CEREBRAL PALSY LAWSUIT IL

Cerebral palsy is diagnosed in 
approximately 8,000 children 
each year. The cost of caring 
for children who suffer from 
cerebral palsy can be financially 
catastrophic. If medical 
malpractice was the reason for 
your child's cerebral palsy, you 
shouldn't be responsible for the 
astronomical cost of lifelong 
care. A cerebral palsy lawsuit
can be filed if there is a strong 
case indicating that malpractice 
was the cause. Lawyers 
specialized in the field of 
cerebral palsy lawsuits will be 
able to recognize if there may 
be a claim.

Since the condition does not 
improve with time, expenses 
can be expected throughout 
the child's lifetime. The majority 
of people with cerebral palsy 
need long-term services or 
care, depending on their level 
of independence. The average 
lifetime cost for one person 
with cerebral palsy is estimated 
to be $ 931,000 (in 2005 
dollars). This represents costs 
over and above costs 
experienced by a person who 
does not have a disability.

It is estimated that the lifetime 
costs for all people with 
cerebral palsy who were born in 
2000 will total $ 12.5 billion (in 
2005 dollars). These costs 
include both direct and indirect 
costs. Direct medical costs, such 
as doctor visits, prescription 
drugs, and inpatient hospital 
stays make up 10% of these 
costs. Direct non-medical 
expenses, such as home 
modifications, car modifications, 
and special education make up 9
% of the costs. Indirect costs, 
which include the value of lost 
wages when a person dies 
early, cannot work, or is limited 
in the amount or type of work 
he or she can do, make up 81% 
of the costs.

These estimates do not include 
other expenses, such as 
hospital outpatient visits, 
emergency department visits, 
residential care, and family out-
of-pocket expenses. The actual 
economic costs of cerebral palsy
are, therefore, even higher 
than what is reported here.

The expecting mother and 
unborn child rely on the doctors 
and nurses responsible for 
providing safe and effective 
care before, during, and after 
birth. So how do you know if 
there was a medical mistake 
during the birth of your child 
and if you have grounds for a 
cerebral palsy lawsuit? There 
are several indicators that a 
medical mistake may have 
caused your child's cerebral 
palsy.

Complications that required 
forceps, vacuum extraction, or 
cesarean section indicate that 
the fetus spent too much time 
in the birth canal, with possible 
hypoxia. A child may sometimes 
need cardiopulmonary 
resuscitation (CPR) in this case, 
also a sign of lack of oxygen to 
the brain, which causes cerebral 
palsy. Seizures occurring 
immediately after birth, or 
within the first 3-4 days of life, 
are also a sign of neurological 
dysfunction. Other indicators 
could be if your child required 
special testing such as an MRI, 
spent time in the NICU (neonatal 
intensive care unit) or was 
transferred to a different 
hospital after birth. Also, if a 
specialist was called to care for 
your newborn there may be 
cause that malpractice occurred.

If the cause for cerebral palsy 
was not congenital, there is a 
good chance it could have been 
prevented. Compensation from 
a cerebral palsy lawsuit won't 
reverse the damages to your 
child, but it will pay for the 
expensive life-long support your 
child will require.