Cerebral Palsy Attorneys in Columbus
When Medical Negligence Causes Cerebral Palsy
As knowledgeable Columbus cerebral palsy lawyers, we have represented many heartbroken parents whose children have suffered devastating injuries as a consequence of medical negligence. One such birth injury is cerebral palsy. If your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by medical negligence, you have a right to hold your healthcare providers accountable and seek the compensation your child needs for the best possible care and treatment.
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy or “CP” is caused by brain damage that can occur before, during, or shortly after birth. Cerebral palsy is permanent and incurable, but its severity varies from mild to severe. A child with cerebral palsy may have delayed development and impaired movement and muscle tone. The muscles may be stiff, shaky, or floppy. Cerebral palsy can impair balance, coordination, posture, and gross and fine motor skills. A person with cerebral palsy may have difficulty with walking, talking, eating, swallowing, or grasping objects. In some cases, vision, hearing, or intellectual functioning may be affected.
Proving Medical Negligence
The first step in proving your case is establishing that your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by medical negligence, which is conduct by a healthcare provider which falls below the acceptable standard of care. Cerebral palsy cases are very hard to prove because cerebral palsy has many causes, such as genetic abnormalities, infections in the early stages of pregnancy, and low birth weight or premature birth.
Not all causes of cerebral palsy can be connected to medical negligence. Undeniably, however, cerebral palsy can be caused by complications during pregnancy, labor, or delivery which results in a reduced oxygen supply (hypoxia) or a reduced blood supply (ischemia) to the baby. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and similar conditions can usually be treated and corrected; however, they often lead to long-term complications when overlooked.
Some medical mistakes that can cause cerebral palsy include the following:
- Failure to properly monitor you and your baby throughout your pregnancy for signs that your baby’s oxygen or blood supply might be diminished.
- Failure to diagnose or treat a condition, such as an infection, preeclampsia, or excessive bleeding, during the pregnancy that could have compromised your baby’s brain development.
- Failure to identify factors that made your pregnancy “high-risk,” and treat you accordingly.
- Failure to monitor the baby during labor and delivery and identify signs of distress.
- Failure to perform an emergency C-section or waiting too long to perform one when the baby is in distress.
- Improper use of forceps or a vacuum extractor during delivery.
- Failure to diagnose and treat your baby after delivery for seizures, jaundice, or meningitis.
Our experienced, distinguished medical experts and cerebral palsy lawyers in Columbus can conduct extensive research on your medical records to uncover any evidence that healthcare providers fell below the accepted standard of care during your pregnancy or when delivering your baby.
Proving Your Child’s Needs
The second step in proving your case is proving the amount of compensation your child will need to meet his or her lifetime needs. Substantial sums may be required to meet the lifetime needs of a person with cerebral palsy.
These may include:
- Medical, surgical, and psychiatric treatment.
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy.
- Medications and medical equipment (e.g., hospital bed, medical lift, wheelchair, braces, etc.).
- Renovations to your home and modifications to your vehicles.
- Educational services.
- Care in a group home.
Identifying these needs and placing a dollar value on them requires assistance from an expert called a life care specialist or life care planner. At Rourke & Blumenthal, we work with a renowned life care specialist and skilled medical experts to determine exactly what compensation will be needed for the rest of your child’s life. We invite you to learn more about our recordof successfully representing parents and children in birth injury cases.
Contact a Columbus Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Today!
Our cerebral palsy attorneys can help you determine if negligent care before, during, or after delivery contributed to your child’s cerebral palsy. At Rourke & Blumenthal, we promise you an opportunity to speak directly to an attorney. You will not be screened and turned away by a paralegal or secretary.
To schedule a free consultation, call us at (614) 321-3212 today. We will respond to you within 24 hours.
