Cerebral palsy is the most common type of motor disability in children. According to the CDC, 1-4 per 1,000 children are affected by cerebral palsy. While many cases of cerebral palsy cannot be prevented, some are caused solely because of the negligence of doctors. This includes spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (SDCP).
If you believe a loved one is suffering from spastic diplegic cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice, you may be entitled to compensation. Living with the disorder or caring for a loved one who has it is anything but easy. Especially if you know it could have been completely prevented.
Our team of experts at Hampton & King have experience working with victims of medical malpractice. Including those who are unfortunately living with injuries all because of medical neglect. Contact us today to see what your options may be. We would love to help you navigate your way around a potential spastic diplegic cerebral palsy lawsuit.
What Is Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy?
In order to understand what SDCP is, it’s important to know what cerebral palsy (CP) is. CP is a group of disorders which affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance. While issues with movement and posture are present in every case of cerebral palsy, many people have other conditions as well. This includes:
- Seizures
- Vision and hearing problems
- Cognitive disabilities
- Speech and language problems
There are three different types of cerebral palsy: Dyskinetic cerebral palsy, Ataxic cerebral palsy, and Spastic cerebral palsy. Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common type of CP. Those with spastic cerebral palsy demonstrate stiff movements due to increased muscle tone. This type of cerebral palsy can further be divided into three different types:
- Diplegia. The legs are mostly affected
- Hemiplegia. Impacts one side of the body
- Quadriplegia. All four limbs are impacted
Spastic diplegic cerebral palsy causes difficulty in walking. Those with the condition have tight leg muscles which cause their legs to turn inwards. While some symptoms of SDCP may overlap with other forms of cerebral palsy, here are some characteristics unique to this specific type:
- Walking on toes
- A scissor gait
- Exaggerated reflexes in the legs
Causes & Risk Factors For Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy
Like other types of CP, spastic diplegic cerebral palsy occurs because of brain damage. While some cases of brain damage cannot be prevented, others are caused during a birth injury that occurs due to neglect.
Some examples of risk factors and causes associated with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy include:
- Preterm delivery. Those with low birth weight are more susceptible to injury as their brain hasn’t fully developed
- Low apgar score after birth
- Multiple birth
- Oxygen deprivation at birth
- Preeclampsia
- Maternal infections
- Rh incompatibility
- Jaundice
- Abnormal fetal position that may cause stress to the body during birth
- Bleeding in the brain
- Abnormal brain development
Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy & Medical Malpractice
It’s important to know that many cases of cerebral palsy are not caused by someone’s fault. In fact, healthcare providers are unable to know the exact cause for many cases of cerebral palsy.
However, some cases of cerebral palsy exist solely because of someone else’s carelessness. In such instances, you may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit.
Examples of negligence that may lead to spastic diplegic cerebral palsy include:
- Failure to recognize a large-weight baby
- Not treating preeclampsia
- Failing to identify preterm labor
- Delaying a c-section
- Improper use of forceps during delivery
- Missing maternal infections
How To File A Claim
It isn’t easy to file a legal claim. But when it’s against a medical professional or facility, things can get even trickier. Because so many healthcare professionals have faced some sort of litigation in their careers, they have made it difficult for people to fight against them. That’s why it’s important to have an experienced team of lawyers by your side. Hampton & King prides itself on the team it has built with plenty of malpractice experience under their belt.
Once you’ve established your team, here’s what you need to know before pursuing legal action.
- You must be able to prove your healthcare provider failed to provide you adequate care. In other words, if some other medical professional was caring for you, an injury most likely would have been avoided.
- You must show the doctor’s negligence is what caused your child’s spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.
- You must file within reasonable time. This is known as the statute of limitations. In Texas, the statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases is 2 years.
It’s important to hold negligent doctors and healthcare staff members accountable. Contact us today to discuss your options.
