When a child is born via a surrogacy arrangement, the legal parents are the surrogate mother and, if they have consented to the arrangement, her spouse or civil partner. The intended parents must apply for a parental order or adoption in order to become the...
BBC news have reported that a young girl suffered brain damage during an emergency caesarean section resulting in her becoming permanently disabled and needing to use a wheelchair for the rest of her life. Having been diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, the young girl’s parents have had to deal with her complex medical needs arising from the condition ever since.
The trust refused to admit full liability for almost 13 years after the child’s birth. It is reported that, the negligence arose when the clinician caused a 15-minute delay in performing the emergency caesarean section after serious complications arose during the labour. The complications included a significant fall in the young girl’s heart rate during labour and it is reported that the midwives also failed to call a doctor soon enough in order for them to make a decision to perform a caesarean section.
Unfortunately, these cases and claims are far too common with an average span of over 10 years to settle.
What is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a group of conditions that can affect movement, posture and the ability to maintain balance. It is caused by damage to the developing brain, usually at birth. Symptoms such as the inability to control muscles can appear from during infancy right up to around 12 years of age. Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the damage from very mild to serious.
A child with very mild symptoms may be able to walk without an aid, whereas a child with severe symptoms is likely to require special equipment to walk or may not be able to walk at all and specialist care will be required. Epilepsy, blindness or deafness may also be experienced.
Further potential symptoms include:
- Stiff muscles and exaggerated reflexes
- Lack of balance and muscle coordination
- Delayed speech/trouble speaking
- Trouble with eating and swallowing
- Seizures
At Bell Lax our specialist lawyers have a wealth of experience of acting for families where infants have been injured as a result of negligence in hospitals and in some cases where they have sadly passed away.
The actions of a negligent clinician can have a devastating impact and we will fight for you and/or your family to recover the compensation that you deserve. This might include the costs of future care and treatment that you or your child will need as a result of this negligence.
Common brain injury claims we deal with in the field of clinical negligence include:
- Birth injuries such as Cerebral Palsy
- Brain bleeds
- Infections
- Strokes
- Late diagnosis of brain tumours
- Medication errors
- Surgical errors
If you are unsure whether an incident leading to a brain injury is a potential claim, we recommend getting advice from a legal professional. Please call us and speak to one of our experienced medical negligence solicitors on a no obligation basis on 0121 355 0011. We will not charge you for your call and if we act for you this will be on a no win no fee basis.
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