Cerebral Palsy claims are complex and often take many years to investigate. It is therefore helpful to know exactly what is involved in pursuing such a claim and to understand the steps that need to be followed.

Funding

To begin with it is necessary to sort out how the case is going to be funded. This is vitally important because the legal costs involved in investigating a case are likely to be extensive. Most cases involving claims for Cerebral Palsy will be eligible for public funding (formerly called legal aid). Your solicitor will generally make an application for funding on behalf of your child. Initially funding will be provided to carry out investigations to determine whether or not there is a viable case for negligence.

The Process of Investigating a Case Medical records

Once your solicitor is in receipt of all of the relevant notes and records they will need to be reviewed and placed into their correct chronological order. It will be necessary to make sure that all of the records have been properly provided.

Statements

It is important to take a detailed and accurate account of events. Your solicitor will go through the details of the pregnancy, labour and postnatal period in order to get a full account of exactly what happened. A statement will then be prepared which will be used to assist your solicitor and the experts as the case goes forwards.

It is usually best to provide a statement as soon as practically possible so as to avoid difficulties later on when memories may have faded. The statement will undoubtedly require amending and adding to as the case progresses.

As well as taking a statement from the mother of the child it may also be necessary to get a statement from any other witnesses to events such as from the father or grandparent as they may have noticed something which the mother did not.

Experts

In order to prove negligence it is necessary to establish that there has been a breach of duty, that the child has suffered an injury and that the injury was caused as a direct result of the breach of duty.

In order to prove these things independent expert evidence is required from an appropriately qualified medical expert to say whether or not the treatment provided by the defendant was inadequate and whether as a result of that inadequate treatment injury has occurred.

The nature of Cerebral Palsy cases means that it will be necessary for more than just one type of medical expert to be instructed to deal with these elements of the case.

Typically, the first type of expert to be instructed is a Consultant Obstetrician/Gynaecologist who will review and consider the prenatal treatment provided as well as the treatment provided during the labour and birth.

Thereafter, it may be necessary to instruct a neonatologist and/or a neuro radiologist to consider the care and treatment provided to the child immediately after the birth.

The experts will be specifically requested to advise as to whether in their expert opinion the care and treatment provided to the child either pre-or post birth fell below a reasonable standard. They will review the CTG traces to see if their was evidence that the baby’s heart rate was increased or decreased rapidly which is an indicator the baby may be in distress. If the expert evidence supports that the treatment provided was below a reasonable standard and that there has been a breach of duty further evidence will be required in relation to the injury itself.

It may be necessary at that stage to instruct a Paediatric Neurologist to consider the nature of the brain injury and whether this was caused as a direct result of the breach of duty (negligent medical care).

Provided that the reports from the medical experts support a claim for negligence it will then be appropriate to obtain further expert reports dealing with the child’s long-term condition and prognosis. These subsequent reports will assist in valuing the case and it is likely that reports may be required from some or all of the following specialists:

Occupational Therapist

Care Expert

Accommodation Expert

Employment Expert

Paediatric Neurologist

Paediatrician

Physiotherapist

Barristers

Given the complexities of a Cerebral Palsy case a Barrister will be required to assist in advising upon the case at various stages throughout. It is likely that you will need to attend conferences at various stages with the Barrister, Medical Experts and your solicitor. The Barrister will assist on the technical points of law involved in the case and will also advise in relation to the prospects of success.

Notifying the Defendant of the claim

The Defendant (usually the hospital where the baby was born) will not be formally notified of the intended claim until supportive expert evidence has been obtained in the initial investigative period and until a conference has been held with the Barrister. It is not uncommon for this initial investigative process to take in the region of 18 months.

The defendant is formally notified of the claim by serving a ‘letter of claim’ on them. Thereafter they have a period of three months under the pre-action protocol to carry out their own investigations and provide their formal response stating whether or not they accept liability. Invariably in these cases the defendant will require more time to complete their investigations and it is reasonable for them to request this.

If the defendant admits liability, negotiations will be entered into to try to come to an agreement over the amount of compensation to be paid. However, if the defendant denies liability it will be necessary to revert to the Experts and the Barrister for their further comments and advice upon taking the case forward.

It may be necessary at that stage to consider commencing formal court proceedings.

Cerebral Palsy cases invariably take a long time to come to a final conclusion. This is largely because of their complexity and the fact that an immense amount of expert medical evidence is required to be able to properly address all of the necessary issues. It is important to be prepared for the length of time such a case is likely to take.

