Los Angeles Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

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Contact a Los Angeles cerebral palsy lawyer if your child is now disabled because of medical negligence. Cerebral palsy lawyers work with families like yours to seek justice and recover damages to cover the costs of lifelong care.

Did Medical Malpractice Cause My Child’s Cerebral Palsy?

This is the question an experienced lawyer can help you answer. Many things can go wrong during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postnatal care.

If a child suffers brain damage at any point, it can result in cerebral palsy, a common childhood condition that causes permanent disabilities.

The underlying cause is brain damage or brain malformation during fetal development. Many factors increase the risk of brain damage or directly cause it. It could be something a doctor could not have prevented in some cases.

For too many children, the damage could have been prevented with better care. Some of the potential causes of preventable brain damage and cerebral palsy include:

• Failing to diagnose or treat infections or other conditions in the mother during pregnancy
• Inadequate monitoring of fetal distress during labor
• Failing to react adequately to fetal distress or lack of oxygen during labor and delivery
• Failing to account for complications or to begin a C-section promptly
• Using too much force during delivery, especially when using forceps or a vacuum extractor
• Failing to diagnose and treat troubling symptoms in the baby immediately after birth

What Will a Los Angeles Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Do to Help Us?

Los Angeles cerebral palsy lawyers help answer your questions and guide you through the legal process.

The first thing a lawyer will do to help you and your child is review your case to determine if medical malpractice seems likely or obvious. They can give you legal options to pursue justice and compensation for your child if it is.

Lawyers experienced in medical malpractice and birth injuries are uniquely placed to help you win a case. They understand the laws, have medical experts in their networks, and have won for clients like you.

The most important thing that a cerebral palsy lawyer can do to help your family is to ensure you get the best possible chance at recovering damages. Lifelong disabilities require costly treatments and care. The medical professionals responsible should pay.

How to Find a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer in Los Angeles

It isn’t hard to find firms and lawyers advertising services for birth injuries and medical malpractice. The challenge is to find the right one. Look for these characteristics before hiring someone to represent your family:

• A firm based in Los Angeles but with a national reach
• Experience working on cases like yours for families with disabled children
• Proven wins in medical malpractice and birth injury cases
• References from past clients
• A free initial consultation and willingness to answer all your questions
• Contingency payment plans, meaning you don’t pay unless and until they secure compensation for you and your child

You don’t have to settle for the first firm you interview with. Talk to several until you find a lawyer who cares about your case and gives you confidence in their ability to win.

Legal Wins for Los Angeles Families of Children with Birth Injuries

A baby in Los Angeles in 2014 was diagnosed with cerebral palsy after being born prematurely in 2014. The mother was hospitalized for an expected premature birth. During this time, nurses did not notify doctors that there were signs of fetal distress.

The baby’s heart rate slowed several times, but nurses delayed informing doctors for 30 minutes. At that point, the nurses could no longer find a heartbeat, yet they still waited several minutes to call a doctor.

When the doctor finally arrived, they performed an emergency C-section to deliver the baby. The umbilical cord had wrapped around the baby’s neck, cutting off oxygen. Because the nurses delayed, the baby suffered irreversible brain damage from lack of oxygen, known as asphyxia.

A jury awarded the family $10.3 million for medical bills, future expenses, and pain and suffering. The hospital challenged the verdict, but an appeals court upheld it.[1]

Medical Resources in Los Angeles

In addition to seeking good legal counsel, your child needs the best medical care. These facilities in and around Los Angeles can provide excellent treatment, care, and other resources.

Center for Cerebral Palsy at UCLA

UCLA Health is home to the Center for Cerebral Palsy, a department that offers treatment, research, and education. It is the only multidisciplinary clinic in the area specializing in cerebral palsy and offers care and treatment from childhood to adulthood.[2]

The care begins with an expert evaluation to determine your child’s needs. Two important clinics at the Center and the Kameron Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory guide treatments and therapies.

Treatment plans are individualized for patients and may include orthopedic surgery, oral medications, Botox, and other therapies. The Center is also home to a Family Forum, which hosts events to educate and support families.

1225 15^th Street

Santa Monica, CA 90404

(424) 259-6593

The Children’s Orthopedic Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

The premier medical facility for children in the area offers the Children’s Orthopedic Center for specialist care. Most children with cerebral palsy need orthopedic care to improve gait and mobility and to perform important procedures. The Center offers a gait clinic, expert evaluations, and innovative treatments.[3]

Multiple locations

(323) 361-2142

Momentum

Formerly United Cerebral Palsy of Los Angeles, Momentum provides home and community services for children and adults with cerebral palsy. Services are available to adults as well as children with disabilities.[4]

The organization provides various services: community living, residential services, independent living apartments, pediatric therapy, and programs to help disabled adults work and live independently.

A Los Angeles cerebral palsy lawyer is your best ally when the worst happens. If poor medical care leads to lifelong disability in your child, you can do something about it.