Some of the worst instances of medical malpractice affect children. In fact, cerebral palsy, a condition which involves a brain injury that affects a child’s ability to control their muscles is sometimes the result of medical malpractice of one sort or another. Here’s some of the basic information you need to know if you’re considering contacting a lawyer about filing a claim over medical negligence.
1: Time
Whenever you are considering filing one of these claims, time is of the essence. Whether or not you have decided to go ahead and file a lawsuit, you should speak with an attorney right away to make certain that you’re not running out of time to do so. There’s no obligation in contacting an attorney and, in most cases, they can let you know how long you have to file a lawsuit, which means telling you how long you have to make that decision.
2: Negligence
If your child is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, there will have been an investigation into the cause of the disorder. This investigation may have revealed medical negligence or, if it did not directly reveal it, it may have strongly implied it to anybody who is knowledgeable enough about such things. Talking to an attorney is the best way to figure out whether or not medical negligence did play a part in your child having a brain injury that caused cerebral palsy.
3: Settlements
A physician’s insurance company or a healthcare provider may offer you a settlement at some point. This is something you will not want to take without consulting with an attorney first. The attorney will be able to take a look at the settlement, your situation and let you know whether or not it seems like a fair deal for you. If it does not, they will let you know as much and they can help you pursue a legal action that may result in a much larger jury award or that may force the defendant to give you a more suitable settlement offer.
Starting Out
There are resources you can use online to get more information. You may find that a cerebral palsy legal video answers questions that you have or you may be able to research articles to find the answers that you need. You may also want to try looking at what advocacy organizations, such as United Cerebral Palsy, have to offer in terms of information.