Questions?Find a Cerebral Palsy Attorney Near You
Cerebral palsy attorneys are a subset of personal injury lawyers that specialize in cerebral palsy medical malpractice lawsuits. These lawyers give families the opportunity to pursue legal action to receive the financial compensation needed to pay for their child’s medical expenses.
Cerebral palsy lawyers have experience and expertise in birth injury cases. The best cerebral palsy lawyers work at specialized birth injury law firms across the nation.
Get a free case review to learn more about finding a cerebral palsy attorney in your area.
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Cerebral Palsy and Medical Malpractice
In some cases, cerebral palsy is caused by preventable medical errors during childbirth.
Causes of cerebral palsy include:
- Asphyxiation
- Brain injury/brain damage
- Delayed cesarean section (C-section)
- Lack of oxygen (hypoxia)
- Misuse of forceps or vacuum delivery
- Umbilical cord injuries
- Unaddressed fetal distress
- Untreated infections
- Untreated jaundice
Medical professionals have an obligation — and have undergone extensive training — to safely deliver babies during difficult births. When these medical professionals do not uphold a high standard of care and cause a preventable birth injury, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit for medical malpractice.
How Can a Cerebral Palsy Attorney Help Me?
There are many benefits to working with a cerebral palsy lawyer to file your medical malpractice claim, the first being helping your family access compensation.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average lifetime cost of medical care for an individual with cerebral palsy is over $1 million. Cerebral palsy attorneys will work to secure your family financial compensation to pay for your child’s treatment and ensure they are getting the quality care they deserve.
Cerebral palsy legal compensation can pay for:
- Adaptive transportation equipment
- Assistive devices
- Lost wages if parents had to quit their job to provide full-time child care
- Medications
- Mobility aids
- Surgery
- Therapy
In order to win your case and get compensation for your family, your cerebral palsy lawyer must prove your child’s condition was caused by medical negligence. They will collect important information about the timeline of events that led up to your child’s injury, including medical records, electronic fetal monitoring records, expert testimonials, and more.
Your cerebral palsy lawyer will file your claim and take on all the stress of the legal process so you can focus on caring for your child.
You may qualify for financial compensation. Get your case reviewed today for free.
How to Find the Best Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
There are several factors to keep in mind when choosing a cerebral palsy lawyer to represent your case.
Cost
The best cerebral palsy lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they will not charge any upfront costs and will represent you free of charge. Your lawyer will only get paid a small percentage of your earnings if you win your case. Birth injury attorneys will not get paid if you lose your case.
Experience and Expertise
Top cerebral palsy attorneys will have years of experience and success in cerebral palsy lawsuits. It is important to find a lawyer that specializes in cerebral palsy cases so you have the best chance at securing compensation.
Ask your cerebral palsy lawyer to provide examples of settlements or trial verdicts that they have won for families with similar cases. This information can give you a better idea of their level of experience and expertise.
National Reach
The best cerebral palsy attorneys work at national birth injury law firms with a multitude of resources and data from medical experts to build your case.
Federal, state, and local guidelines can affect your ability to file a case and access compensation. Attorneys at national law firms can navigate your state’s statute of limitations to ensure your claim is valid and filed in a timely manner.
Experienced cerebral palsy lawyers at national law firms are available in hundreds of offices across the country, so you will be able to connect with an attorney in your area.
Reach out to our team today to get connected with a lawyer in your area.
Relationship
Every client has a unique case that deserves to be treated with care and respect.
Your cerebral palsy attorney should be communicative and happy to answer any of your questions or concerns. A top lawyer will build a strong attorney-client relationship to help your family get the justice you deserve.
IS YOUR CHILD MISSING DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES?
Take Our Milestones Quiz
Taking note of your child’s physical, social, and emotional skills can help you determine if they potentially suffered from an injury at birth. An early diagnosis can help your child get the treatment they need as soon as possible.
Q1: How old is your child?
0-2 MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Can your child hold their head steadily on their own?
- Q3: Can your child push themselves up when they are lying on their stomach?
- Q4: Has your child started to make smoother movements with their arms and legs?
- Q5: Does your child smile at other people?
- Q6: Can your child bring their hands to their mouth?
- Q7: Does your child turn their head when they hear a noise?
- Q8: Does your child coo or make gurgling noises?
- Q9: Does your child follow things with their eyes?
- Q10: Does your child try to look at their parents or caregivers?
- Q11: Does your child show boredom, cry, or fuss when engaged in an activity that hasn’t changed in a while?
3-4 MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Can your child hold their head steadily on their own?
- Q3: Does your child push down on their legs when their feet are on a flat surface?
- Q4: Has your child started to roll over from their stomach to their back?
- Q5: Can your child hold and shake a toy such as a rattle?
