Cerebral palsy refers to a collection of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and posture. It is a leading cause of disability in children. Doctors diagnose almost 10,000 new cases of cerebral palsy each year. Sometimes, negligent doctors may cause or contribute to the development of cerebral palsy in an infant due to a birth injury. Parents may have the right to file lawsuits in these cases.
If you believe medical malpractice and a related birth injury caused your child’s cerebral palsy, contact the Albuquerque birth injury lawyers at the Fine Law Firm. Our knowledgeable attorneys can listen to your case and give you an honest opinion on whether your claim has merit. If so, we may offer to represent your family during insurance settlement negotiations.
Why Choose Us?
The Fine Law Firm has attorneys with the experience and resources you need. We have recovered millions of dollars for injured victims over 40 years in practice. Parents trust us to represent their cerebral palsy and other birth injury cases for many reasons, including:
- We treat clients like family, maintaining close, personal contact with them throughout the legal process.
- We only collect attorney’s fees if we win a settlement. Our rate is never more than 33%. We’ll lower our rate if necessary to ensure we receive less than our clients.
- We have years of trial experience. We aren’t afraid to take a defendant to court if necessary to maximize compensation for clients.
Cerebral palsy is a serious, lifelong condition. If medical malpractice is to blame for causing your child’s cerebral palsy, trust us with your case for aggressive legal representation.
Why Do You Need a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer?
Insurance companies can take advantage of clients during cerebral palsy birth injury cases. They may try to convince a family to settle for far less than the case is worth, or unfairly deny a legitimate claim. Don’t deal with the back and forth negotiations between your family and an insurer on top of handling your child’s special needs. Hire an Albuquerque Cerebral Palsy attorney to take over legal processes on your behalf. Our attorneys can determine the responsible party and use our resources for your benefit.
Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy
The earliest signs of cerebral palsy in an infant may include your child feeling stiff when held, spastic reflexes, involuntary movements, lack of muscle coordination, excessive drooling, speech delays, and seizures. Disabilities in your child may only be present in certain limbs or may affect the whole body. As soon as you notice any of these signs, see a doctor for potential cerebral palsy. This condition will not worsen over time, but there is no cure.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Although studies have found that around 90% of cerebral palsy cases are congenital, the remaining 10% (almost 1,000 children per year) may stem from traumatic injuries. Traumatic brain injuries, in particular, may impact the infant’s brain development in a way that triggers cerebral palsy. Lack of oxygen to the brain (hypoxia) during delivery could be enough to cause cerebral palsy, as could other birth injuries. Untreated maternal infections, infant infections, and fetal stroke and other forms of medical malpractice could also cause cerebral palsy.
Who Is Liable? Who Can I Pursue for Damages?
Determining liability for your child’s cerebral palsy may take an investigation into what happened during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. The at-fault party may be the OB/GYN, a nurse or assistant, a surgeon, the hospital/birthing center, or a combination of parties. An Albuquerque Cerebral Palsy lawyer can gather medical records, review the case, and help you answer the question of liability. You have the right to pursue any at-fault party for damages.
Contact Us Today
If a doctor has recently diagnosed your child with cerebral palsy, contact the New Mexico personal injury attorneys at the Fine Law Firm. Your family could be eligible for damages if someone else’s negligence caused the condition. Call (505) 889-FINE today to schedule your free case evaluation.