Large cerebral palsy verdict in Connecticut

Posted on February 11, 2008 by David Austin

The theme for this case seems to be "Delay".  That is a common theme in cerebral palsy medical malpractice cases.  Often this is because it is the delay that causes the oxygen deprivation to the brain.

This article states that this may be the largest verdict in Conn. history.

A Superior Court jury in Stamford has ordered a city obstetrician to pay $38.5 million to the family of a boy born with cerebral palsy in 2003.

The verdict is believed to be among the largest medical malpractice awards in the state, surpassing a $36.5 million award in 2005 against Hartford Hospital and an obstetrician.

The Stamford jury ruled Friday that Dr. Corinne De Cholnoky should have performed a Caesarean section more quickly during the 2003 delivery of Spencer Oram, whose umbilical cord was impeding blood flow to his brain.

Source:  Newsday.com


Tags: , , , , , ,

Medical Injuries are worldwide

Posted on February 4, 2008 by David Austin

This from an article in Ireland.  A settlement in a birth injury case involving a failure to properly electronically monitor the labor as is progressed.  The result was severe cerebral palsy.

Details were not disclosed except that it was substantial and the full amount claimed.

In a statement read out in court by Mrs Swaine on the couple's behalf, she criticised the hospital for the way they were treated both during and after the birth.

She said during her labour, which was induced, she and her husband had waited so long for the arrival of their first child and what should have been a joyous occasion "soon turned into the most tragic of our lives."

She said that during her labour, she and her husband told a nurse they felt something was wrong and they were "basically ignored".

Christopher, who was born on July 21, 2002, with severe cerebral palsy, had to be resuscitated after birth and spent a month in intensive care where the parents had to learn to feed him through a tube.

In the claim for damages, it was stated Mrs Swaine was admitted to the NMH, following previous admissions for monitoring during her pregnancy for hypertension.

She was overdue and was left on the ante-natal ward for 24 hours before she was given drugs to induce labour. The hospital administered doses of one drug in excess of appropriate guidelines while there was also a failure to establish the well-being of the baby before administering another drug, it was claimed.

There was also a failure to carry out proper electronic monitoring of the baby and there was no appropriate investigation of Mrs Swaine's complaints, it was claimed.

The child was born with severe physical and intellectual disabilities, including recurring respiratory problems and would have been, had he survived, unable to sit or walk independently.

On November 23, 2002, he died from breathing complications as a result of the injuries sustained by him during the course of his birth, it was claimed.

Source: Independent.ie

Tags: , , , ,

Twins - Delay in Delivery verdict

Posted on January 31, 2008 by David Austin

We had a case similar to this a few years ago.  The case we were involved with here in the United States where the second twin was delayed in his delivery resulting in a lack of oxygen and some fetal distress.

This article out of the UK:

A judge sitting at the High Court in London has awarded a boy who suffered brain damage after he was born nearly an hour after his healthy twin brother 2.4m(pounds) agreed damages.

Source:  HospitalHealthcare.com

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

Posted on December 21, 2007 by David Austin

Here is an updated version of a previous post I made concerning Ataxic Cerebral Palsy and some really good sources on the net.

University of Virginia Health Center: Tutorial for Cerebral Palsy

BBC Health

Cerebral Palsy Guide for Care: duPont Hospital for Children\

Tags: , , ,

Another Amazing Story -- Video

Posted on December 21, 2007 by David Austin

"Hope I inspire other disabled people to engage in their life term ambitions."


This man has used technology to allow him to be a DJ.  His hands have limited dexterity so he types with his nose.

It shows how he uses the computer to make the mix.


In this video, I explain how I use my PC to enable me to be a DJ. As I'm disabled, I am unable to physically use real decks and mixers, etc.
I would like to dedicate this video to ellaskins, as he requsted me to do a video like this, and also inspired me to keep at DJ'ing.
Also, sorry about the sound quality.....
Feel free to contact me if you would like to know anything (my email/etc are on my profile)

http://www.dj.pedster.co.uk/

Tags: , , , ,

Video Blog Youtube

Posted on December 17, 2007 by David Austin

I am constantly amazed at what Youtube has done to the Internet and to conversations about different subjects.  It is not just a platform for watching home movies of dogs doing flips, cats caught in bags or a place to place advertisements to run elsewhere in the web.

