Chicago Spastic Hemiplegia Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

Spastic hemiplegia cerebral palsy is a type of cerebral palsy that primarily affects one side of the body, including an arm and a leg. This condition causes muscle stiffness and tightness, making movements difficult and coordination challenging. 

Individuals with spastic hemiplegia may experience impaired motor skills, such as difficulty walking, grasping objects, or performing everyday tasks. Additionally, this form of cerebral palsy can impact speech and cognitive abilities, depending on the severity. 

Living with spastic hemiplegia requires ongoing medical care, therapy, and support to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. If your condition resulted from someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers today to speak with our Chicago spastic hemiplegia cerebral palsy lawyer.  

Causes of Spastic Hemiplegia CP

Spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy is a movement disorder that affects one side of the body, often leading to muscle stiffness, tight muscles, and other challenges in motor function. Understanding the potential causes of spastic hemiplegia CP can help shed light on why it develops and what risk factors may increase its likelihood. 

Prenatal Factors

Certain conditions and events during pregnancy can affect the brain and lead to spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy. These include prenatal infections such as toxoplasmosis or rubella, which can harm the baby’s neurological development. Abnormal brain development caused by genetic mutations or conditions may also result in spastic CP.

Additionally, premature birth puts babies at a higher risk of cerebral palsy because their brains and spinal cord and spinal column are still in early development, making them more vulnerable to injury or abnormal development.

Perinatal Factors

Events occurring during labor and delivery can sometimes result in spastic hemiplegia CP. Fetal distress, for example, may result in a lack of oxygen supply to the brain, leading to brain damage.

Birth complications such as prolonged labor or the use of certain delivery instruments can increase the risk of brain injury, which may result in spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy.   

Postnatal Factors

After birth, several events or conditions can contribute to the development of spastic hemiplegia CP. Traumatic brain injuries from falls, car accidents, or other incidents can damage the brain’s ability to control movement. 

Brain infections like meningitis or encephalitis may also lead to neurological disorders and spastic cerebral palsy due to inflammation and damage to the developing brain. 

By understanding these potential causes, parents and caregivers can better identify early signs of spastic hemiplegia CP and work with doctors to explore treatment options. 

Challenges Faced by Individuals with Spastic Cerebral Palsy

Living with spastic cerebral palsy presents many challenges that can affect physical abilities, daily activities, and overall quality of life. By understanding these challenges, families and caregivers can better support individuals with spastic hemiplegia CP and help them manage their needs.

Physical Limitations

One of the most noticeable challenges for individuals with spastic hemiplegia CP is dealing with physical difficulties. Muscle stiffness and weakness are common, making it harder to move freely or perform everyday tasks. 

Walking, balancing, and maintaining coordination can become daily hurdles, impacting mobility and independence. These physical challenges often require ongoing physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. 

For children with spastic CP or mild CP, this may include covering innovative treatments that retrain and create new neural pathways to improve voluntary movement.   

Associated Conditions

Spastic hemiplegia CP doesn’t always appear alone – it may also come with other conditions that require attention. Seizures, for example, are a common issue that some individuals experience, which may need medication or other treatments to manage.

Vision problems can make it harder to read or move around, while speech difficulties might affect a person’s ability to express themselves clearly. Learning disabilities can also occur, requiring educational and developmental support.

Lifelong Impact

The impact of spastic hemiplegia CP often extends throughout a person’s life. Ongoing therapies, such as physical therapy and occupational therapy, play a crucial role in helping manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Medical care, including regular doctor visits and interventions, is essential to address both motor challenges and associated conditions.

When to Seek Legal Advice for Spastic Hemiplegia CP

While not all cases of spastic hemiplegia cerebral palsy require a lawyer, certain situations demand professional legal support to protect rights and secure resources. There is no known cure to CP, but there are ways to improve a child’s quality of life. Below are some common scenarios where seeking legal advice could be necessary: 

Medical Negligence During Birth 

Spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy can sometimes be linked to medical negligence during delivery. If a brain injury, such as damage to the motor cortex, occurred as a result of preventable issues like improper monitoring or delayed delivery, a lawyer could evaluate the case for potential malpractice. 

Disputes Over Disability Benefits 

Children with spastic CP often need long-term care to address issues like muscle tightness and increased muscle tone. Unfortunately, families may face challenges in obtaining or retaining disability benefits that would assist in managing the disease control for their child. 

If disability claims are denied or unfairly reduced, consulting with an attorney knowledgeable about developmental disabilities and legal protections can make a difference. 

Issues with Education Services 

Unilateral cerebral palsy, spastic cerebral palsy, and other related disorders can affect a child’s ability to learn and participate in school. 

Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), children are entitled to tailored educational plans, including services to assist with motor function or speech therapy. If schools fail to provide necessary accommodations or services, legal intervention may be necessary.

