Our Joliet medical malpractice law blog has covered some tragic stories involving children who suffered injuries during birth as a result of medical negligence. These incidents of medical malpractice are especially tragic because some children who are injured during birth will never be able to recover from their injuries or live normal lives.
Children are certainly affected by birth injuries, but so are parents. Watching a child suffer from health complications is an emotionally painful experience. And caring for a child with a disability or chronic health problem requires a great amount of financial resources and help from others.
In one community, Habitat for Humanity is currently helping out a family who has a middle child with cerebral palsy. The child is 7 years old. She cannot speak and she is confined to a wheelchair. Folks who do not know someone with a debilitating condition might understand that families who are in these types of situations often face some financial and emotional struggles. But folks might not realize just how challenging it can be to accommodate the everyday needs of a disabled child.
For example, the family’s home was not designed in way that could easily accommodate the child’s medical equipment and other needs. To help the family out, Habitat for Humanity was able to raise enough money to build an addition. Before the house addition, the family said that their child’s room was not big enough to accommodate a hospital bed. Now their child can sleep in a hospital bed, which better suits her needs.
Volunteers will also build shelves in the child’s room to hold all of her medical equipment, and a playroom will be added so that the child has room to play with her two siblings and friends. The playroom will also be used for the child’s therapy sessions and to store other equipment such as walkers and standers. After the project is completed, the family’s kitchen will also be redesigned so that the child can fit in the kitchen with her wheelchair. The family is looking forward to being able to eat meals together in the kitchen.
When a child suffers cerebral palsy as a result of medical negligence, families may want to consider speaking with an attorney in order to learn more about obtaining compensation for a child’s injuries and lifetime medical expenses. A birth injury can affect so many facets of a child’s life as well as the lives of the parents.
Source: Teaneck Patch, “‘Zoey’s Project’ Is A Brush With Kindness,” Ann Piccirillo, Sept. 8, 2012
- Our firm represents clients in medical malpractice and negligence matters, including birth injuries. To learn more about our firm and practice, please visit our Will County cerebral palsy lawyer page.