- Q6: Does your child bring their hands to their mouth?
- Q7: Does your child play with people and start to cry when the playing stops?
- Q8: Does your child smile spontaneously, especially at people?
- Q9: Does your child copy some movements and facial expressions of other people?
- Q10: Does your child babble with expressions and copy sounds they hear?
- Q11: Does your child cry in different ways to show hunger, pain, or tiredness?
- Q12: Does your child respond to affection like hugging or kissing?
- Q13: Does your child follow moving things with their eyes from side to side?
- Q14: Does your child recognize familiar people at a distance?
5-6 MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Can your child roll over on both sides (front to back/back to front)?
- Q3: Has your child begun to sit without support?
- Q4: Does your child rock back and forth?
- Q5: Can your child support their weight on their legs (and perhaps bounce) when standing?
- Q6: Has your child begun to pass things from one hand to the other?
- Q7: Does your child bring objects such as toys to their mouth?
- Q8: Does your child know if someone is not familiar to them and is a stranger?
- Q9: Does your child respond to other people’s emotions, such as a smile or a frown?
- Q10: Does your child enjoy looking at themselves in the mirror?
- Q11: Does your child look at things around them?
- Q12: Does your child respond to sounds they hear by making sounds themselves?
- Q13: Does your child make sounds to show joy or displeasure?
- Q14: Does your child respond to their own name?
- Q15: Has your child started to string vowels together, such as "ah," "eh," or "oh," or started to say consonant sounds such as "m" or "b"?
- Q16: Has your child begun to laugh?
7-9 MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Can your child crawl?
- Q3: Can your child stand while holding on to something to support them?
- Q4: Can your child sit without support?
- Q5: Can your child pull themselves up to stand?
- Q6: Does your child play peekaboo?
- Q7: Can your child move things from one hand to the other?
- Q8: Can your child pick small things up, such as a piece of cereal, with their thumb and index finger?
- Q9: Does your child look for things that they see you hide?
- Q10: Does your child watch the path of something as it falls?
- Q11: Does your child show fear when around strangers?
- Q12: Does your child become clingy with adults who are familiar to them?
- Q13: Does your child have favorite toys?
- Q14: Does your child use their fingers to point?
- Q15: Does your child understand “no”?
- Q16: Does your child make a lot of repetitive sounds, such as “mamama” or “bababa”?
- Q17: Does your child copy the sounds and gestures of other people?
10-12 MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Can your child stand alone with no support?
- Q3: Does your child walk while holding on to furniture?
- Q4: Can your child take a few steps without holding on to anything?
- Q5: Can your child get into a sitting position without any help?
- Q6: Does your child bang two things together when playing?
- Q7: Does your child poke with their index finger?
- Q8: Has your child started to use things like hairbrushes or drinking cups correctly?
- Q9: Does your child find hidden objects easily?
- Q10: Does your child play peekaboo or pat-a-cake?
- Q11: Does your child become shy or nervous around strangers?
- Q12: Does your child repeat actions or sounds to get attention?
- Q13: Does your child put out an arm or leg to help when getting dressed?
- Q14: Does your child cry when a parent leaves the room?
- Q15: Does your child show that they have favorite things or people?
- Q16: Does your child show fear?
- Q17: Does your child say things such as “mama,” “dada,” or “uh-oh”?
- Q18: Does your child try to say the words you say?
- Q19: Has your child started to use gestures like waving or shaking their head “no”?
13-18 MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Can your child walk by themselves?
- Q3: Does your child walk up stairs and run?
- Q4: Does your child pull toys while walking?
- Q5: Can your child drink from a cup on their own?
- Q6: Can your child eat with a spoon on their own?
- Q7: Can your child help undress themselves?
- Q8: Does your child have occasional temper tantrums?
- Q9: Does your child show affection to familiar people?
- Q10: Does your child become clingy in new situations?
- Q11: Does your child explore their environment alone with parents close by?
- Q12: Can your child say several single words?
- Q13: Can your child say and shake their head “no”?
- Q14: Does your child point to show things to other people?
- Q15: Does your child scribble?
- Q16: Does your child know what ordinary products such as phones, spoons, and brushes are used for?
- Q17: Can your child follow one-step commands such as “sit down” or “stand up”?
- Q18: Does your child play with a doll or stuffed animal by pretending to feed it?
19-23 MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Has your child begun to run?
- Q3: Has your child kicked a ball?
- Q4: Can your child climb down and onto furniture on their own?
- Q5: Can your child walk up and down stairs while holding on?
- Q6: Can your child stand on their tiptoes?
- Q7: Has your child thrown a ball overhand?
- Q8: Does your child copy others, especially people older than them?
- Q9: Does your child get excited around other children?
- Q10: Has your child shown more independence as they've aged?
