Cerebral palsy is an umbrella term used to describe a host of neurological conditions affecting a child's development.

Caused by brain damage, cerebral palsy gives rise to a number of symptoms, including learning difficulties, stunted or delayed growth, visual impairment, hearing problems, scoliosis and epilepsy.

According to the NHS, approximately 1 in 400 children suffer from cerebral palsy in the UK, where the condition is diagnosed in some 1,800 babies every year. Whilst not every case of cerebral palsy is preventable, the condition is often caused by the negligence of medical professionals.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

As mentioned above, cerebral palsy refers to various neurological conditions that can occur naturally, such as when the development of a baby's brain follows an abnormal path in utero. Cerebral palsy can, however, be caused by avoidable complications that arise before, during or after birth.

Some cases of cerebral palsy can be attributed to asphyxia (oxygen deprivation) but most are caused by one of three types of brain damage: periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), intracranial haemorrhage and abnormal development. Cerebral palsy is sometimes caused when a child suffers injury or illness before the brain reaches a sufficient stage of development.

Cerebral Palsy Compensation Claims

Clinical negligence claims involving cerebral palsy do sometimes succeed against health authorities. Although there are numerous causes of cerebral palsy, many of which are difficult to accurately establish, doctors can be held accountable if their actions are thought to cause or contribute to the condition.

Understanding why medical practitioners may be deemed responsible requires knowledge of clinical negligence law, which is complex and involves various legal tests to establish liability. Some cerebral palsy compensation claims are more straightforward than others.

Doctors or midwives may, for example, inadvertently inflict trauma on a baby's brain during delivery. Medical professionals might cause an injury directly, such as by dropping a newborn, or contribute to an existing problem, such as by failing to respond in reasonable time or with sufficient skill to a baby suffering asphyxia.

Complications are sometimes less obvious. An expectant mother who is not diagnosed with or treated for hypertension (high blood pressure) could cause her unborn child to suffer a stroke, which can lead to an intracranial haemorrhage. Low blood pressure, meanwhile, can cause periventricular leukomalacia. Infections can also cause cerebral palsy, so doctors ought to monitor the health of expectant mothers with great diligence.

Why Claim for Compensation?

Claiming for compensation ensures that a child suffering from cerebral palsy will be afforded a reasonable chance of a comfortable life. Compensation awarded to cerebral palsy sufferers or their guardians is often spent on medical bills, round-the-clock nursing and specially adapted homes. Claiming for compensation also brings those responsible for clinical negligence to justice, which could mean that fewer cases are caused in the future.