If your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by a medical mistake, you may have the right to take legal action. A medical malpractice claim can help you recover compensation for medical bills, ongoing care, lost income, and other expenses related to your child’s condition. An experienced Rockford cerebral palsy lawyer will help you file a strong claim.
A cerebral palsy lawyer who serves Illinois from our team will compassionately guide you through the legal process. So far, we have recovered over $750 million for our clients, and we continue to win big cases. Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today for a free case review. While we handle your legal matters, you can devote yourself to caring for your child.
Rockford Cerebral Palsy Attorneys Who Understand Your Struggles
At our firm, we know how deeply a cerebral palsy diagnosis can affect a family. Our founder’s experience began in 2002 when his triplets were born early. All three needed feeding tubes, and two were later diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Although their condition wasn’t caused by medical negligence, this life-changing event inspired the creation of the Birth Injury Lawyers Group in 2003. Since then, we’ve dedicated ourselves to helping families facing similar challenges.
Our cerebral palsy lawyers work with trusted medical professionals to find out what happened and whether your child’s condition could have been avoided. We handle only birth injury cases, focusing on holding doctors and hospitals accountable when their mistakes cause harm.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Damages in a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit
Living with cerebral palsy can place a heavy financial burden on families. The costs often start early and continue to grow over time. You may face expenses for doctor visits, hospital stays, physical therapy, medical equipment, home care, and special education services.
As your child gets older, the need for ongoing care and support may increase. These costs can add up quickly, making it hard to keep up, especially if a parent has to stop working to become a full-time caregiver.
Some of the damages in these lawsuits can include:
- Medical expenses for doctors, hospitals, surgeries, lab work, prescription drugs, and treatment
- Equipment, such as wheelchairs, walkers, splints, and breathing machines
- Home modifications, including ramps, lifts for transfers, accessible bathrooms, and stairlifts
- Adapted vehicles
- Ongoing care, such as a home nurse or physical therapist
- Financial support, if your child will not be able to support himself through gainful employment
- Pain and suffering
Track your child’s medical condition starting from the moment of their diagnosis. These medical documents will make it easier for our team to begin building a legal case and pinpoint the cause of negligence on behalf of the medical practitioner or facility.
Rockford Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Near Me 1-800-222-9529
Illinois Sets a Time Limit for Filing Birth Injury Lawsuits
In Illinois, you only have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit for a birth injury. This legal deadline is known as the statute of limitations. If you don’t take action before the time runs out, you may lose the chance to recover compensation.
If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, call our team right away. We’ll review the details of your situation and help you take the next steps before the deadline passes.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
What Our Rockford Cerebral Palsy Lawyers Can Do for You
The Birth Injury Lawyers Group is committed to helping families fight for their rights in the aftermath of a life-changing error made by a medical professional. When you decide to let us pursue compensation for your family, we take on the challenges of the legal system.
As your cerebral palsy lawyers in Rockford, we will:
- File your documents in an orderly fashion to meet various deadlines
- Investigate the circumstances surrounding your child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis
- Estimate a value for the costs of your child’s condition
- Helping your child get appropriate medical treatment
- Negotiate a settlement on your behalf
- Represent you in court, if necessary
We will work tirelessly to defend your rights to fair compensation in your time of need. Your lawyer will be knowledgeable in the nuances of your state’s birth injury laws to get you the payment you deserve.
"Our Birth Injury Lawyers have recovered over $750+ Million on behalf of our clients."
What Can Cause Cerebral Palsy
Because cerebral palsy usually does not get diagnosed until the child is two years old, your lawyer will look through your medical records to determine what contributed to your child’s cerebral palsy. This information will allow your lawyer to create the foundation for a case against the liable party and work towards getting you compensation for your child’s condition.
Some of the events that can lead to cerebral palsy include:
- Prenatal conditions: If the mother has an illness (such as rubella) during the pregnancy, the growing fetus can sustain damage to brain tissue and develop cerebral palsy.
- Head trauma during labor and delivery: An injury to the mother during the pregnancy (such as a car accident or fall) can cause head trauma or a lack of oxygen to the fetus. In an emergency, a doctor may use vacuum extraction or forceps during the birth process. If the doctor makes an error, the baby can sustain a skull fracture.
- Lack of oxygen during labor and delivery: When things go wrong during labor and delivery, the infant’s oxygen supply can be blocked, causing damage to their brain tissue. A very large baby, an infant in a breech position, or lengthy labor can involve a decreased flow of oxygen to the baby.
- Inadequate afterbirth care: Preventive measures must be taken soon after the child is born to avoid the contraction of any illness that may cause brain damage. These illnesses can include seizures or jaundice.
Our cerebral palsy attorneys in Rockford can help you understand how and why your child developed cerebral palsy. Our legal team works closely with medical experts to review your medical records, identify any mistakes made during pregnancy, labor, or delivery, and determine whether those errors led to your child’s condition.
We look for signs of negligence, such as a lack of oxygen at birth, failure to monitor the baby’s heart rate, or delayed emergency care. By investigating the details of your case, we can find out what went wrong and who may be responsible.
Different Types of Cerebral Palsy
Most infants with cerebral palsy may be diagnosed with one or more of these conditions:
- Spastic cerebral palsy: About three out of four instances of cerebral palsy are the spastic type, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The clenched muscles and awkward positions can cause frequent pain. The legs often “scissor” over each other. The arms and legs might draw up and not come to rest.
- Dyskinetic cerebral palsy: In this type of condition, the person’s muscle tone might be too tight one day and too loose the next. The muscle tone might cycle from one extreme to the other multiple times a day. This results in uncontrollable muscle movement that limits basic self-care skills.
- Ataxic cerebral palsy: A person with this condition might have an unsteady gait and balance issues. They may struggle to coordinate and control their hands to perform fine motor functions.
- Mixed cerebral palsy: An individual with more than one type of the conditions listed above has mixed cerebral palsy.
No matter what type of cerebral palsy your child has been diagnosed with, our Rockford cerebral palsy attorneys can work to determine what costs your child’s care may incur and file a claim to cover these expenses. To learn more about what our team can do for you, call for a free consultation.
How Cerebral Palsy Can Impact Your Child’s Life
Cerebral palsy can encompass a vast spectrum of severity and impairment. One person with cerebral palsy may be able to live independently and walk with only minor difficulty. Another person with this condition might need one-on-one care 24 hours a day to breathe, eat, and survive.
Symptoms of cerebral palsy may include:
- Poor fine motor skills
- Difficulty breathing, speaking, or hearing
- Variations in muscle tone, either too flaccid or too rigid
- Muscle tremors
- Seizures
- Difficulty swallowing or eating
- Poor balance
- Delays in the development of muscle movement
Living with these complications can be very difficult. There is no cure for cerebral palsy, and maintaining a healthy quality of life can take years of therapy and ongoing medical treatment.
How a Rockford Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Can Support Your Family
A skilled Rockford cerebral palsy lawyer can help you seek the financial support your family needs to manage your child’s long-term care. From medical bills and therapy to equipment and in-home assistance, the costs can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to face them alone.
Every case we take is handled with the same compassion and urgency we would expect for our own loved ones. For us, this work is more than legal; it’s personal. Let us help you fight for the resources your child needs now and in the future.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."