Discovering that your child has suffered hemiplegia at birth can be an overwhelming and challenging experience for any parent. Hemiplegia is a condition characterized by paralysis or severe weakness on one side of the body, and it often requires comprehensive care and support. Taking the right steps in the aftermath of such a diagnosis is crucial for your child’s well-being and development. Here are some steps to take if your child has suffered hemiplegia at birth.
What is Hemiplegia?
Hemiplegia birth injury refers to a condition where one side of the body experiences paralysis or severe weakness due to damage to the motor areas of the brain, often occurring during childbirth. This neurological impairment affects both the upper and lower limbs on one side, affecting a child’s ability to control movement and coordination.
The injury is typically associated with complications during labor and delivery, such as oxygen deprivation to the brain (hypoxia) or trauma. The severity of hemiplegia birth injuries can vary, and early intervention is crucial to address developmental challenges. Treatment may involve physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other interventions to promote mobility and improve overall functioning for individuals affected by hemiplegia from birth.
What to Do If Your Child Suffered Hemiplegia at Birth
- Seek immediate medical attention: The first and foremost step is to ensure your child receives prompt and appropriate medical care. Work closely with healthcare professionals, including neonatologists, pediatric neurologists, and physical therapists, to understand the extent of the condition and develop a comprehensive treatment plan.
- Ask questions and seek information: Take the time to ask your healthcare providers questions about hemiplegia, its causes, potential complications, and available treatments. Understanding the condition is crucial for making informed decisions about your child’s care and future.
- Connect with support groups: Reach out to local and online support groups for parents of children with hemiplegia or similar conditions. These communities can provide valuable insights, emotional support, and practical advice based on the experiences of others who have faced similar challenges.
- Advocate for your child: Be a strong advocate for your child’s needs within the healthcare and educational systems. Ensure that your child receives appropriate accommodations at school and that teachers and staff are aware of your child’s condition.
- Explore assistive technology: Investigate the potential benefits of assistive technology, such as mobility aids, communication devices, or adaptive computer tools. These technologies can enhance your child’s independence and participation in various activities.
- Investigate financial and legal aspects related to your child’s condition. Explore available resources, such as disability benefits or grants, and consult with an experienced birth injury attorney to understand your rights.
Hemiplegia and Negligence (carelessness)
Hemiplegia birth injuries often result from medical negligence (carelessness) during childbirth. Such types of action or inaction can include improper monitoring, delayed interventions, or failure to respond to complications, leading to oxygen deprivation or trauma. Inadequate medical care during labor and delivery can contribute to permanent neurological damage, causing hemiplegia in the newborn. Parents facing such situations would be well-advised to contact an experienced New York hemiplegia birth injury lawyer to explore their legal rights and options.
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. One of our clients secured a $2,850,000 verdict in an Erb’s palsy (brachial plexus palsy) case that was reduced by the appeals court to $1,846,000 because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate (appeals) courts for many, many years. In addition, we recovered $1,400,000 for a newborn who lost motion in the arm during birth due to doctors applying incorrect force on the baby’s head. One of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
We have seen cases where New York City Health and Hospital Corporation facilities deliver babies who are born with birth injuries such as cerebral palsy and brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) due to negligence (carelessness) and/or medical malpractice that occurs in the labor and delivery stages. The following list identifies some of these hospitals (operated by New York City Health and Hospital Corporation):
• Jacobi Hospital aka Bronx Municipal 1400 Pelham Parkway South Bronx, New York 10461 718-918-5000
• Lincoln Hospital 234 East 149th Street Bronx, New York 10451 718-579-5000
• North Central Bronx Hospital 3424 Kossuth Avenue Bronx, New York 10467 718-519-5000
• Coney Island Hospital 2601 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11235 718-616-3000
• Kings County Hospital 451 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11203 718-245-3131
• Woodhull Hospital 760 Broadway Brooklyn, New York 11206 718-963-8000
• Bellevue Hospital 462 First Avenue New York, New York 10016 212-562-5555
• Harlem Hospital 506 Lenox Avenue New York, New York 10037 212-939-1000
• Metropolitan Hospital 1901 First Avenue New York, New York 10029 212-423-6262
• Elmhurst Hospital 79-01 Broadway Elmhurst, New York 11373 718-334-4000
• Queens Hospital Center 82-68 164th Street Jamaica, New York 11432 718-883-3000
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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