It is also a place where people can Vlog or V-Blog (whatever you want to call it).  A V-Blog is a Video Blog.  So instead of maintaining a blog like we do here by typing, you can create a video entry and "post" your thoughts.  Here's a guy (John) posting his first video in order to start a conversation and talk about himself.  He happens to have cerebral palsy but that is only part of what he wants to blog about.

Link to his YouTube Home page, Pontificating Palsy


Tags: , , , ,

Diagnosis

Posted on December 7, 2007 by David Austin

So how do you know if a child has cerebral palsy?  How is that diagnosis reached?

    Generally you look for abnormal observations and abnormal imaging results.

    Are you noticing trouble walking, gripping or talking?  If so then start asking around and doing some more in depth research.  Talk to your pediatrician.

Here's an article about spastic cerebral palsy and one family's story about getting a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. -- The article is at the "Cerebral Palsy Symptoms" Blog

Back in 2005 I posted about the common symptoms of cerebral palsy.

Diagnosing Cerebral Palsy

and

How do you diagnose Cerebral Palsy

Tags: , , , , ,

Cerebral Palsy Settlements

Posted on November 30, 2007 by David Austin

Occasionally I will post about a cerebral palsy settlement.  I don't do it all that often, but two articles today. One from Australia  and one from the UK that I also wanted to post.  Why?  Well, I merely wanted to raise awareness that cerebral palsy lawsuits or settlements or whatever are not just an American creation.  They happen all over the world.  The legal systems just deal with them differently.

This settlement from the UK. 

Court awards £5m to brain-damaged boy


This one from Australia

Hospital Admits to Drug Folly


Tags: , , , , ,

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Posted on March 1, 2005 by David Austin

There are any number of possible reasons why someone has cerebral palsy. I am going to post over the next few days and cover some of these reasons.

Infection -- When an infection reaches the baby while still in utero, it can cause cerebral palsy. Two that we have seen are toxoplasmosis and chorioamnionitis

Infections can cause brain damage in the developing child.

When we investigate a cerebral palsy case involving Chorioamnionitis we are looking to see if there has been a delay in discovering the infection or a mistake in treating the infection.

I think that malpractice cases where you try to prove that the medical facility or doctor caused the infection are very difficult to prove and in most cases should not be pursued. BUT when a person presents to the hospital with all the symptoms of an infection and those symptoms are missed or mistreated, then you should investigate.

Bottom Line: Infection can cause Cerebral Palsy, but it is not always a malpractice case.
Tags: , , , , ,

Spastic Cerebral Pasy

Posted on February 23, 2005 by David Austin

The term spastic is used to describe muscle tone that is tight or stiff. The muscle is basically always contracting. Spasticity causes difficulty moving. Often the movements are jerky. Spastic Cerebral Palsy is the most common type of CP. About half of all people with CP have spastic CP.

There are a couple of types of spastic CP, these refer to the parts of the body that are affected: They are Spastic Diplegia, Spastic Hemiplegia and Spastic Quadriplegia.

With Spastic Diplegia it is the legs that are affected. One common result is something called scissoring. This is when the muscles in the legs are so tight that the knees may turn in and cross.

Spastic Hemiparesis is when the spasticity is limited to one side of the body or another. So one leg and one arm are affected (right or left side). Individuals with spastic hemiparesis may also experience hemiparetic tremors, in which uncontrollable shaking affects the limbs on one side of the body. If these tremors are severe, they can seriously impair movement.

Spastic Quadriplegia is the term given to describe spasticity of all 4 limbs. Of the three this is the most severe because it involves so much of the body.
Tags: , , ,