If you believe that you have been the victim of a medical error or negligence it may be possible to claim compensation.

If you would like to discuss a possible claim please contact HeadInjuryUK who are specialist clinical negligence solicitors who will be able to offer you further advice and information.

Head Injury UK are specialist lawyers in bringing claims for compensation following a brain injury. Contact us on 0800 073 0988 for a free, confidential chat with one of our lawyers to see if we can assist you. For more information http://headinjuryuk.com/cerebralpalsy.html

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These homes would have wide doorways to accommodate easy movement of wheelchairs, no steps in the front of the house, as well as restrooms on the main floor. This is an appreciable initiative after many advocates for disabled people have been asking city authorities to build more disability-friendly homes.

Allen Mankewich, spokesman for the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies, has revealed that this proposed plan has the largest compendium of visitable homes in Canada. In his own words, “This is obviously a great step for the City of Winnipeg.”

“We try to promote it as something for everyone. Even if you or somebody in your immediate family doesn’t utilize it, they may in the future.

“It allows people to stay longer in their homes and possibly be less reliant on public health services.

“It may cost a little more up front, but pays off in the long run.”

According to Paul McNeill, regional vice-president of the MMM Group, the consulting firm responsible for creating the Waverley West northwest plan on behalf of the developer, Manitoba Housing, the cost of building is only slightly higher than a regular home, but the benefits are aplenty.

Tim Beyers is a renowned medical professional working with disabled patients since the last 15 years. He also writes on raising awareness about such problems among the society suffering from acute or chronic disability.

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A good solution in this case is to consider getting one of the many styles of mobility scooters that are now available. The difference between these and wheelchairs is quite evident when you look at the two together. A wheelchair doesn’t have any steering aids at the front. Even on electric models the steering is generally done from one of the arms.

With a scooter, you will see that there are handlebars at the front. They will also invariably have a basket attached to them, which can be used for putting shopping in. The wheels of these scooters are also very different to those of wheelchairs. All wheelchairs have two larger wheels at the back, with smaller ones at the front. A wheelchair has a very small turning capability as well. You would need a much larger space to be able to turn round in one of these mobility scooters in fact very much like a three point turn in a car.

A lot of the scooters are also equipped with lights on the front and back, to make it much safer to be out and about on them. You may even find a mirror or two on there as well.

Many people who are semi-mobile get on very well with a scooter. They may be perfectly able to walk short distances inside shops, but not be able to get there in the first place. Mobility scooters mean that they can actually be much more active in some ways, and do more for themselves than they would be able to without one.

In a sense these scooters enable many people to retain their independence. They are easy to maintain and use, and if it makes life easier there is no doubt that it could be the best thing you could ever buy.

With a striking ressemblance to Bruce Willis (from behind) i feel its time to share more than my film star looks (E.T)

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Now being disabled and wheelchair bound brings its own challenges but my latest visit to my dentist and my doctor proved to be a work of transportation and manoeuvring par excellence. Firstly let me explain that for the past year all transferring from wheelchair to toilet or bed has been carried out with the aid of a mobile hoist. As a result of my last fall I haven’t walked for a year.

Now, the doctor’s visit was the easiest as we arranged for him to carry out his investigation into my state of health at my home. So I was duly hoisted onto my bed for the inspection. Blood pressure, ears, nose and throat were all inspected and found to be in working order. This was done with the doctor and my wife scrambling all over me and the bed to get access to the selected orifice.

Next, came the prostate inspection which made my eyes pop out on stalks. You can ask any man about this inspection and I am sure that you will hear some horrific stories. Suffice to say that my doctor has a finger like a thick German sausage which was suddenly and unexpectedly inserted to do the feel test on the gland. Thus the eyes on stalks quip. Then to fill a little bottle for a urine sample —— a work of art when your arms and hands don’t work all that well. Lastly a series of vials of blood were drawn after the nurse had searched for a vein in both of my arms and eventually resorted to draining a good portion of my life’s fluid from my hand.

A few days later I had to pay a visit to a dentist because one of my upper molars had worked itself loose and was causing considerable pain.

After spending hours on the internet fruitlessly searching for a dentist specializing in treatment of disabled patients I conceded defeat and selected a dentist from the yellow pages, whose receptionist assured my wife that they had plenty of experience with wheelchair bound patients. The dentist is on the third floor with only one elevator and a flight of steps for access. (I shudder to think what pain and suffering I would have had to endure if the lift had broken or if there was a power failure)

After negotiating narrow passages I got to the door of the surgery to find that there was a building supporting pillar or column situated right outside (opposite) the entrance door, thus cutting the passage in half. After much performance going back and forth I managed to get into the surgery. Then I faced “THE CHAIR”.

