What do cerebral palsy lawyers do?
A cerebral palsy lawyer focuses on helping families file lawsuits for medical negligence when the condition could have been prevented.
Taking legal action with the help of an experienced cerebral palsy attorney can mean accessing financial compensation to cover your child’s lifelong care.
The average cost of treating cerebral palsy can reach more than $1.6 million over the course of a lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This unforeseen expense is often far more than families are prepared for.
- Assistive devices, like motorized wheelchairs
- CP medications (short- and long-term)
- Physical and speech therapies
- Surgery for severe CP symptoms
Cerebral Palsy Guide works with an extensive network of cerebral palsy lawyers across the country. Together, they have helped families recover over $1 billion for preventable birth injuries like CP.
Get a free case review now to see if we can connect you with a top cerebral palsy lawyer near you.
Payouts secured by our trusted cerebral palsy lawyers
Compensation from cerebral palsy settlements and verdicts is meant to provide the money families deserve after medical mistakes cause harm.
Reaching a settlement means agreeing on a payout, usually without going to court. This often provides families with quicker and more reliable financial relief than a trial.
Most cerebral palsy lawsuits result in settlements, with the average amount being $1 million or more.
- $10.5 million for a Missouri family
- $9 million for the family of a 5-year-old in Colorado
- $8 million to a family in North Carolina
- $7.8 million for a Florida child
- $6 million for a New York child with CP from untreated jaundice
- $5.5 million to an Oklahoma family
- $4 million for a family in Arizona
- $2.4 million to a child in Massachusetts
- $3.35 million for a New Hampshire family
- $4.1 million to a New Jersey family whose child had fetal distress
- $5.9 million to a Texas child who received delayed care
- $6.5 million in Washington for oxygen deprivation due to a delayed delivery
- $7 million for an Illinois family
- $8.8 million to an Ohio family whose child experienced severe fetal distress
Working with a skilled cerebral palsy lawyer can mean getting the highest payout possible for your family.
As of 2025, the skilled lawyers in our nationwide network have helped families recover more than $1 billion.
See if we can connect you with a top cerebral palsy lawyer near you — call us at (855) 220-1101 or Click to Live Chat right now.
How medical malpractice causes cerebral palsy
CP often results from brain damage caused by medical errors during childbirth. If you suspect your child's cerebral palsy was caused by medical malpractice, working with a skilled cerebral palsy negligence lawyer is highly recommended.
These experienced personal injury attorneys help prove health care providers did not meet the standard of care, leading to CP.
- Failing to detect and respond to fetal distress, such as lack of oxygen
- Ignoring infections in the mother, leading to inflammation and newborn brain damage
- Delaying or not performing a necessary cesarean section (C-section) in time
- Misusing forceps or vacuum extractors during delivery, causing brain trauma
A cerebral palsy lawyer specializes in identifying these failures and provides clear, professional guidance throughout the entire legal process.
Additionally, CP lawyers handle cases involving all types of cerebral palsy, including spastic, ataxic, athetoid, and mixed type.
It's important to understand that many children do not receive a cerebral palsy diagnosis or are even misdiagnosed with another condition. This can prevent families from knowing that they may have legal options.
Our registered nurses are here to talk through your family's situation and answer any questions you may have.
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What to expect from a cerebral palsy attorney
A cerebral palsy lawyer can simplify the medical malpractice lawsuit process for you, handling all legal work and providing peace of mind.
Working with an experienced cerebral palsy lawyer allows you to focus on your child. Meanwhile, your dedicated legal team will work hard to get the financial compensation and justice your family deserves.
They will develop a tailored approach for you and your family, generally involving the following steps.
1. Provide a free consultation
Cerebral palsy lawyers offer a free case evaluation to see if you may have a valid birth injury claim.
Get your free case review right now.
2. Gather evidence
Your cerebral palsy lawyer examines the details of your child’s birth to determine if medical negligence may have caused their condition.
- Medical records and test results
- Opinions from experts like doctors or specialists
- Witness statements and hospital protocols
This evidence strengthens your case and helps establish whether a preventable medical error caused your child’s cerebral palsy.
3. File your cerebral palsy lawsuit
Once the investigation is complete, your attorney prepares and files a cerebral palsy lawsuit against the responsible health care providers. Your legal team will handle each step of the lawsuit process. They ensure all documents are submitted correctly and before your deadlines.
4. Negotiate a CP settlement
Most cerebral palsy lawsuits result in settlements without going to trial. Your cerebral palsy lawyer negotiates with the defendants, aiming to secure maximum compensation to cover medical expenses, therapy, assistive devices, and long-term care.
5. Fight for you in court
If a fair settlement isn’t reached, your cerebral palsy lawyer will represent your family in court. They present evidence, question witnesses, and work to prove medical negligence, giving your case the best chance of success in front of a judge or jury.
