Nevada Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

child with cerebral palsy caused by a birth injury in wheelchair

Cerebral palsy presents children and their families with lifelong financial, physical, and emotional challenges. With no known cure, any diagnosis of cerebral palsy can be devastating, but it can be especially tragic when the movement disorder is caused by a medical professional’s negligence.

If you suspect your child acquired cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice, contact the Nevada cerebral palsy lawyers at Lerner & Rowe for a free legal consultation. You may be eligible for compensation.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is the most common childhood movement disorder. It is caused by an abnormally developed brain or brain injury and primarily affects movement and posture.

There are three types of cerebral palsy:

  • Spastic cerebral palsy: Stiffness of the legs is common, causing difficulty walking and jerky movements.
  • Dyskinetic cerebral palsy: Uncontrollable movements and sudden jerks are common with this form of cerebral palsy. Children may also experience excessive drooling.
  • Ataxic cerebral palsy: The least common form of cerebral palsy. Children typically experience problems with balance and coordination.
Live Chat Case Review Call Now

Common Cerebral Palsy Symptoms

If your baby experiences any delays in hitting important developmental milestones, particularly those concerning motor skills or speech development, you should consult a pediatrician. This is often an early sign of cerebral palsy.

Other common cerebral palsy symptoms include:

Nevada Cerebral Palsy: Common Causes

There are two types of cerebral palsy: congenital and acquired. Congenital cerebral palsy is typically diagnosed before or shortly after birth and may be caused by genetic abnormalities or brain injuries that occur before or during birth.

Acquired cerebral palsy is caused when an otherwise normally developing brain is injured after birth. About 10 percent of all cerebral palsy cases are acquired.

Cerebral palsy may occur when a fetus or infant suffers from one or more of the following:

  • Insufficient blood flow to the brain
  • Brain damage
  • Brain infections 
  • Stroke
  • Hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation
  • Rh incompatibility
  • Genetic abnormalities

Free Case Review

How Medical Malpractice Can Cause Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is often caused by injuries or infections that affect an infant’s brain development. Sometimes, these injuries and infections are avoidable and occur due to a medical professional’s negligence. Possible signs of medical malpractice include the following.

Delayed Cesarean Section

If an infant is in distress and a doctor waits too long to order a c-section, the infant may be at risk of suffering from hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation. The baby’s oxygen supply can be affected if the mother’s blood pressure drops, the placenta detaches, or the umbilical cord becomes damaged.

If a baby gets stuck inside the birth canal, it may also be at risk of oxygen deprivation. This can sometimes occur if a baby is too large. If a doctor failed to properly estimate the baby’s weight prior to birth and did not plan a c-section accordingly, they may be held liable for malpractice.

When an infant is deprived of oxygen, they may be at risk of brain injuries and cerebral palsy.

Improper Use of Forceps or Vacuums

Sometimes medical professionals rely on tools like forceps and vacuums to assist the infant through the birth canal. Since newborns’ have soft spots on their heads that are more susceptible to injury, special care must be taken when using these tools. If used too forcibly, forceps and vacuums can injure the head and cause brain trauma.

Failure to Diagnose or Treat Infections During Pregnancy

Throughout pregnancy, mothers should be closely monitored for possible infections. Any infections can cause the fetus’ brain to develop abnormally, putting the baby at greater risk for cerebral palsy. A doctor’s failure to diagnose and treat infections in a timely manner may be considered medical malpractice.

Failure to Diagnose Rh Incompatibility

Rh incompatibility occurs when a mother’s blood type is Rh- and their baby is Rh+. The mother’s antibodies may attack the baby’s positive cells during pregnancy. This can cause severe jaundice which may injure the brain and possibly cause cerebral palsy.

If a doctor does not perform blood tests to detect Rh incompatibility or fails to intervene to prevent injury to the baby, they may be held liable for medical malpractice.

The Benefits of Hiring a Nevada Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

If you suspect that your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by a preventable birth injury, you should contact one of our Nevada birth injury lawyers. We will review your case for free and help you determine if medical malpractice may have caused your baby to develop cerebral palsy.

Our attorneys can investigate the circumstances surrounding your baby’s birth and gather evidence of possible negligence. We will use this information to help you file a medical malpractice lawsuit.

Filing a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit in Nevada

If your child’s cerebral palsy was acquired after an injury before or during birth, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the hospital or healthcare facility where you were treated.

A lawsuit can result in compensation for:

Our Nevada injury lawyers will negotiate with the insurance company to obtain a fair settlement offer on your behalf. If the insurer refuses to settle or offers too little, we can take your case to trial to fight for a verdict that covers the losses and expenses your child and family will face throughout your lifetime.

Why Hire Lerner & Rowe?

Lerner & Rowe has recovered billions in total compensation for thousands of clients. Our law firm has the resources to successfully handle complex litigation, like cerebral palsy and medical malpractice, and can guide you through each step of the process.

To find out if you have a case, simply fill out an online form to schedule a free legal consultation or call us any time of day at 702-877-1500.