The Role of a Chicago Spastic Hemiplegia CP Lawyer

A Chicago cerebral palsy lawyer can make a meaningful difference for families by helping them pursue justice and access the resources they need. Here’s how an attorney can assist you and your family:

• Understand Your Case: A lawyer will take the time to listen to what happened, review medical records, and determine whether negligent care caused or contributed to further complications. 
• Handle the Legal Process: From filing paperwork to meeting deadlines, your attorney will take the burden of legal procedures off your shoulders so you can focus on your family. 
• Pursue Compensation: Whether for past medical bills, ongoing treatments, or future care costs, attorneys work hard to secure financial relief to help cover these expenses. 
• Connect You with Resources: Many lawyers have networks of experts, including health care professionals and therapists, who can provide additional guidance and support to your family. 

Having a lawyer by your side ensures you’re not alone in this process, and they will always prioritize what’s best for you and your child. Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers for help.

Types of Legal Claims

When it comes to protecting your child’s future, there are several legal avenues worth exploring. Each type of claim addresses different aspects of the challenges faced by children with cerebral palsy. It’s important to know your options so you can make informed decisions about what is best for your child’s life and ongoing care.  

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice claims may be filed if a healthcare provider’s negligence during pregnancy, labor, or delivery led to your child’s cerebral palsy. Instances such as failure to identify risk factors, delayed intervention during childbirth, or improper use of medical tools can result in brain damage or other birth complications.

For example, congenital CP may arise from oxygen deprivation or injuries sustained during birth. An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can prove liability by clearly establishing how the negligence impacted your child’s condition. 

Birth Injury Lawsuits

Birth injury lawsuits focus on the harm caused to a child during delivery. These cases often require expert medical testimony to confirm that an error or oversight caused the condition, such as muscle weakness from damage to the motor cortex or muscle spasticity due to injury to the spinal cord. It’s also essential to be aware of the statute of limitations, as most states have strict deadlines for filing these lawsuits.

Our Chicago birth injury lawyers understand the nuances of these claims and can guide you through the process to strengthen your case. 

Disability Benefits Claims

For children with cerebral palsy, securing financial support through programs like Social Security Disability benefits can make a big difference. Whether your child has difficulty eating, jerky movements associated with spastic hemiplegia, or other challenges that impact daily life, these programs can help alleviate financial strain.

A lawyer can assist in preparing and filing the necessary paperwork, gathering medical evidence such as a CP diagnosis from your child’s doctor, and appealing any denials. 

Educational Rights and Advocacy

Children with cerebral palsy are entitled to equal educational opportunities, and a lawyer can help ensure your child receives the accommodations they need. Schools are legally required to provide services based on a child’s condition, giving them an opportunity to learn. 

A knowledgeable attorney can work with the school system to advocate for services like assistive technologies, speech communication tools, and adaptive physical education that considers the affected side of your child’s body. 

By understanding these types of legal claims related to spastic cerebral palsy, you can take actionable steps to address both immediate and long-term needs for your child. Contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers today for help. 

How Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers Can Help

When navigating the complexities of a cerebral palsy diagnosis, a lawyer plays a crucial role in pursuing justice and securing the resources your child needs. Here’s why working with a lawyer is so important:

Investigating the Cause of CP

Determining whether cerebral palsy resulted from preventable medical negligence is a critical first step. A lawyer will thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the case, including reviewing prenatal, birth, and postnatal medical records. 

If they determine that someone’s negligence caused the condition, your lawyer can help you obtain compensation. 

Gathering Evidence and Medical Records

Building a strong claim requires detailed evidence. Lawyers work closely with medical experts to collect records and analyze test results. For children with spastic hemiplegia, evidence such as therapy records for speech therapy, physical therapy, and constraint induced movement therapy can demonstrate the extent of the child’s needs.      

Negotiating with Insurance Companies or Government Agencies

A skilled attorney also serves as an advocate, negotiating directly with insurance companies or government programs to ensure your child receives the support they require. This could include addressing the costs of therapies to treat stiff muscles or surgical procedures such as selective dorsal rhizotomy or surgery to lengthen muscles.  

Representing Clients in Court

If a fair settlement cannot be achieved, a competent lawyer is prepared to represent clients in court. They ensure your case is presented with authority. 

This assurance is vital, particularly when advocating for children with the most severe forms of CP, who often require lifelong care involving advanced therapies, surgical intervention, and extensive support for activities affecting one side of the body.  

Secure Expert Legal Counsel!

When it comes to advocating for your child’s rights, taking action promptly can make a significant difference. At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we understand the complexities of cerebral palsy cases and the challenges families face. 

Our Chicago personal injury lawyer team is committed to providing compassionate, knowledgeable, and effective legal representation. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. Call (888) 424-5757 or complete our online contact form.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.