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Boy with Cerebral Palsy Needs a Motorized Wheelchair

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A family in Blacksburg, SC, is trying to take care of their 5-year old grandson as best they can, sources told a New York City Birth Injury Attorney. While it is currently unclear as to how the grandparents came to be the primary caretakers of this young man, they do have their work cut out for them. Their grandson has cerebral palsy, which will require him to have a lifetime of special care and services in order to survive each day.

His family is fully aware of the struggles the child faces and has been attempting to get him at least some of the things he will need, such as a motorized wheelchair. A New York Birth Injury Lawyer was informed that the family was recently turned down twice by Medicaid when they filed for assistance for the motorized wheelchair. It has been deemed necessary for the boy since he will be beginning his first year of school in the next school year. Attorneys in Manhattan and Long Island handle this type of case many times in a year.

Luckily, a local television station’s news department picked up on his story, and the family received some good news. Medicaid approved his wheelchair and he was soon sent a temporary wheelchair (non-motorized) until he can be fitted for his motorized wheelchair. A Medicaid representative stated that the problem was with the vendor the family had been working with that could not provide the type of wheelchair that was needed as the reason for the family’s claim being denied.

The family is extremely grateful to both Medicaid and the local news crew for all of their assistance in getting their grandson a piece of medical equipment that he will need for a long time to come.

The exact cause of cerebral palsy has yet to be fully understood and has been attributed to many causes; sources tell the NY Birth Injury Lawyer. In many scientific circles the thinking is that the rate of cases of cerebral palsy that begin before birth is about 70-80%. Some of the known risk factors of cerebral palsy include:

• Infection or some other type of disorder in the mother such as seizure or thyroid disorders.

• Birth defects that affect the brain, head, face, spinal cord, etc.

• Rh factor incompatibility.

• Complications during labor and delivery.

• Premature birth.

• Lack of oxygen (hypoxia) reaching the brain before, during, or after birth.

• Brain damage early in life, due to infection (such as meningitis), head injury, lack of oxygen, or bleeding.

• And several others.

Were you or your baby injured due to medical negligence? Contact an experienced New York Birth Injury Attorney who understands the complexities of birth injuries and is knowledgeable in how medical mistakes can devastate a family, and will work diligently in working toward a fair and equitable settlement for you and your family. The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in N York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.

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