor Leonardo di Caprio describes a drug-induced experience as feeling like a “cerebral palsy phase”. Di Caprio countered their statement by saying that the whole point of the movie was to serve as a “cautionary tale”, mentioning “we’re not condoning this behavior, we’re indicting it”.

If you or someone you know has been exposed to events that led to the development of cerebral palsy, The Driscoll Firm could help you gain financial compensation from the responsible parties. Call us at (800) 900-7704 to learn more about how we can help you.

A forthcoming study, scheduled to be published in the journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology this December, claims that Cesarean deliveries do not lower an infant’s chance of developing cerebral palsy.

Research revealed that even with Cesarean rates growing from 5% to 33% in Australia in over 40 years, cerebral palsy cases continued to occur consistently at 2-2.25 per 1,000 births. After collecting and studying this data, University of Adelaide’s Emeritus Professor, Alastair Maclennan, posits that Cesarean section deliveries are not effective in reducing the possible development of cerebral palsy.

At present, the Australian Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Research Group is still conducting studies into the possible cause of cerebral palsy. MacLennan said the results of the study are “clinically important” in disproving litigation that links Cesarean delivery to the prevention of cerebral palsy.

If your child has developed cerebral palsy because of negligent medical care, you could be eligible for compensation. Call the experienced attorneys of The Driscoll Firm at (800) 900-7704 to see how we can help you.

A mother in Southeast Texas is blaming the actions of the physician who delivered her daughter for the cerebral palsy of her two-year-old girl. According to the lawsuit filed on Thursday, September 12 at the Jefferson County District Court in Texas, plaintiff Kalyn Mary Pedigo said her daughter, Mary Kathryn, began manifesting signs of involuntary movements after she was born on July 5, 2011.

The plaintiff claimed that physicians from the Baptist Hospitals of Southeast Texas-Beaumont could have stopped the condition from happening if only they had properly monitored her during her delivery.

Pedigo is seeking an unspecified amount for damages, plus costs, pre- and post-judgment interest at the legal rate, and other relief the court finds applicable.

Cerebral palsy, a condition that causes involuntary movement and usually a host of disorders affecting the brain and the nervous system, can be a burden to both those who have the disorder and their family. If you or a person you love has developed it due to the negligence of other parties, such as physicians or medical institutions, talk with our experienced attorneys at The Driscoll Firm about pursing a lawsuit. Call us today at (800) 900-7704.

In an opinion piece published for CNN this past Friday, Mary Alice McLarty, President of the American Association for Justice, argued that the way to reduce health care costs in the U.S. is to “focus on patient safety efforts” rather than put more restrictions on the rights of patients.

McLarty states that while the medical malpractice industry does cost our country large amounts of money each year, medical malpractice suits are not the main cause of health care costs and medical malpractice problems. Instead, by allowing the nearly 100,000 patients and the families of loved ones affected by medical errors each year to pursue medical malpractice suits against the medical practitioners responsible, the civil justice system is keeping those in the medical field accountable and protecting the rights of patients.

According to McLarty’s piece, preventable medical mistakes are the “sixth leading cause of fatalities in the U.S. and cost our country $29 billion a year.” Thus, seeking caps on medical malpractice claims and reforming malpractice tort law will only limit patients’ rights and cause further harm to Americans.

Suffering from medical malpractice in the form of a birth injury can substantially affect your family. Contact a cerebral palsy lawyer of the Driscoll Firm, to see what legal options you may have if your child has developed cerebral palsy because of a medical professional’s mistake.