Cerebral palsy (CP) is a type of neurological condition that develops when a child’s brain has been damaged during development or develops abnormally. CP could occur before, during, or after birth. There are several possible causes of abnormal growth or damage.

Many used to think CP was caused by lack of oxygen during the birth process, but now scientists think oxygen deprivation only produces a small number of CP cases. Congenital CP, or damage that happens before or during birth, makes up the majority of cases. Likewise, the reasons for the development of CP in these cases are not known. However, there are some risk factors that may increase a child’s chance of having CP. These risks include the following:

• Low birthweight
• Premature birth
• Multiple births
• Infertility treatments
• Infections during pregnancy
• Jaundice and kernicterus
• Mother’s medical conditions
• Birth complications

A small percentage of children experience CP after sustaining brain damage more than 28 days after birth. This type of CP is called acquired CP and is associated with infections and head injuries. Some causes of acquired CP include infections of the brain (meningitis), head injuries (car accidents), and problems with blood flow to the brain (stroke).

Cerebral palsy affects many individuals throughout the United States, and the condition is incurable. For those affected by CP, they will live with it for the rest of their lives. Depending on the severity of their CP, it could prevent some people from holding a job. Likewise, it could even contribute to a shorter lifespan.

If your child’s CP was caused by the negligence or carelessness of a medical professional, don’t hesitate to give our skilled Baltimore cerebral palsy attorneys a call. Our lawyers have more than 100 years of combined legal experience to offer your case, and we have recovered more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements for our past clients. The Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC team is dedicated to helping the victims of personal injury seek compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If a doctor caused your child’s injury, he or she should be held accountable for his or her actions. Let us see what we can do for you and your family.

Contact us at (410) 567-0800 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case consultation with us today.

Babies are often injured during the birthing process, as it is an extremely physically traumatic event. However, many of these injuries are expected and will heal within a few days to a few weeks. More complicated damage, such as brain injuries, are some of the more concerning physical injuries an infant can suffer before, during, and after birth, and they often have devastating consequences. Some brain injuries might result from unavoidable causes, such as infections from the mother or undetectable issues; however, others are the direct result of medical negligence.

Negligence can take many forms, such as failing to monitor a fetus during labor accurately or failing to notice an existing condition in the mother. All incidences of negligence do involve failing to follow the medical standard of care owed to a patient under his or her purview.

Most people trust doctors to do the right thing in their cases; unfortunately, many medical professionals can make a number of critical mistakes that could cause brain injuries, which is why it’s so important to identify how your infant was injured and under what circumstances. For example, did the doctor notice signs of fetal distress in labor? Was the injury the result of a congenital defect or was it a preventable issue? These types of questions must be considered before determining whether or not your doctor was negligent during the delivery.

To determine how a brain injury occurred, it’s essential to conduct a thorough investigation of the scene and work with other necessary medical experts who can evaluate the treatment you and your child received. Our skilled Baltimore birth injury attorneys can assist you through this process. Our experienced lawyers are familiar with working with professionals in the medical field who can look at your case and help determine whether or not your doctor breached his or her duty of care. We can also help collect evidence related to the case, such as fetal heart monitor readings. Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC has more than 100 years of combined legal experience to offer your case. Let us see what we can do for you and your family.

Contact us at (410) 567-0800 or fill out our online form to schedule a free case consultation with us today.