Toronto Paralysis Lawyers

The birth of a child is meant to be a cause for celebration, but far too often birth injuries ruin that happiness and compromise the future of the child and its family. These injuries are especially devastating when they are caused by medical negligence and could have easily been avoided. Infant paralysis is one of the most severe and debilitating of these injuries that can occur during delivery.

The majority of cases where an injury at birth leads to partial or full paralysis are caused by medical malpractice. In many cases, the child requires long-term care, ongoing medical treatment, and will suffer a reduced future quality of life. Unfortunately, the entire family’s future may be jeopardized as well. If your family has been hurt by paralysis and believes that the negligent action or inaction of a medical professional may be at fault, consult with a qualified Toronto birth injuries lawyer today. You may be eligible to receive financial compensation for the medical costs and suffering of you and your child.

When a medical professional acts negligently and harms a child during birth, he or she can and should be held responsible for the suffering of their victim and family. Paralysis injuries range in severity from partial facial paralysis and Erb’s Palsy to permanent spinal cord damage. If your baby is unable to move in any way or is showing signs of paralysis, your first call should be to a doctor who can help diagnose the problem and begin treatment. Your second call should be to a qualified and experienced birth injury lawyer to walk through all of your legal options.

Canada’s Limitations Act requires that a lawsuit be filed within two years of the injury becoming apparent. Additionally, crucial evidence may be lost or altered if too much time passes. For these reasons, it is highly advisable to contact a lawyer at Mazin & Associates, PC for a no-charge consultation as soon as possible. The sooner you contact a legal professional, the higher your chances of receiving proper financial compensation for this devastating injury.

Lawsuits involving infant paralysis are usually quite complex and require vigorous investigation and preparation. A Toronto paralysis lawyer who has experience with cases like this will sort through all relevant medical records and evidence related to the injury. Because of the opinion and testimony of medical experts are often necessary to prove malpractice, only hire a firm with a network of qualified medical experts at the ready to help build a strong case on your behalf.

Because medical providers know how serious paralysis injuries are, they will go to great lengths and use their many resources to try and win the case. For this reason, it is never recommended to represent yourself when your child has suffered paralysis due to negligence. Here at Mazin & Associates, PC, we will use our years of experience to fight for the settlement you deserve. Additionally, because we work on a contingency basis, you can rest easy knowing that you will not be charged anything unless we win compensation for your family’s suffering.

Common Causes of Paralysis at Birth

The vast majority of injuries causing paralysis at birth are caused by some form of medical negligence. The negligence may not immediately become apparent, just as the extent of the paralysis may not be discovered until some time after the birth. These are just a few examples of medical malpractice that may lead to paralysis at birth:

• Brain Damage—A large number of paralysis cases are caused by damage to the brain, either from oxygen deprivation or direct trauma to the brain. Oxygen deprivation can occur when the child gets stuck in the birth canal, the umbilical cord is wrapped around the neck, or when a C-section procedure is begun too late. Misuse of common implements like forceps or vacuum extractors can also cause direct trauma to the brain. The resulting brain bleed can lead to brain damage and paralysis.
• Infections—When proper medical care is given to an expecting mother, she should be tested and treated for any infections that may spread to the child during childbirth. Unfortunately, when some diseases such as congenital syphilis are not noted and treated, they can spread to the infant and cause paralysis and developmental disorders.
• Spinal Cord Injuries—Damage to the spinal cord can cause particularly severe and lasting paralysis. Such injuries are almost always attributable to medical malpractice, such as twisting the baby’s body incorrectly or improper use of tools like forceps and vacuum extractors.
• Facial Paralysis—One of the most common types of birth paralysis, facial paralysis usually occurs due to the improper use of forceps during difficult childbirths. When these tools are used incorrectly,, they put pressure on the baby’s face that can lead to nerve damage and partial or total facial paralysis. Muscles around the lips and eyelids are frequently paralyzed during these incidents, and the problem is most apparent and diagnosable when the baby cries.

Infant paralysis symptoms can range from mild facial damage that causes uneven facial expressions to full-body paralysis that will prevent the child from ever walking. To best treat such injuries, it is vital to diagnose the issues as soon as possible and bring them to the attention of a medical professional. Here are some of the common symptoms:

• Weak or Absent Reflexes
• Asymmetrical Facial Expressions
• Inability to Move Certain Body Parts
• Droopy Mouth or Eyelids
• Stiffness in the Neck
• Weakness of Arms or Legs
• Pain or Discomfort
• Excessive Drooling
• Lack of a Grasp Reflex
• Difficulty Swallowing or Breathing

My Child May Need Long-Term Care. Can I Sue for Future as Well as Past Costs?

An experienced lawyer will help tally up all of the damages caused by your child’s paralysis. It is possible and not out of the usual to sue for damages other than just past medical bills. A negligent doctor or medical attendant can be held responsible for any reduction of your child and your family’s future quality of life. This includes but is not limited to compensation for long-term care and rehabilitation, caretaker costs, lost wages, and emotional and physical pain.

What if I Can’t Afford to Hire an Experienced and Qualified Lawyer?

Here at Mazin & Associates, PC, we charge on a contingency-only basis. Consultations with our legal professionals are offered free of charge so that you have no roadblocks to finding out your legal options. On top of this, we pledge not to charge you a penny unless we win you compensation at trial for the damages you and your child have suffered. This means that you can go on with your life and focus on rehabilitating and caring for your child while we use every possible resource to fight for your rights and win your case.

What if I Suspect Medical Malpractice but Don’t Know If I Can Prove It?

Our lawyers have years of experience dealing with medical providers and their insurance companies. We know what evidence to look for, including medical records and any potential breaches of medical safety regulations. We also know what tricks these providers use to hide wrongdoing and shoot down cases. We are fully prepared to perform an exhaustive investigation of all relevant materials in order to identify exactly which negligent actions led to the paralysis and who is responsible.

How Often Do Birth Injuries Occur?

Out of the hundreds of thousands of birth injuries that happen each year, roughly 50% could have been prevented if doctors and medical staff had been more responsible. For injuries that lead to paralysis, this number is even higher. A small number of cases are caused by Acute Flaccid Myelitis, the cause of which still eludes researchers, but most cases of paralysis are caused by improper use of tools like forceps. In these cases, the three most used and helpful treatments are therapy—physical, behavioral, speech, and occupational—medication, and surgery. You should discuss treatment options with your healthcare team to figure out the best options for ensuring your child’s long-term well-being.

One of the most common types of infant paralysis is Brachial palsy, caused by injury to the shoulder. This can lead to the child experiencing difficulty rotating and flexing the arm, and usually goes away within a few months. Sometimes, however, tearing of the brachial plexus nerve can lead to permanent nerve damage and paralysis. Although spinal cord injuries are very uncommon, occurring at 0.14 per 10,000 live births, they can also be some of the most severe and are almost always caused by medical malfeasance.

Contact Us Today

If your child has suffered from paralysis at birth, it is easy to feel hopeless and despair. There is hope, however. Although you may not be able to undo the injury, you have the legal right to sue for compensation from the medical professionals responsible for the injury. In such cases, the law is on your side. With help from the trial-tested Toronto birth injuries lawyers at Mazin & Associates, PC, you can focus on ensuring the best future and quality-of-life for your baby and your family while we fight for you.

We have years of experience helping families like yours, and we are passionate about getting justice for those whose lives have been impacted by medical negligence. For a free consultation, call us today at [phone number] and together we can begin the fight to ensure the best future for you and your child.