Cerebral palsy is one of the most common disorders in the U.S., affecting more than half a million Americans. While the cause of the majority of cerebral palsy cases remains unknown, the scientific community agrees that it is often caused by traumatic brain injuries sustained during labor and delivery. When this injury is caused by medical negligence then it can provide the grounds for a Baltimore City cerebral palsy malpractice settlement. Learn more about the relationship between brain injury and cerebral palsy in this week’s blog.
How are brain injuries and cerebral palsy related?
Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage or malformation. While this often occurs before delivery, traumatic brain injury can be sustained during childbirth and lead to cerebral palsy. One common reason this happens due to perinatal asphyxia, a condition in which a baby’s oxygen flow becomes restricted in utero or during delivery. Causes of perinatal asphyxia can include:
- A drop in maternal blood pressure
- Umbilical cord wrapping around child’s neck
- Overuse of maternal anesthesia
When oxygen is deprived for too long, it can cause permanent brain injury and lead to cerebral palsy. Other ways in which brain injury can occur during labor and delivery is misuse of delivery tools such as forceps and vacuums. When these are used incorrectly they can easily cause permanent damage to a baby’s skull and brain, which can lead to cerebral palsy.
Baltimore City cerebral palsy malpractice settlements
If your child has cerebral palsy and you believe it was caused by medical negligence then you may have the basis for a cerebral palsy malpractice settlement. A number of families have recently filed malpractice settlement suits in Baltimore City, including against Johns Hopkins hospital and Union Memorial hospital.