Dundalk Cerebral Palsy Attorney

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture.” 

There are different types of CP, and doctors classify CP based on the movement disorders the children experience. But in addition to movement problems, children with CP can experience other health disorders, including the following:

• Problems with cognitive function
• Seizures
• Vision, hearing, and speech problems
• joint and spinal problems

With specific interventions, children with CP can gain certain independence and function. But it will depend on the severity of the CP. For example, you might get help from physical and occupational therapists to help your child improve movements and foster independence. You might work with an orthopedic surgeon to help improve joint alignment. 

Unfortunately, corrective surgeries and work with specialists can be costly. 

What Causes Cerebral Palsy, and Why Might I Decide to Take Legal Action?

Several factors can cause CP. And specific actions increase the risk of a child developing CP. Mayo Clinic notes several causes that could contribute to poor brain development:

• Traumatic head injuries or lack of oxygen
• Bleeding into the brain or fetal stroke
• Infant infections. 

In addition, certain factors increase a child’s risk of developing CP, including the following:

• Infants developing inflammation in the areas around the brain
• Infants having jaundice, which has to do with the improper breakdown of red blood cells
• Infants having low birth weight or being born prematurely 

Sometimes no one is directly responsible for the problem. Other times CP can happen in part because of the negligence of medical professionals – medical malpractice. Sometimes, the actions of medical personnel at the delivery or shortly after can contribute to a newborn developing CP. 

For example, a newborn could experience a head injury caused by the failure of medical staff to exercise safe practices. A doctor could fail to deliver enough oxygen to the baby during delivery. Or a doctor might fail to treat jaundice or infections properly.

If a doctor or other medical group failed to give adequate care for your baby, you might be able to seek compensation for your child’s CP. 

Act fast as the time limit to pursue legal action is three years from the discovery of the injury or five years from the injury itself, whichever is earlier, per Md. Cts. & Jud. Proc. Code § 5-109. 

Help from a Cerebral Palsy Attorney

Working with an attorney can increase your chances of getting adequate compensation. A Cerebral Palsy attorney can work with you to carefully review the factors that contributed to your child’s CP. They can help you gather evidence of a doctor’s negligence or malpractice. 

At your initial free consultation, an attorney can go over your legal options and estimate how much you may be able to receive in compensation. If you decide to work with us, we act as your legal representation and help you communicate with everyone involved. 

We also understand that the paperwork and timing of your case can get confusing. We are familiar with Maryland’s laws and will work with you to ensure you don’t miss deadlines for filing your claim. Therefore, it is helpful to get legal help early on. 

Costs of Hiring a Cerebral Palsy Attorney

At Brown & Barron, we only charge you for our services if we help you get compensation in your case. If we help you recover compensation, we take a percentage to cover our legal expenses. This contingency fee structure is quite helpful. It allows you to take advantage of our expert legal advice before worrying about legal fees. 

Contact Brown & Barron online today to schedule a free case review with a with a cerebral palsy lawyer serving Dundalk.