Watch our short video to learn more about what cerebral palsy attorneys do.
Learn how an experienced cerebral palsy lawyer can help families access financial support for their child’s lifelong care, paving the way to a brighter future. View Transcript.
Duration: 1 min 43 sec
Cerebral palsy lawyers provide unmatched support to families seeking justice for a birth injury caused by a medical mistake. If you think your child’s cerebral palsy could have been prevented, working with an attorney can be the key to getting the justice and compensation your family deserves.
The best cerebral palsy attorneys have specialized knowledge and expertise in handling cases related to this disability. They know all about the potential causes and long-term impacts of the condition. This experience allows them to build a strong case on behalf of your child.
Dedicated cerebral palsy lawyers have helped other families file cerebral palsy lawsuits so they understand how complex these cases can be. The causes of cerebral palsy are not always known. By hiring a skilled cerebral palsy attorney, you gain a strong advocate who can guide you through the legal process and seek financial compensation on your behalf.
This financial compensation is often needed to cover the extensive treatment and care costs associated with cerebral palsy. With the help of a top cerebral palsy lawyer, families can fight for the financial aid required to provide their child with the best possible treatment and support.
Your child deserves to live the best life possible. Cerebral palsy treatments can help, but they can be costly. Taking legal action with the assistance of a cerebral palsy attorney can help you provide your child with high-quality treatment, therapies, and support.
For more information on how a cerebral palsy lawyer can help your family, connect with us now for a free, confidential case review. Don't wait — take the first step toward securing a better life for your child.
How to find the best cerebral palsy attorneys
It is important to look for cerebral palsy lawyers with experience and resources that can help you recover maximum compensation and represent your best interests in court if needed.
Parents should feel comfortable and confident in their lawyer, so it is important to take the time to find a cerebral palsy attorney with the qualities outlined below.
No upfront costs
Most cerebral palsy lawyers work on a contingency basis. This means that parents do not have to pay any legal fees unless the attorney recovers money for them through a settlement or trial verdict.
If your lawyer requires upfront costs, this could be a sign that they are not fully confident in their ability to take on your case.
Experience with CP cases
Birth injury lawsuits are among the most complicated types of medical malpractice cases.
Cerebral palsy lawyers have access to renowned medical experts who specialize in areas like obstetrics, fetal distress interpretation, and brain injuries.
Top CP lawyers have developed the expertise needed to handle lawsuits against negligent medical professionals. They usually work for leading cerebral palsy law firms known for their ability to handle these complex cases.
Track record of success
In addition to experience, your cerebral palsy lawyer should have a history of winning birth injury lawsuits and recovering maximum compensation for families.
Although results vary by case, birth injury attorneys with a track record of securing compensation in cerebral palsy cases are more likely to obtain the outcome your family deserves.
The lawyers in our network have helped families recover over $1 billion for preventable birth injuries like cerebral palsy.
See if we can connect you with one of our top cerebral palsy lawyers near you — call us at (855) 220-1101 or Click to Live Chat right now.
Registered nurses on staff
The cerebral palsy lawyers in our network have labor and delivery nurses on staff. Together, they have decades of firsthand experience in delivery rooms.
These compassionate nurses are available to listen to your story and answer questions — at no cost to you. They can help you determine if your child may have cerebral palsy and what could have caused it.
Connect with one of our nurses right now.
Kristin Proctor, RN
Registered Nurse for 20+ Years
When should I hire a cerebral palsy lawyer?
Consider connecting with a cerebral palsy attorney as soon as you suspect something may have gone wrong during your child's birth. One of the most important aspects of pursuing legal help for a birth injury is consulting with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
Laws called statutes of limitations place strict deadlines on how long you have to file a cerebral palsy lawsuit. Once the deadline in your case has expired, you will be forever prevented from taking legal action.
Since the statute of limitations varies for each state, it is critical to consult an experienced cerebral palsy malpractice lawyer to file your lawsuit within the proper time frame.
Additionally, cerebral palsy is often not diagnosed immediately after birth, so you may not suspect anything went wrong until your child grows and misses milestones.
However, an experienced cerebral palsy lawyer can ensure your case is filed in time, even if you don’t have an official diagnosis yet.
Find a cerebral palsy lawyer near me
It is crucial to take legal action as soon as possible if you suspect your child’s cerebral palsy may have been caused by medical negligence.
Experienced cerebral palsy lawyers may be able to file a birth injury lawsuit to pursue financial compensation to help pay for quality care throughout your child’s life.
The lawyers in our extensive network can help families in all 50 states. Together, they have recovered over $1 billion for preventable birth injuries like CP.
Call our caring patient advocates day or night at (855) 220-1101 or get a free case review right now to see if we can connect you with a skilled cerebral palsy lawyer near you.
