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Contact a Philadelphia cerebral palsy lawyer to help your child affected by medical malpractice seek justice and recover damages. If your child was born in the area with cerebral palsy, a lawyer can help. They have experience and expertise and have won millions for similar families.
Does Medical Malpractice Cause Cerebral Palsy?
If your child was born in the local area and now has cerebral palsy, you probably have many questions, like how this happened. The truth is that cerebral palsy can be caused by medical malpractice. This occurs when a medical professional fails to provide care that meets a minimum acceptable standard.
Complications and mistakes made during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and postnatal care can cause brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy.
Get Matched with a Leading Birth Injury Attorney in Your Area
Get Help NowHere are just a few examples of negligent care that could cause lifelong disabilities:
- A doctor fails to screen a pregnant woman for complications, like preeclampsia, or diagnose and treat an infection that affects the development of the fetus.
- A midwife delays getting a woman in labor to an obstetrician despite detecting complications.
- An obstetrician fails to monitor for fetal distress, resulting in loss of oxygen to the baby during delivery.
- A doctor doesn’t diagnose or immediately treat jaundice in a newborn, which can lead to brain damage.
- A doctor uses too much force with forceps and fractures the infant’s skull.
Do I Need a Philadelphia Cerebral Palsy Lawyer?
This can be a confusing time for a new mother. You might feel like your doctor did something wrong or failed to prevent your child’s injuries, but you can’t be sure. This is why it is important to talk to an experienced lawyer.
A lawyer specializing in medical malpractice and birth injuries can review your case and provide more information.
If it seems like malpractice played a role in your child’s disabilities, they can help you file a lawsuit. They can help you get the compensation you’ll need to provide your child with the best care for life.
How to Find a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer in Philadelphia
You need a local firm or lawyer with specific experience in medical malpractice and birth injuries to represent you and your child. This experience is essential because birth injury cases are complicated.
Use the offer of a free initial consultation to interview lawyers and firms and to determine the best fit for your family. Look for someone with the experience, resources, and medical experts to help build your case. They should offer contingency payment, so you don’t pay anything until they win for you.
Philadelphia Lawyer Wins Big for Local Family
In 2012, a Philadelphia jury sided with the victims of malpractice and awarded a family $78.5 million.
Victoria Upsey gave birth to her child at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center in 2008. She had signs of placental abruption, so the doctor performed an ultrasound.
According to Upsey’s lawyers, the doctor determined the baby was dead but nearly 90 minutes later realized the baby was still alive.
This resulted in a long delay in delivering the baby via C-section. The child suffered brain damage and now has severe quadriplegic cerebral palsy.[1]
Philadelphia Treatment and Resources for Cerebral Palsy
A child with cerebral palsy has a lifelong condition. For the best outcome, they need early interventions and expert treatments. Philadelphia offers world-class pediatric care and support resources:
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Cerebral Palsy Program is the only comprehensive and multidisciplinary treatment program of its kind in the area. It utilizes pediatric specialists from throughout the hospital network to create individual treatment plans for each patient.
Specialists who work with the program include neurologists, orthopedists, surgeons, developmental pediatricians, speech and language pathologists, and occupational and physical therapists. The program also offers resources for transitioning to adulthood.[2]
3401 Civic Center Blvd.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
1-800-879-2467
SpArc Philadelphia
SpArc Philadelphia has been working with the local disabled community since the 1940s when parents founded the organization to get better services for their children. SpArc is an excellent resource for disabled adolescents and adults. Services include vocational training, employment services, and independent living support.[3]
2350 West Westmoreland Street
Philadelphia, PA 19140
(215) 229-4550
Get Matched with a Leading Birth Injury Attorney in Your Area
Get Help NowReferences
- Blumenthal, J. and George, J. (2012, May 4). Pottstown Hospital Ordered to Pay $78.5 Million. Philadelphia Business Journal.
Retrieved from: https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2012/05/04/pottstown-memorial-medical-center.html - Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (n.d.). Cerebral Palsy Program.
Retrieved from: https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/cerebral-palsy-program - SpArc Philadelphia. (n.d.). Our Mission.
Retrieved from: https://sparcphilly.org/who-we-are/mission.html