- Q11: Does your child do what they were told not to do and become defiant?
- Q12: Does your child point to things when they are named?
- Q13: Does your child know names of familiar people or body parts?
- Q14: Does your child say 2 to 4-word sentences?
- Q15: Does your child repeat words they hear?
- Q16: Does your child complete sentences and rhymes in familiar books?
- Q17: Does your child name items in books, such as dogs, cats, and birds?
- Q18: Does your child play simple pretend games?
- Q19: Has your child started to use one hand more than the other?
- Q20: Has your child begun to sort shapes and colors?
- Q21: Does your child follow 2-step instructions, such as “pick up your hat and put it on your head?”
24+ MONTHS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES QUIZ
- Q2: Can your child run easily?
- Q3: Can your child climb?
- Q4: Can your child walk up and down stairs with one foot on each step?
- Q5: Can your child dress and undress themselves?
- Q6: Does your child show affection for friends without being told?
- Q7: Does your child take turns when playing games?
- Q8: Does your child show concern when others are crying?
- Q9: Does your child understand the idea of “mine" and "theirs"?
- Q10: Does your child show many different emotions?
- Q11: Does your child copy adults and friends?
- Q12: Does your child separate easily from their parents?
- Q13: Does your child get upset when there is a major change in their routine?
- Q14: Does your child say words such as “I,” “me,” “we,” “you,” and some plural nouns?
- Q15: Can your child say their first name, age, and gender?
- Q16: Can your child carry on a conversation with 2 to 3 sentences?
- Q17: Can your child work toys with buttons and other moving parts?
- Q18: Does your child play pretend with dolls, animals, or people?
- Q19: Can your child finish 3 or 4 piece puzzles?
- Q20: Can your child copy a circle when drawing?
- Q21: Can your child turn pages of a book one page at a time?
- Q22: Can your child turn door handles?
What to Expect When Working With a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
You can expect cerebral palsy lawyers to handle all of the complex work of your cerebral palsy lawsuit. The lawsuit process will officially begin once you have a free consultation and your lawyer has established your case value.
Although every case is different, most cerebral palsy lawsuits follow a similar pattern:
- Filing After your free case evaluation, the birth injury lawyer will file your claim. You are the plaintiff and the medical professional and/or hospital allegedly at fault is the defendant.
- Discovery Both legal teams investigate and gather evidence such as written documentation, expert testimonies, and witness accounts to try and prove their cases.
- Mediation Both legal teams present their evidence in an attempt to reach a settlement without going to trial. A judge, or another third-party mediator, may be brought in to assist.
- Settlement If the cerebral palsy lawyer has built a compelling case, the defendant will likely offer a settlement. Your lawyer will negotiate for the highest possible compensation amount, and the lawsuit will end if a settlement is reached.
- Trial If the case does not end in a settlement, it will go to trial. Both legal teams will argue their client’s case, and a judge or jury will then determine a winner.
95%
of all personal injury lawsuits payout without going to court.
Source: Black’s Law Dictionary
Cerebral palsy cases can take anywhere from a few months to several years to resolve.
Most cerebral palsy attorneys prefer settling out of court since it is the quickest way to resolve a claim. Trials are time-consuming and may add years to the lawsuit process. Additionally, if the judge or jury does not rule in your favor during a trial, you will not receive compensation at all.
Get a Free Cerebral Palsy Case Review Today
Your child deserves the best quality of care to treat their cerebral palsy. Working with a cerebral palsy lawyer can help you and your child get the financial compensation you deserve.
If you believe your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by medical negligence, you may be eligible for financial compensation.
Get connected with a Cerebral Palsy lawyer immediately for your free case review.
Cerebral Palsy Lawyer FAQs
When can you sue a doctor or hospital for cerebral palsy?
If you believe a preventable medical error led to your child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis, you may be able to sue a doctor and/or hospital for medical malpractice.
It is important to take legal action and contact a cerebral palsy lawyer as soon as possible. Each state has a statute of limitations that puts a time limit on how long you have to file a lawsuit. You will lose your right to sue for this birth injury if you file after the statute of limitations expires.
How much does a cerebral palsy lawyer cost?
A cerebral palsy attorney will not charge any upfront legal fees. Your lawyer will only get paid if you win your case and are awarded financial compensation.
Your lawyer will collect a small percentage of your compensation to cover fees. The percentage collected can vary by lawyer, so it is important to discuss this with your attorney.
How much compensation can a cerebral palsy lawyer help you receive?
The amount of compensation received from a cerebral palsy case can vary based on the severity of the victim’s condition. According to the TDC Group, the average payout for medical malpractice claims for children under one month old was almost $1 million.
Your cerebral palsy attorney will determine your case value and try to secure the highest amount of compensation possible.