Access to the side of the chair was limited so it was decided that the dentist and his assistant would pick me up and physically transfer me to the dentist’s chair. No mean feat seeing that I weigh around 85kg. Puffing and grunting from all three of us interspersed with squeals of concern from my wife became the order of the day while they manoeuvred in all directions to get me comfortable. He looked, felt and decided to extract between sucking in great gulps of air. Injections followed, with the prescribed waiting period, before yanking the offending tooth from my jaw. Then the huffing and puffing performance was repeated in reverse. I negotiated the problem doorway after another few back and forth movements, then into the lift praying all the way down that the thing wouldn’t breakdown and needless to say that after all this carrying, pushing and pulling, my body was rather sore.

I have these episodes written indelibly on my memory and unless I develop Alzheimer‘s I will suffer in silence rather than undergo more embarrassment and physical abuse.

We have got to become more disabled friendly in this country.

Roly has been wheelchair bound for some years now and he has numerous articles published in magazines in South Africa.

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Indeed, if you are more than 20 pounds over your ideal weight, you are at greater risk for a rogues’ gallery of potentially deadly conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, endometrial cancer, obstructive sleep apnea, and breast cancer.

What’s more, most people who are overweight tend to avoid exercise, and that avoidance just adds to the toll paid for extra pounds.

If you have a sedentary lifestyle and are overweight, you are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems. And, if you already have a medical condition such as high cholesterol, being overweight puts you at higher risk for complications.

The good news is that even modest amounts of weight loss can improve your health significantly. Loss of 10% of body weight can reduce blood pressure, high cholesterol, triglyceride, and high blood sugar levels.

Today, there are many procedures that can contribute and help people loss weight effectively. One of the known procedure in losing weight is through hypnosis.

However, many misconceptions have come up with regards to the application of hypnosis in losing eight. And because it does not involve drugs or any kinds of medications and surgery, many people tend to think that losing weight through hypnosis seems to be one of the safest weight loss program.

To know more about hypnosis and its effects on losing weight, here is a list of some facts that will give you an insight about what it can do to your body weight.

1. Hypnosis can be an imminently risky if not done properly and not utilize by people who are highly trained with the real concept of hypnosis.

Even if many people tend to think that hypnosis will not pose imminent danger to their health, still, it is important to know that the person who will do the procedure is skilled enough and that he or she knows what factors to consider before doing the procedures.

2. Hypnosis alone cannot eliminate excess fat from the body and, therefore, make somebody lose weight.

Most health experts contend that hypnosis should only be a part of a whole assimilated process. It should never be used as the sole weight loss procedure.

Moreover, one session of hypnosis will only have very minimal results on an individual’s weight. When losing weight, hypnosis matched with psychotherapy will be more effective than hypnosis alone. This is because hypnosis is only a state of deeply relaxing the mind, in which one can still be in control of his or her own body.

3. Hypnosis is one way of getting into the subliminal state of a person. When a person is on the “hypnotic stage,” the body is more responsive to suggestibility because of its intensified state of concentration.

However, this does not necessarily mean that through hypnosis, one can already “reprogram” the mind of an individual.

In reality, hypnosis can only run the range from trouble-free relaxation condition to proper initiation managed by a professional hypnotists. Hence, it should not be considered paranormal and magical in its upshots.

Boiled down, people should be more aware that hypnosis is not a sole effective process in losing weight. It is more of a facilitator of various treatment techniques.

Therefore, it should be combined with other weight loss management program to be effective in making people lose excess weight. In this manner, people will be able to lose more weight with a more relaxed and refreshed state of mind.

As they say, a healthy mind is a healthy body.

www.wheelchairweightloss.co.uk

Kevin is a 37 year old man whth M.S. He is a full time wheelchair user

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Raising your premature baby’s blood pressure can be as simple as giving your baby extra fluid by IV, but sometimes it takes a bit more. Medications called pressors can increase your premature baby’s blood pressure. If the cause for low blood pressure is blood loss, then a blood transfusion will be performed with donor blood from a blood bank.

The normal blood pressure of a healthy young adult is about 110/75 (below 120 mm Hg systolic and 80 mm Hg diastolic). As one gets older, the normal blood pressure usually gets higher- a 60-year old usually has a blood pressure of 130/90.