A Proven Track Record of Success
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$8,500,000 Verdict for Amputation Injury
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$7,400,000 Accident Causing Amputation
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$6,500,000 Wrongful Deaths Caused By Arson
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Record-Setting $6,000,000 Rourke & Blumenthal Achieves $6 Million Settlement
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$5,300,000 Paralysis
We Come Highly Recommended
Learn what our happy clients have to say about working with our team
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"You NEED attorneys who are experienced in TBI cases."Wonderful firm! We have worked with other attorneys in the past and Mike and Tim blew us away. If you have a brain injury in the State of Ohio, you NEED attorneys who are experienced in TBI cases, not just motor vehicle accidents or other personal injury matters. It makes a huge difference having an attorney who understands the medical, emotional, and financial issues a family suffers after a TBI. They are professional, compassionate, and great communicators. I would recommend this office to anyone.- Suzanne
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"Attorney Stoudt is the best lawyer I've ever worked with."Attorney Jon Stoudt is the best lawyer I've ever worked with. He did everything he could to help me. From the start, Jon was very responsive and always explained everything in terms I could easily understand. Jon's staff was also kind and responsive. I highly recommend Jon and would use him again in the future. Several months after being done with my case, another lawyer, handling a different part of the case, commented on how well Jon handled my civil suit.- Jillian
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"Mr. Rourke and his team were extremely compassionate, knowledgeable and friendly"From the very beginning and to the very end of a long process, Mr. Rourke and his team were extremely compassionate, knowledgeable and friendly. I found them to be honest and easy to communicate with, day or night, weekday or weekend. Mr. Rourke was always professional but at the same time made you feel important and took as much time that was needed to explain the many steps in this process. Everyone of his team were very respectful and caring of everyone in my family involved in our case. I will have an admiration for Mr. Rourke and his team for the remainder of my life.- Kelly
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"Excellent Counsel"Jonathan Stoudt gave us excellent counsel during our time with him.- Cathy
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"I always felt that he had my best interests as the top priority."Mr Timothy Mahler represented me after a personal injury auto accident. He was professional, knowledgeable, empathetic and experienced. I always felt that he had my best interests as the top priority. I was relieved from the intricate and time-consuming tasks related to the accident, free to focus on healing and recovery. He managed the complicated insurance and settlement to the best outcome. His team always treated me with respect. I would highly recommend Mr Mahler and his team. Thank you.- Cathy B.
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"I will forever be grateful for their help!"I suffered physical injuries and a concussion from an auto accident in December of 2020. The team, from receptionist to attorneys, were nothing less than stellar, professional, kind, and hard working. The accident and aftermath were extremely stressful; but the Rourkes, Michael Senior and Michael Junior, helped me navigate the process while I focused on healing. For me, recovery from the accident was the most important part of the process. While I worked on recovering, Rourke and Blumenthal worked on negotiating a fantastic settlement for me. I will forever be grateful for their help!- Maggie S.
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"These attorneys always do what they promise."Attys. Mike Rourke, Sr. and Mike Rourke, Jr., helped us understand and settle all the legalities after my husband was hit be a car while riding his bicycle. Their extensive knowledge with injury cases, and their professionalism were ever-present, along with their empathy and understanding of what people experience after injuries that change lives. These attorneys always do what they promise, and in a timely and concise manner.. We would recommend Rourke & Blumenthal for anyone who needs legal services related to an accident or injury.- Stefanie M.
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"Our family is so grateful to have Rob Miller represent my daughter’s personal injury case."Our family is so grateful to have Rob Miller represent my daughter’s personal injury case. He is extremely knowledgeable about Ohio Law and was very patient with my numerous questions. Rob was always genuinely concerned about my daughter’s recovery and well being first. He is professional, knowledgeable, understanding, patient and we are so pleased with the outcome of the settlement. I would highly recommend Rob Miller to anyone looking for a top personal injury attorney.- Kathy
What Sets Us Apart From The Rest?
Rourke & Blumenthal is here to help you get the results you need with a team you can trust.
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