Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological condition often identified in early childhood that impacts muscle coordination and movement. Many children diagnosed with CP also suffer from vision-related issues, including blindness.

When a child faces cerebral palsy, blindness, or both, it can result in financial, physical, and emotional challenges for the child and their family. If your child is diagnosed with CP after a birth injury caused by negligent care, you may be entitled to compensation in an Indianapolis cerebral palsy lawsuit.

Our attorneys at Wagner Reese can help you understand your rights and prove medical negligence to win a fair settlement for your child.

Prevalence of Blindness in Cerebral Palsy

Many children with cerebral palsy (CP) also face vision challenges. Studies show that between 75% and 90% experience some kind of visual impairment. These can include conditions like:

  • Cerebral visual impairment
  • Lazy eye (Amblyopia)
  • Optic nerve deterioration
  • Uncontrolled eye movements (Nystagmus)
  • Side vision loss
  • Vision issues like nearsightedness, farsightedness, and blur
  • Misaligned eyes
  • Long-sightedness
  • About 10% of children with CP have full blindness

Causes of Visual Impairment in Cerebral Palsy

While some cases of CP and related vision problems may be due to natural causes, many can be traced back to substandard medical care before or during delivery, including:

  • Brain damage during birth: This can lead to cerebral palsy and associated visual problems. When a child’s brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen during delivery, it can damage areas responsible for muscle coordination and vision processing.
  • Premature birth: This increases the risk of both cerebral palsy and vision issues. Babies born early often have underdeveloped organs, including the eyes and brain, making them more susceptible to these conditions.
  • Medical neglect or errors: Mistakes during prenatal care, labor, or delivery might lead to conditions like CP. If warning signs are missed or there’s a delay in medical intervention, it can lead to complications affecting the brain and vision.
  • Lack of adequate oxygen: Known as perinatal asphyxia, this can lead to brain damage during birth. This damage can manifest as cerebral palsy and impair the areas of the brain that process vision.
  • Infections during pregnancy: Infections in the mother, like rubella or toxoplasmosis, can increase the risk of the baby developing brain abnormalities. These abnormalities may lead to cerebral palsy and associated vision problems.
  • Traumatic head injuries shortly after birth: Events like a severe fall or accident at the hospital can lead to brain damage, causing cerebral palsy. This damage can impact the visual processing areas, leading to vision impairments due to poor medical care.

Proving Birth Injury as a Cause of Cerebral Palsy and Blindness

Proving that a birth injury led to your child’s CP and blindness or other vision problem can be a complex legal process. Our experienced Indiana birth injury lawyers at Wagner Reese can use the following strategies to demonstrate medical negligence and help you secure compensation for your family:

  • Medical records review: We carefully review all medical documents, searching for lapses or errors during prenatal care, labor, or delivery. These records may show how and when the provider’s actions resulted in your child’s birth injuries.
  • Expert testimonies: We can collaborate with medical professionals who can provide insight and validation that the birth injury was avoidable and directly led to your child’s condition. Their expertise can help solidify claims about the avoidable nature of the injury.
  • Comparison to standard care: We can demonstrate how the care provided differed from accepted medical standards, showing the actions that led to harm. Comparing your provider’s actions with widely accepted procedures can underline the gaps in the care you received.
  • Analyzing hospital procedures: We can examine the hospital’s protocols to determine if negligence or deviations occurred during birth. Hospitals have set guidelines; differing procedures can indicate where providers or staff did not follow these standards.
  • Assessing damages: Our attorneys can evaluate the total impact of CP and blindness on your family. We consider medical bills, therapy costs, and expert opinions to calculate current expenses and future needs like ongoing care. This ensures we seek compensation that fully represents your family’s challenges.

Get the Compensation Your Child Deserves

If you believe poor medical care resulted in your child’s birth injury-related CP and vision problems, speak with a compassionate attorney at Wagner Reese. Our lawyers are

dedicated to helping families like yours secure a settlement that reflects your child’s financial, emotional, and physical challenges.

Contact us today for a free consultation where we can listen to your story and help you start your journey toward financial compensation.