California Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

Protecting Victims of Birth Injuries in California

The life of a newborn child is extremely fragile. Even the smallest error or negligent mistake could create catastrophic results before and during birth. As such, retaining the services of a seasoned California cerebral palsy attorney that is well-versed in all medical malpractice laws is absolutely vital. At the Law Offices of Dr. Bruce G. Fagel & Associates, the legal team represents clients who have been injured by doctor and hospital errors all throughout California.

While we trust our lives and the lives of our unborn children to doctors and expect the highest level of medical care available, some doctors will fail to meet these standards. As a former emergency room doctor, medical malpractice attorney Dr. Bruce Fagel is extensively knowledgeable with hospital procedures, which provides him with an insider’s advantage to approaching each case. If you or someone you love has been injured by an act of medical malpractice, contact California cerebral palsy lawyer Dr. Bruce Fagel immediately.

Areas of Practice: Medical Malpractice, Birth Injury & Cerebral Palsy Cases

At the firm, the legal team works aggressively with clients to pursue compensation for damages caused by negligent or irresponsible doctors. They can provide you with valuable information on bilirubin, brain cooling, delivery mistakes, causes, diagnosis, symptoms, screening and treatment of cerebral palsy, kernicterus, and Pitocin. To find out more about cerebral palsy cases and how you can identify the contributing factor in your child’s case, call the office today.

Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellowish substance found in bile, produced when the liver breaks down old red blood cells. It is not abnormal for newborn infants to have elevated levels of bilirubin in their bodies, resulting in jaundice. When a doctor fails to diagnose or treat excessive levels of bilirubin in the child's system, the baby may suffer serious illness, even brain damage known as kernicterus. Read more about bilirubin…

Brain Cooling
Brain cooling is the only known treatment for hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). When an infant suffers asphyxiation during labor or delivery, the lack of oxygen may result in illness and injury. When deprived of oxygen, the brain attempts to repair itself, but sometimes the child's body is not able to recover on its own and actually causes more damage in its attempt to heal. Read more about brain cooling…

Delivery Mistakes
During the labor and delivery of a newborn child, there is little margin for error. Sometimes, doctors make mistakes during delivery that result in the injury of the child. For instance, if a doctor fails to perform a necessary cesarean section, diagnose an infection, or leaves the child in the birth canal for too long, the doctor may be liable for any injury that the child suffers. Doctors may use forceps or a vacuum incorrectly, resulting in injury. Read more about delivery mistakes…

Diagnosis
Cerebral palsy has many symptoms, but it may not be diagnosed immediately. A child suffering from cerebral palsy may experience trembling of the arms and legs, involuntary muscle movement, low muscle tone, abnormal posture, seizures, abnormal reflexes, and developmental delays. When a doctor suspects that a child has cerebral palsy, a series of tests to exam the child's eyesight, muscle tone, and reflexes may be conducted. Read more about diagnosis…

Kernicterus
Kernicterus is a rare type of brain damage caused by dangerously high levels of bilirubin in the child's blood. Slightly elevated bilirubin levels are not ideal, but normal in infants. This is referred to as mild jaundice, and may dissapear without treatment. If a doctor fails to properly monitor or treat the jaundice, it may threaten the child's health, leaving it with lasting brain damage. Read more about kernicterus…

Medical Malpractice & Cerebral Palsy
In some cases, cerebral palsy is unavoidable. Accidents happen, and the medical world is full of uncertainty. However, a child and its family should never suffer from cerebral palsy because a negligent or careless doctor made an avoidable mistake. Read more about medical malpractice and cerebral palsy…

Pitocin
Pitocin is a synthetic form of oxytocin, a hormone produced by a woman's body that causes her to go into labor. Pitocin is used to induce labor, but its legitimacy is highly debated by medical professionals. Most women who delivered a child through labor induced by Pitocin claim that Pitocin actually made the delivery of their child more painful and very few found it beneficial in any way while giving birth. Read more about Pitocin…

Symptoms
Cerebral palsy is a generic term for a group of neurological disorders, and is characterized by symptoms ranging from decreased fin motor skills to the inability to maintain one's balance or walk. Eyesight and depth perception are commonly affected as well. In severe situations, children suffering from cerebral palsy may have seizures or involuntary muscle movements. Read more about symptoms…

Screening
The sooner a doctor accurately diagnoses cerebral palsy, the more effective the child's treatment will most likely be. Infants must be carefully screen at a young age if they demonstrate any symptoms related to the disorder. Screening involves testing the child's coordination, sense of touch, and reflexes. Read more about screening…

Treatment
Cerebral palsy is an extremely broad disorder. Thus, no two cases are exactly the same. Treatments vary depending on the special needs of each child, but most treatments involve some form of physical therapy. In many cases, treatment is a life-long process. Read more about treatment…

Types of cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a serious neurological disorder. There are several different types of cerebral palsy, including spastic cerebral palsy, athetoid cerebral palsy, and ataxic cerebral palsy. These different types are not independent of each other; a child may suffer from a mixture of different types. Read more about types of cerebral palsy…

Causes of Cerebral Palsy
Doctors are not entirely sure what causes cerebral palsy, but there several likely that they have discovered. A severe lack of oxygen to the brain (hypoxia), lack of oxygen to the body (asphyxia), birth trauma, premature deliver or infection of the central nervous system may result in cerebral palsy. Ready more about causes of cerebral palsy…

Contact a California cerebral palsy attorney, today to get a free consultation of your medical malpractice case.