Cerebral Palsy

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Houston Cerebral Palsy Lawyers

Raising a child is one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of life. Every parent wants the best for their children—and when you learn your infant was hurt during birth, you may not know what to do with the difficult emotions the news brings.

Cerebral palsy, which is caused by an interruption of a baby’s oxygen supply, can cause many symptoms or few. Each child’s experience of cerebral palsy, sometimes called CP, will be unique. The condition does not cause worsening symptoms over the course of a patient’s life, but it does not improve, either. This means children with CP may need medical care, assistance, accessibility devices, and other costly types of support throughout their lives.

We do not want your family to bear these costs out-of-pocket if your child’s injury was caused by a negligent doctor, nurse, or other care professional. We work with families to hold accountable anyone responsible for a birth injury. We also do our best to maximize each client’s compensation, so they can access the best of care and treatment. Our team understands how difficult it can be to learn that your child’s future might include unnecessary hardship and pain, and we’re here to help you find the right path forward.

Call us today at (800) 914-2894 to schedule your free consultation. Our caring Houston CP lawyers are here to help.

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Cerebral Palsy: Causes and Symptoms

Cerebral palsy most often develops when an infant’s oxygen supply is cut off for more than a few minutes. Also known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy, this problem may arise during a difficult labor or delivery. If an infant cannot receive oxygen through its connection to the mother (via the placenta and umbilical cord) or breathe on its own, it may asphyxiate. None of our cells can function without oxygen, which provides energy—and when brain cells don’t have the fuel they need to work, they will die. When the cerebral motor cortex, the part of the brain that controls motor function, experiences cell death, a child will develop cerebral palsy.

Severe trauma to the head can also cause cerebral palsy. Typically, the forces necessary to cause this type of damage come from inappropriate or overly vigorous doctor intervention. While an obstetrician must be ready to take action if they notice signs of fetal distress, they are also responsible for doing everything possible to keep both infant and mother safe. If your doctor or another individual on your care team acted wrongly and injured your child, you deserve the chance to hold them accountable and find justice.

Because cerebral palsy refers to the area of the brain-damaged rather than a specific set of symptoms, children may display different symptoms and signs. Depending on the exact location of the damage and its severity, you may not even notice signs of CP until your child misses developmental milestones like rolling over, sitting, standing, or walking.

Parents can spot CP in babies younger than 6 months if:

The child feels either stiff or floppy
The child’s back and/or neck seem overextended when you cradle them
Their legs get stiff, scissor, or cross when they are picked up

In babies over 6 months, parents might notice symptoms like:

A child who does not roll over (in either direction)
A child who cannot bring their hands together or to their mouth
When they reach out, they do so with one hand, keeping the other fisted

Babies that are over 10 months of age might:

Have difficulty crawling or do so unevenly
Prefer to scoot on their buttocks or hop on their knees rather than crawl

Children of any age may also have seizures; have impaired vision, hearing, or speech; or develop joint problems. Intellectual disability is also often linked with CP. If you spot these signs, you should speak to your child’s doctor. You should also reach out to a Houston cerebral palsy lawyer to determine whether you may be able to bring a birth injury claim.

Damages Parents Can Ask For

Cerebral palsy doesn’t just affect a child; it affects an entire family. In each claim, we get to know the family we’re helping, understanding their needs and goals. This allows us to accurately assess the cost of a CP diagnosis, so we can ask for fair compensation. You may be able to recover the cost of:

Surgery
Medicines
Assistive devices (like braces or a special communications device)
Physical, occupational, speech, and/or recreational therapy
An aid or nurse to provide regular care and assistance
Lost wages when you miss work for a doctor’s appointment or other need related to your child’s CP
Pain and suffering for your child
The effects of CP on your child’s future ability to work

Because every family is unique and each child shows different symptoms, we often work with life care experts and other consultants to ensure our clients’ needs will be met by the settlement we are requesting. Once we know what a family needs, we keep fighting until their case reaches a resolution.

We Understand the Science

When you file a lawsuit about a birth injury, you can expect to hear defenses that range from industry jargon to in-depth scientific information meant to bamboozle families, lawyers, and even juries. The best way to fight back is with an attorney who can cut through the nonsense and understand the actual arguments being made. Attorney Charles “Chip” Houssiere can do just that: As a former NASA medical researcher, he has an insider’s understanding of the way the healthcare field works.

The better your lawyer understands the defense’s arguments, the better they can do the counter them. Having an actual scientist on our team has helped us succeed in many cases where other firms might have failed. Not only can we address the substance of the defense directly, but our lawyers also know how to distill complex and technical arguments into plain-speak that judges and juries can understand. We refuse to be cowed by the medical establishment.

Helping Houston Families

Our team came together from a shared dedication to using the law to make a difference. When you choose to come forward with your story, you shine a light on dangerous practitioners or procedures that may have affected others in the past—and might affect others in the future. Often, filing a lawsuit can lead to changes that will protect other patients from suffering the same way your family has.

As one of Houston’s premiere birth injury firms, we understand the weight of your trust when you ask us for help with a cerebral palsy lawsuit. Our team is committed to earning that trust. We all work together on every case, to ensure we build the strongest arguments and presentation possible. We take our responsibility to represent you and advocate for your needs seriously.

If you are ready to start a cerebral palsy claim, reach out to our team at (800) 914-2894for a free consultation. We have recovered over $100 million for Houston families.

Filing a Cerebral Palsy Claim

If you believe your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by a doctor’s failure to provide sufficient care, we can help you explore the possibility of filing a lawsuit. First, this means investigating your case by reviewing medical records and accounts of the labor and delivery. It means pinpointing any negligent actions or situations that contributed to your child’s injury. It also means taking certain procedural steps to file your claim.

Our attorneys are happy to take on this work for you and your family. We understand you want to spend time making sure your child gets the care and support they need. It is true that filing a claim might mean listing a hospital network or other major company as a defendant. Such parties are likely to fight back with a well-funded legal team. However, this should not stop you from taking action. Our firm has been open for 40 years, handling serious and complex cases, and we have sufficient resources to fight for justice until the end.