Coronary heart disease, leading to heart attack and stroke, is the main harm that can be caused by High Blood Pressure. Hence, we can realize the fact that High Blood Pressure can easily play with the lives of man.

Unlike many people out there, don’t forget that even if this article related to high blood pressure medication doesn’t cover all the basics you wanted, you can always take a look at any of the search engines like Google dot com or Search.Yahoo dot com for more high blood pressure medication related information.

Low blood pressure, the medical term hypotension is generally defined as that which is below normal and relative to the individual with things taken into account such as age and activity levels.

Who uses a blood pressure cuff on you? Usually it is a doctor or a nurse that takes your blood pressure and uses the cuff. However, your blood pressure can also be taken electronically by a machine. The nurse would strap the cuff around your arm and the machine would proceed to take your blood pressure.

Different blood pressure monitors provide different readings. The most common blood pressure monitor uses a column of mercury to gauge the blood pressure with a hand pump attached to the arm of the patient. When you pump this, the blood pressure monitor tightens on your arm. Readings taken by this device are usually accurate. However, a disadvantage with this type of mercury-based blood pressure monitor is that accidental spilling of mercury can cause various allergic reactions and illness.

Many people searching for high blood pressure medication also searched online for blood pressure monitors comparison, hypotension, and even omron blood pressure monitor cuff.

So here is chance to get your free tips on side effects of vasotec blood pressure medicine and in addition to that get basic information on saving money visit blood pressure monitor.

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Staying Dry Even on a Rainy Day…

Having to go outside on a rainy day can be even tougher if you suffer from mobility problems. Using a rollator means occupying both hands without a means to hold an umbrella. But there online stores that offer a holder that attaches to the rollator to hold your umbrella while out on a rainy day. You know what a godsend this can be if you’ve had to choose between your safety and staying dry.

Every Breath You Take…

For those who suffer from breathing problems may suffer when bringing oxygen tanks with them while using their rollator. But, there are vendors available online that offer attachments and holders for O2 tanks. They clip right on to the rollator, and hold the oxygen in place. It’s a great accessory to have if you have breathing problems, but would like to use your rollator to get around.

Taking It With You…

There are a variety of places online that offer bag and basket accessories. Baskets offer a great way to access anything you need quickly. But if you want it to be a bit more secure, a closable bag will give you a bit more protection and security. Another desirable option with bags is that they come in a variety of colors, styles and options. They can be designed to look like a designer bag, a plain black bag, or even camouflage. You can choose one that suits your own personal tastes. They also look a little neater and nicer than having a wire basket attached.

Hey, need a new wheelchair or lift chair but money is tight right now. No worries feel free to check out these nationwide resources that help provide people with FREE wheelchairs and FREE lift chairs.

Click Here to get started today.

Incoming search terms:

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Therefore it is important to get at least 35-45 minutes worth of exercising at least 3- 5 times in per week. Note this does not have to be strenuous workouts. As a matter of fact you can just do some jogging or walking or you can even follow your favorite exercise program on the Fitness Channel.

Also Plan Your Dining Out cause If you really want to reduce your obesity, be extra-choosy when dining out or so ordering take-out food. Invest in a calorie guide and then choose lighter meals. For example: (1) Do not order deep-fried food. (2) Look for better lower-calorie appetizers, such as salads, non-creamy soups, fish platter. (3) Avoid main meals with sauces and Ask for them “on the side”. Choose plain fish, or broiled lean steak, or tomato-based pasta. (4) Make sure half your plate contains vegetables and without added oil or butter. (5) For dessert always choose any fresh fruit dish and if offered cream say No. If these suggestions are too irksome, you should then avoid eating out until you feel more comfortable about just making healthy food choices.
(4) Guide To Alcohol

For many obese men also eliminating alcohol from their diet is a total No-No. So here are the facts. Read them and choose consequently.

To begin with as alcohol contains zero nutrition. In addition though its calorie content is quite high – about 7 calories per gram. Drinking two regular Martinis a day adds up to so much about 117,000 calories per year – the equivalent of about 33 pounds of body fat. Two glasses of beer a day amounts to nearly as though much. Another problem to consider if you are male this is the contribution that alcohol makes to your fat belly. In my experience as always overweight males who give up alcohol experience an immediate reduction in their stomach size, which is real very good news for their heart and overall metabolism.
(5) Reduce Stress Increase Weight Loss

A major lifestyle improvement is stress reduction or at least better stress management. Due to social pressures, men suffer more than their fair share of stress – both financial and work-related. This is bad news for all men, especially those aged 40 years or over. Because any stress which leads to a feeling that life is out of control, is a major contributor to disordered eating, excessive alcohol intake and disease.

