Cerebral Palsy is a product of brain damage caused by brain injury or abnormal brain development before birth, during birth, or immediately after. Over 8,000 babies are diagnosed with cerebral palsy each year. There are an estimated 500,000 children and adults living with cerebral palsy symptoms in the United States. Currently, there is no cure for this neurological disorder.
Cerebral Palsy caused by brain injury is commonly attributed to babies not receiving oxygen during childbirth. This can cause a lifetime of muscle coordination problems and hinder body movement in those affected.
Medical Malpractice
Delivery mistakes and medical malpractice can cause conditions such as cerebral palsy because the staff or doctor didn’t provide the correct course of treatment. If medical malpractice did occur it will take an investigation into the entire medical staff that was present that day. Common forms of medical malpractice linked to cerebral palsy are as followed:
– Failure to properly treat/detect infections in the mother
– Failure to properly monitor fetal heart rate throughout birth
– Failure to schedule cesarean section for a baby that is too large for a natural birth
– Negligence and unreasonable mistakes in using instruments while performing a delivery
Statute of Limitations in Maryland
Many states have specific guidelines on how long you can file a claim after an incident has occurred. Maryland requires that malpractice cases must be filed within five years of the time that the injury was committed, or within three years of the injury being discovered. These cases can take months or even years to settle the outcome.