March is a month that’s very important to us here at Beam Legal Team. While it is a month where we can look forward to the beginning of warm weather in Chicago, more importantly, it’s Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month.
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a debilitating, lifelong condition that’s often caused by birth injuries. While this awareness month brings attention to the cause one month of the year, our practice has devoted our time, effort, and energy to helping families impacted by CP and its various complications year-round.
CP is more common than many people think, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that around 1 in 345 children in the U.S. has the condition. It’s the most common motor disability affecting children, and its prevalence is higher in children who are born preterm or at a low birthweight.
If your baby was born with CP and you suspect it could have been prevented or was caused by a doctor or other healthcare professional’s negligence, we want to help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
How to Commemorate the Month in Chicago
Whether your child has CP, you know someone who does, or you simply want to support the children and families affected by the condition, Chicago has many opportunities to get involved during Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. These include:
- Jazz, Joy & Generosity Gala: Hosted by United Cerebral Palsy Seguin of Greater Chicago on March 21, 2026, this event promises an evening of music, elegance, and purpose, and attendance supports life-changing services to help empower children and adults with disabilities to live, learn, and work with more independence and fulfillment.
- Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation (CPARF) Changemakers: The CPARF offers individuals the opportunity to directly make a difference in the lives of children and adults with disabilities, including CP. By becoming a Changemaker, you can vote on and shape the future of research projects, get invites to webinars with disability researchers, and fuel progress towards better living for disabled children and adults.
- Use a Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month Remote Meeting Background: The Cerebral Palsy Alliance offers unique remote meeting backgrounds that can help spread the word about CP, CP Awareness Month, and the importance of new research for treating affected children and adults.
Every action, no matter how big or small, helps put CP in the public awareness and can lead to important, long-lasting change for children and families who have been affected by it.
What Are the Types of Cerebral Palsy?
It’s important to note that CP isn’t a one-size-fits-all diagnosis. It’s instead a group of neurological disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and coordination. It occurs when the developing brain is injured or doesn’t develop properly, often before, during, or shortly after birth.
The symptoms and severity of each type of CP vary widely depending on the type and the areas of the brain involved:
Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Spastic cerebral palsy is the most common form of CP, affecting around 70–80% of people with the condition. It’s characterized by increased muscle tone, which causes muscles to become stiff and difficult to control. This stiffness can affect the legs, arms, or both, and may interfere with walking, balance, and everyday activities.
Spastic Quadriplegia Cerebral Palsy
Spastic quadriplegia is the most severe subtype of spastic cerebral palsy. It affects all four limbs, as well as the torso and face in many cases. Individuals with spastic quadriplegia often experience significant muscle stiffness, limited mobility, and challenges with speech and swallowing. This form is frequently associated with more extensive brain injury and people with it may require lifelong, comprehensive care.
Athetoid (Dyskinetic) Cerebral Palsy
Athetoid cerebral palsy, also known as dyskinetic CP, involves involuntary, uncontrolled movements. These movements may appear slow and writhing or sudden and jerky, and they often affect the hands, arms, feet, and face. Muscle tone may fluctuate between too tight and too loose, making it difficult to maintain posture or perform precise movements.
Mixed Cerebral Palsy
Mixed cerebral palsy occurs when a person has symptoms of more than one type of CP. The most common combination includes both spastic and athetoid features. Because multiple areas of the brain are affected, individuals with mixed CP may experience a broader range of movement and coordination challenges.
Understanding the different types of cerebral palsy can help families better recognize symptoms, seek appropriate medical care, and access the support services their child may need.
Our Results Handling Birth Injury-Related CP Cases
We’re proud to serve as experienced, compassionate, and aggressive legal advocates for children and families who have been affected by birth injury-related CP. We’ve secured significant verdicts and settlements for these families, including:
- $144,585,000 – We secured this birth injury jury verdict for a family whose child developed CP after hospital staff failed to estimate the child’s weight and failed to perform a necessary C-section, which resulted in severe injuries to the child.
- $55,500,000 – A unanimous jury verdict favored a family whose child suffered extreme brain injury at birth. This child presently lives with severe and permanent damages.
- $23,500,000 – A jury found in favor of a family whose child’s delayed delivery contributed to permanent neurological injuries. The hospital’s failure to deliver the baby in a timely manner resulted in an irreversible complex neurologic disability.
In addition to these, we’ve also secured verdicts and settlements of $21 million, $20 million, $19 million, $11 million, and more for clients whose children developed CP as a result of medical negligence during labor or delivery.
How We Fight for the Rights of Children and Families Affected by Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy cases involving birth injuries are among the most complex and hard-fought medical malpractice claims. They require significant financial resources, extensive medical knowledge, and a legal team prepared to stand up to hospitals, physicians, and insurance companies determined to avoid liability. At Beam Legal Team, we’re committed to helping families pursue justice and secure the compensation their child needs for lifelong care.
We work with experienced trial lawyers, medical specialists, and expert witnesses to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding a child’s birth injury. This team-based approach allows us to identify negligence, build strong cases, and challenge the testimony and defenses presented by healthcare providers and insurers.
Over the years, we have recovered substantial verdicts and settlements on behalf of children injured at birth. These results help families obtain access to essential medical treatment, therapy, assistive technology, and long-term support services. Just as importantly, we provide families with guidance, advocacy, and the persistence needed to navigate the legal process.
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you suspect it may be linked to a preventable birth injury, our team of experienced Chicago birth injury lawyers is ready to investigate your case, explain your rights, and help you pursue the accountability and financial support your family deserves.
Contact us today to get started.