Utah Personal Injury Lawyer Blog

What, exactly, is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy, a prevalent development disability, is the formal name for a set of incurable medical conditions that primarily affect a person?s ability to control muscles and body movement. Patients with cerebral palsy may have mental and/or physical delays, breathing difficulty, decreased range of motion, seizures and speech challenges.

Is CP considered brain damage?

Yes. Cerebral palsy is caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain during the prenatal and birth stages. In many cases, cerebral palsy brain damage is the result of a preventable, medical malpractice mistake.

What labor and/or delivery scenarios can lead to a child being born with CP?

Here are a few of the types of situations that can lead to cerebral palsy:

• Taking too long to make the decision for a C-section
• Misdiagnosing or failing to treat a mother?s illness, such as high blood pressure, during pregnancy
• Missing a breech position diagnosis or a problem with the umbilical cord
• Inaccurately estimating the baby's size
• Unacceptable use of vacuum extraction

Consulting with an experienced fetal brain injury lawyer can help you establish whether you have a potential medical malpractice claim. At G. Eric Nielson & Associates, LLC, we offer a no-cost cerebral palsy case evaluation. Please call our Salt Lake City cerebral palsy attorneys at 866-605-4556.