More on Weight Loss Treatment and Weight Loss tips

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that is the question

I was diagnosed with Inclusion Body Myositis in 2000.

I have been getting progressively weaker and have adapted my lifestyle to suit these changes. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think that my strong healthy body would suddenly start deteriorating at such a rapid rate. It has now come down to partial use of my right arm only. My left arm and legs are “just there for the show” to prove that I was once healthy.

Please don’t get me wrong I am not complaining or looking for sympathy, but merely making a statement as a preamble to my explanation of how I stay sane and out of the depths of depression. The deterioration has been steadily progressive from sudden unexplained falling, to using a walking stick (still falling), to walker (still falling), to manual wheelchair (no more falling), to power wheelchair and hoist to bed, toilet etc. At least I don’t fall anymore.

I lived for years trying to stay mobile even though I was petrified of falling over or tripping over the most insignificant things or even sometimes just falling for no apparent reason. I would not or could not use stairs of any height unaided and even then I really struggled. My heart would beat so fast out of sheer fear of falling that it sounded like a jackhammer in my ears. I actually often wondered if others could hear it too.

The came instant relief to my plight in the form of my wheelchair. The first time I sat in it the sense of relief was almost overwhelming. I knew then that I should never fall again. Why I persevered for so long, while cracking ribs, toes, fingers, etc I will never know. All I had to do was put my pride in my pocket and accept that I had a serious problem.

I could no longer drive and could also no longer work. I ran my own tiling contractor business and now couldn’t get on sites where the chance of falling over building material, or into foundation channels was very real. I tried to work from home on various projects like telesales, call centre operator and others but as the disease progressed it became more and more difficult to use everyday items that up to now I took for granted.

Then I discovered that I could manage to type, with some difficulty yes, but nevertheless still type. I started corresponding with people all over the world who have the same disease – until my arms, after a few years, got too weak to type. My son then showed me a program on windows that provided access to the disabled. I found an onscreen keyboard where I could point to a letter and click. This was quite a slow process but I was back on line.

Recently I upgraded my computer and loaded a trial version of Windows 7. This program also has an onscreen keyboard but with the extra advantage of predictive text. This has really speeded up my typing whereby I only have to type the first two or three letters before a word selection panel pops up where I can select a word or ignore and type in a word from a chosen dictionary. WOW what a difference.

Now that I have an upgraded computer it has become my communication tool and keeps me occupied all day until my family return from work.

1. I struggled to open CD/DVD covers. Now all my CD’s are loaded onto windows media player (music at the touch of a button without having to struggle with loading CD or DVD
2. Contact on line via Skype or Facebook – I can “phone” my friends for a chat. Hope I don’t get them into trouble with the boss.
3. Email to friends all over the world
4. Games to play until I am sick of them.
5. I can draw, paint, make cards, certificates etc. Many other things if you have the programs or ADSL.

All this, without even going on the internet. There are unending uses via the net with phones, cameras etc. Thank God for technology and the people who create new and useful things for us to use. I am so grateful for my computer. I’m not isolated anymore.

Cape Town 25-09-09

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UNSUNG HEROES

It was twenty five years when my wife and I made our vows to each other, one of them being to love honour and cherish in sickness and in health till death us do part.

Little did we know what these vows would mean so far down the line? I thank the Lord daily for the loving, caring, wonderful person He brought into my life. She cares for me both mentally and physically, uncomplaining even when I’m miserable, difficult or a right pain in the neck. I cannot express how grateful I am for her love and care.

But there are other unsung heroes in this world. Those women and men who unselfishly give of their time to work with and for the sick, aged, disabled, infirm or abandoned children to name but a few, cannot be praised and thanked enough.

The committee members, staff (paid and unpaid), at the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation South Africa require special mention in this article mainly because they have affected me personally, and it is through their unselfish efforts that I can live a life as close to normal as I can get. Without their help I cannot even think where I and many others would be today.

Those of you who are involved in any way in caring for others, need to know that some of us can’t thank you personally for various reasons, but I would like to be so bold and thank you all on their behalf. The nurses, doctors, members of welfare foundations and committees, wives, husbands, children, parents and friends and anyone else I haven’t mentioned —- THANK YOU !!!!

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