Virginia Beach Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
This article has been fact checked by an experienced birth injury attorney. Sources of information for the article are listed at the bottom.
For any content issues please Contact Us.
From the Ability Center of Virginia to the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters, Virginia Beach provides quality resources and healthcare to children with cerebral palsy. Sometimes, however, even the most experienced medical staff can make errors that leave children with debilitating disorders.
If you feel your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by medical negligence, keep in mind that there are also excellent legal resources in your city to help you.
Although there are numerous reasons medical negligence can lead to birth injuries and cerebral palsy, a common cause is a failure to monitor or recognize fetal distress properly. This costly mistake can lead to oxygen deprivation and brain damage, changing an infant’s life forever. One such case happened to a Virginia Beach family, leaving their little girl not only with cerebral palsy but a host of other medical issues.
Family Wins $2.3M in Cerebral Palsy Malpractice Case
According to court documents, Scott and Michelle Holweger, of Virginia Beach, won a lawsuit against the federal government when their daughter was born at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center with developmental disabilities. Although the government denied doing anything wrong, the family’s cerebral palsy attorney provided evidence that the hospital’s medical team failed to act in time after the infant was in distress.
At 35 weeks pregnant, Michelle checked into the hospital with severe cramping in the lower part of her stomach. The medical staff admitted the expectant mother to the triage area of the hospital and hooked her up to a fetal monitoring device. The device indicated her baby was under stress. It meant limited time before the risks of severe issues kicked in.
For over an hour, no one did anything to assist Michelle and her unborn baby, according to The Virginian-Pilot, citing court documents.
A few hours later, physicians ordered an emergency C-section. They also detected that the placenta detached from Michelle’s uterine wall, which ultimately caused the baby to have oxygen loss. The little girl was born with severe medical complications and subsequently transferred to the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters.
“She is severely delayed in all areas of development,” the lawsuit said, according to the outlet.
In turn, the Holweger filed a lawsuit against the government. The trial was scheduled for December 2011, but the defendants settled before the trial began. The funds from the settlement will help to pay for the baby’s care.
A Virginia Beach Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Can Help You
If you think your child was injured due to medical negligence, there is no reason you should have to foot the overwhelming medical and care expenses alone. The average family generally cannot afford the costs that come with caring for a child with cerebral palsy, and a compassionate and experienced lawyer will fight to ensure you have the best chances of receiving justice.
Other reasons for medical mistakes that can lead to cerebral palsy include:
- Failure to detect and treat maternal infections, or misdiagnosing maternal diseases
- Failure to perform a timely emergency C-section
- Misuse of birth-assisting tools
- Failure to identify and address issues with the placenta or umbilical cord
- Negligent genetic testing
Medical Help and Resources in Virginia Beach
Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters
CHKD offers “extensive experience treating all aspects of cerebral palsy,” according to its website. Regardless of how minor or severe the issue, the hospital provides an array of medical services to children of all ages with cerebral palsy. The hospital also offers medical services for co-existing conditions.
2021 Concert Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23456
Phone: 757-668-9915
Ability Center of Virginia
Formerly known as the Cerebral Palsy Center of Virginia, Ability is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides services to both children and adults with cerebral palsy. Services, in part, include teaching social skills, inclusion, and how to have positive relationships with others.
5825 Arrowhead Drive, Suite 201, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Phone: 757-497-7474
Cerebral Palsy of Virginia
The mission of the Cerebral Palsy of Virginia is to “serve children and adults with cerebral palsy and other developmental disabilities,” according to the organization’s official website.
5825 Arrowhead Road, Suite 201, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Phone: 757-497-7474
Sources
