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Hoffer v. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Verdict: On November 2, 2012, after a two week trial, a Philadelphia jury awarded 12.6 million dollars to a child who suffered severe brain injury due to the neglect of his health care providers. When his mother was 38 weeks pregnant, the baby had flipped around inside her, for the first time in a “breech” position rather than head down. The midwife diagnosed this during a routine visit, but failed to call a physician to attempt to externally turn the baby. Instead, she was discharged without care, and scheduled for a cesarean section.
There are three types of cerebral palsy (CP), and ataxic cerebral palsy is the rarest. Ataxic cerebral palsy affects only 5% to 10% of people suffering from CP. The word "ataxic" or "ataxia" means "poor coordination / lack of muscle control." When the cerebellum-the portion of the brain responsible for balance, depth perception, and coordination-is injured, the result may be ataxic cerebral palsy. In some cases, ataxic cerebral palsy can be attributed to medical negligence. Our Philadelphia cerebral palsy attorneys at The Beasley Firm have represented many injury victims in Pennsylvania and around the nation since 1958. We're here to fight your battles and to push for civil justice.
Call a Philadelphia birth injury attorney from our team to discuss your case. We've been awarded over $2 billion since 1958 for injury victims.
A child with ataxic CP will have low muscle tone as opposed to the stiff or tight muscles seen in other forms of cerebral palsy. Children with ataxic CP may appear to be unsteady and shaky. This condition affects the entire body rather than just certain muscle groups or limbs. A person with ataxic CP will have poor coordination and walk unsteadily with a wide-based gait, usually placing his or her feet far apart in an attempt to balance their body. As they continue to try and maintain their balance, they experience titubation or a wobbling of the trunk and nodding of the head. A person with ataxic CP may also have a difficult time keeping their arms or legs steady. This is called dysmetria. As they attempt to reach for an object their arm develops an "intention tremor" that is very similar to a tremor or shaking you would see in an elderly individual attempting to hold a small object. Because of the tremors, it may take a child with ataxic CP longer to complete certain tasks such as cutting with scissors, tying their shoe, zipping up a coat, or writing a sentence. The tremors or motor skill challenges become more pronounced the longer the child attempts to complete the task.
Because this condition affects all of the muscles, other symptoms include:
Our Philadelphia birth injury attorneys push for justice for our clients. We've obtained tens of millions of dollars for victims of cerebral palsy, including $15 million in cerebral palsy verdicts in 2012 alone. Our goal is to win the cases we take on and maximize our clients' recovery. That's why we prepare every case we take on as if it were headed for trial. Our legendary attorneys have been awarded over $2 billion for clients.
Call The Beasley Firm at (215) 866-2424 today for a free consultation with our team.
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