Chicago Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

Cases We Have Handled

We have handled cases where medical professionals failed to perform a timely cesarean section in the following situations:

• The baby was too big
• The baby was becoming hypoxic during labor and delivery
• The baby was becoming ischemic during labor and delivery
• The baby was not developing normally and should have been delivered sooner
• The fetal heart was experiencing decelerations
• The mother was experiencing preeclampsia and/or hypertension
• Gestational diabetes and a "big baby"
• The mother's contractions were too intense and coming too quickly, not allowing the baby enough time to reperfuse.
• The premature rupture of membranes and a suspected infection
• The abruption of the placenta from the uterine wall
• A breached baby or abnormal position of the baby in utero
• Placenta previa
• A twin birth
• Improper use of forceps or a vacuum

We have also assisted clients when doctors and nurses failed to diagnose or treat:

• Seizures in the newborn nursery or NICU
• Hypoglycemia in the newborn nursery or NICU
• Polycythemia in the newborn nursery or NICU
• Hypovolemia in the newborn nursery or NICU
• Micrognathia or feeding disorders in the newborn nursery or NICU
• Infection in the newborn nursery or NICU

A child with cerebral palsy can be challenging and stressful to parents and family. It requires a high level of care, which can be costly and add financial stress to an already difficult situation.

If the injury to your child was caused by substandard medical care by your hospital or doctor, you may be entitled to financial compensation to help with past and future medical costs, as well as the other damages that are part of any tragic birth injury case. Beam Legal Team advocates for the rights of injured children to obtain justice in a court of law.

What Compensation Can I Receive for a Cerebral Palsy Injury?

• Past and future medical care, including doctor’s visits, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, surgeries, rehabilitation, and medication
• The cost of therapies for your child, including recreational therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy.
• Rehabilitation costs
• The cost of mobility equipment, assistive technology, assistive equipment, mobility scooters, wheelchairs, and adaptive vehicles like vans
• The cost of home health care
• Future loss of income
• The cost of tutors and special education
• Any other monetary damages caused by cerebral palsy

What Are the Detectable Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy?

Symptoms of cerebral palsy will depend on where the brain was impacted and the level of damage caused. Cerebral palsy is generally evident when a child begins to communicate or move, typically around six months old.

Here are some of the common types of brain damage that can result:

• Delays in mobility, such as crawling or sitting
• Restricted range of motion
• Difficulty with coordination or balance
• Impaired reflexes
• Seizures
• Inability to stand upright
• Difficulty controlling the bladder or bowels

When a child reaches six years old, the extent of cerebral palsy should have been diagnosed. In addition, the type of cerebral palsy should be detectable as well.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

The types of cerebral palsy that can be diagnosed are:

• Spastic Cerebral Palsy: This is the most common type of cerebral palsy that occurs, impacting roughly 70 to 80 percent of those who experience CP. Typically, this has hypertonia effects, which impact movements in the child, causing them to exaggerate movements greatly or jerk about. Some of the symptoms include awkward reflexes and stiffness in certain parts of the body. It’s caused by damage to the brain’s motor cortex. If the right side is injured, the left side of the body would experience problems, and if the left side of the motor cortex is injured, the right side of the body is affected.
• Athetoid Cerebral Palsy: This type of cerebral palsy occurs in roughly 10% of cases and causes problems with involuntary movement in your baby’s face, limbs, and torso. Some of the common symptoms include stiffness in the body, limbs that appear floppy, posture issues, and trouble eating.
• Spastic Quadriplegic Palsy: Typically, balance and coordination are impacted in children with ataxic cerebral palsy, but only a small percentage of cases occur. Some of the symptoms you may recognize include speech problems, issues with depth perception, and shakiness.
• Mixed Cerebral Palsy: This occurs very rarely (less than 10% of cases), and the baby often exhibits symptoms associated with multiple types of cerebral palsy. This is displayed in various characteristics that would identify multiple brain injuries occurring.

Costs Associated With Cerebral Palsy

Caring for a child with special needs, such as cerebral palsy, carries several costs. 

Some of these costs are recurring:

• Food
• Medicine
• Other consumables that must be purchased monthly
• The lifetime cost of care

However, the immediate costs of items such as accessible housing, wheelchairs, and a vehicle equipped to handle a wheelchair are much higher. Modifications to an existing residence to make it accessible to someone in a wheelchair can run into the tens of thousands of dollars; a simple electric wheelchair can cost five to ten thousand dollars.

The cost of a van to handle transportation of a child with cerebral palsy can be even more than these costs; a van itself can be anywhere from $5,000 to $60,000; the modifications can add ten to twenty thousand dollars on top of that amount.

Many families are not equipped to put up these kinds of up-front costs and may not have insurance to help. Medicaid coverage often does not cover the costs of some of the more expensive modifications that must be made to make a house or vehicle access.

Some grants are available in some states to assist those with children with cerebral palsy in acquiring items such as an accessible vehicle.