Cerebral palsy is a life-long condition and one that can create a number of limitations and difficulties for both victims and their families. While the condition has physical and emotional consequences for families, it also has financial repercussions associated with the costs of care and accommodations a child will require for the rest of their lives.
At Beam Legal Team, we know that families who have children born with cerebral palsy face overwhelming concerns about their child’s future and about their ability to pay for the care and accommodations their child will need as they age. This is why we leverage our extensive experience and resources to not only ensure health care providers are held accountable for medical malpractice but also to secure the full amount of compensation victims need for their past and future damages.
Costs Ten Times More Than Raising a Child Without Disabilities
It is a fact that medical costs for children with cerebral palsy are higher than the cost of caring for a child without a disability. According to a 2005 study on children covered by Medicaid, it was found that the costs associated with cerebral palsy were roughly 10 times more than medical expenses for children without disabilities. These costs can also be exacerbated when the condition is severe, or when additional complications or impairments are involved.
In every cerebral palsy birth injury case our firm handles, we take a full account of how the condition impacts the lives of victims and their loved ones. Aside from calculating past damages and the profound emotional toll of a diagnosis, we also use experts to determine the expected future costs in order to secure compensation that can aid families in providing the care their child needs and deserves, as treatment can greatly improve a child’s quality of life and their life expectancy.
Expenses Tied to Raising a Child With Cerebral Palsy
Some of the costs we take into account when calculating future expenses include both direct and indirect expenses:
Direct Expenses:
- Regular appointments with physicians and specialists
- Physical, speech, and vocational therapy
- Medications
- Surgery
- In-patient treatment
- Attendant care
Indirect Expenses:
- Accommodative needs
- Vehicle modifications
- Assistance devices
- Adaptive shoes or clothing
- Daily living assistance
- Special education programs
In addition to these general costs, we pay particular attention to the individual facts of how the condition manifests in a child. More severe cases, for example, may require more extensive treatment as a child grows, and may give rise to complications that require additional care. In some cases, children with cerebral palsy may also have a coexisting intellectual disability, such as Intellectual Disability. We take the costs of these conditions into consideration as well, as statistics show that caring for a child who has both cerebral palsy and an intellectual disability can exceed hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Another important factor to consider is a child’s lost earning potential, as the condition can create lost opportunity for employment.
No Family Should Have to Bear the Financial Burden Alone
The costs associated for caring with a child with cerebral palsy are not to be disregarded, and though they may be practical concerns, they hold as much weight for families as the emotional damages they incur when they discover their child will be living the rest of their lives with the condition. No parent or family should have to bear this burden when a birth injury could and should have been prevented.
Beam Legal Team is committed to securing the maximum compensation for our clients. Over the years, we have done just that for families across the United States, and have secured millions of dollars in cases involving cerebral palsy through both verdicts and settlements. Our legal team understands the future costs families face, which is why we dedicate our unwavering commitment, decades of combined experience, and connections with medical and vocational experts to clearly show the full scope of damages for which our clients should be compensated.
If you have questions about pursuing compensation for cerebral palsy resulting from a birth injury, our attorneys are available to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.