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Cerebral Palsy Claims
Reviewed by
Peter Rigby - Managing Director of Medical Negligence | Last updated on: 25th March, 2025
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What is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in children, often resulting from brain damage. When this condition arises due to medical negligence, it can have life-altering consequences for families. If you or your child has been affected by cerebral palsy caused by the errors of healthcare professionals, our experienced solicitors are here to support you. We specialise in guiding families through the legal process, helping you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Causes of cerebral palsy
Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage or abnormal brain development before, during or shortly after childbirth. The exact cause is often unclear.
Before birth
Cerebral palsy can result from issues that affect the baby’s brain development in the womb, such as:
- Damage to the brain’s white matter, often due to reduced blood or oxygen supply (periventricular leukomalacia).
- Infections during pregnancy (e.g. rubella, chickenpox or toxoplasmosis).
- A stroke affects the baby’s brain.
- Head injury while in the womb.
During or after birth:
Brain damage can also occur during or right after birth, caused by:
- Lack of oxygen during a difficult birth (asphyxiation).
- Brain infections like meningitis.
- Serious head injury.
- Choking or near drowning.
- Low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia).
- A stroke.
Increased risk factors:
Some factors can increase the risk of cerebral palsy, including:
- Premature birth (especially before 32 weeks).
- Low birth weight.
- Being part of multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.).
- Maternal smoking, drinking or drug use during pregnancy.
What are the different types of cerebral palsy?
Your doctor may refer to your child’s condition as a particular type of cerebral palsy, determined by the symptoms. There are four main types of cerebral palsy:
- Spastic Cerebral Palsy: muscles are stiff and tight, making movement difficult and limiting the range of motion.
- Dyskinetic Cerebral Palsy: muscles alternate between being stiff and floppy, causing unpredictable, uncontrolled movements or spasms.
- Ataxic Cerebral Palsy: affects balance and coordination, leading to shaky or clumsy movements and sometimes tremors.
- Mixed Cerebral Palsy: involves a combination of symptoms from more than one type of cerebral palsy.
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What are the symptoms of cerebral palsy?
The symptoms of cerebral palsy usually become noticeable in early childhood; they are not always obvious immediately after birth. The main symptoms are related to movement, coordination and development. These may include:
- Delays in reaching development milestones (e.g. not sitting by 8 months, not walking by 18 months)
- Stiff or floppy muscles
- Weak arms or legs
- Jerky, fidgety or clumsy movements
- Uncontrolled movements or spasms
- Shaking hands (tremors)
- Walking on tiptoes
The severity and areas of the body affected vary greatly from child to child. Some may have symptoms on one side of the body, while others may be affected throughout. Additionally, people with cerebral palsy may experience other issues such as:
- Feeding and swallowing difficulties
- Seizures or epilepsy
- Problems with speech or communication
- Learning disabilities (in about half of children with cerebral palsy)
- Eye or hearing problems
If you’re concerned about your child’s development, it’s important to speak with a health professional.
How common is cerebral palsy?
Cerebral palsy affects around one in every 400 children in the UK. It is a common childhood disability, with varying degrees of severity.
How can medical negligence cause cerebral palsy?
Medical negligence can cause cerebral palsy when mistakes or failures in medical care during pregnancy, childbirth or immediately after birth result in brain damage to the baby. Some common examples of medical negligence that can lead to cerebral palsy include:
- If the baby is not properly monitored during labour, signs of distress (such as lack of oxygen) may be missed, leading to brain damage.
- Delays in performing a C-section or failure to respond to complications, such as a prolapsed umbilical cord, can deprive the baby of oxygen and cause brain injury.
- Infections during pregnancy, like meningitis or maternal infections, can increase the risk of brain damage if not treated promptly.
- Incorrect doses or improper use of medications during pregnancy or labour can harm the baby’s developing brain.
- Forceps or vacuum extraction during delivery, when used improperly, can cause head trauma or other injuries to the baby that result in brain damage.
In these cases, the medical professionals involved may be held accountable for their actions if it can be shown that negligence played a role in causing the injury.
What is a Cerebral Palsy claim?
Cerebral palsy can sometimes be caused by negligent actions or errors made by healthcare professionals during pregnancy, childbirth or postnatal care. Our solicitors have successfully helped many families secure compensation for cerebral palsy negligence claims.
How do I know if I can make a claim?
It’s important to note that not all cases of cerebral palsy result from medical negligence. If you’re unsure whether your child’s cerebral palsy was caused by a medical error, our team is here to help. Contact us today to discuss your situation, determine if you have grounds for a claim, and learn how we can support you through every step of the process.
How do I make a claim?
If medical negligence played a role in your child’s condition, we’ll guide you through every step of the claims process. If you choose to make a cerebral palsy negligence claim with us, here’s how the process will look:
- Once you contact us, our trained advisors will listen carefully to your story and ask the right questions to determine whether you may have grounds for a cerebral palsy claim.
- We aim to respond quickly and let you know whether we can take on your case. If we believe you have experienced cerebral palsy medical negligence, and there is potential for a claim, we’ll explain the next steps clearly and compassionately.
- Once we take on your case, our solicitors will begin collecting all the relevant evidence to build a compelling case. This may include:
- Reviewing medical records from your pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal care.
- Consulting independent medical experts to assess whether negligence occurred.
- Speaking to witnesses, if necessary, to gather additional details.
- After gathering evidence, we’ll identify the mistreatment or errors that led to your child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis and calculate the compensation you may be entitled to. We’ll then negotiate directly with the responsible medical providers or their insurers on your behalf.
- We work on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning you won’t pay anything unless your case is successful. In the event of a win, a small portion of your compensation will go towards covering our solicitor fees.
Throughout this process, our team will keep you informed, answer any questions and handle every aspect of your claim so you can focus on what matters most, your family. Contact us today to find out how we can help.
How much compensation could I receive for a cerebral palsy negligence claim?
Cerebral palsy compensation sums can reach millions of pounds. This is because some cases are so severe that the child is unable to live independently and round-the-clock care will be needed. Compensation amounts vary according to the specific details of each case and the impact the condition has had and will have on the child and their family.
We’d recommend getting in touch with our expert team for a no-obligation chat; our advisors will be able to provide you with a good estimate of the amount of compensation you can expect to receive.
Are there time limits for making cerebral palsy compensation claims?
As with most medical negligence claims, there is a standard time limit of three years from the date of knowledge in which the individual reasonably became aware that their condition or injury was caused by the negligence of medical professionals. If you, or the individual the error happened to, were under the age of 18 when the injury occurred, you have a time limit of three years from your 18th birthday to make a claim.
How long does a cerebral palsy negligence claim take?
The length of the process for making a cerebral palsy negligence claim can vary depending on the complexity of the case. It can take anywhere from several months to a few years to resolve, with the exact time depending on factors like the amount of evidence required and the severity of the injury. Your lawyer will provide a more accurate timeline after reviewing your case and will keep you updated throughout the process.
How can compensation help after a Cerebral Palsy diagnosis?
Compensation for a successful cerebral palsy claim is designed to address the lifelong needs of the individual and their family. It provides essential financial support and ensures access to the treatments, care and resources required to improve quality of life. Key areas that compensation may cover include:
- Speech and language therapy: helping individuals develop communication skills and overcome language barriers.
- Physiotherapy: supporting physical development, improving mobility and managing pain.
- Loss of earnings and future earnings: compensating for the financial impact on the individual and their family, including lost income and reduced earning potential.
- Safe and supportive accommodation: funding modifications to existing homes or providing access to suitable housing to meet the individual’s needs.
- Assistive equipment: covering the cost of essential devices such as wheelchairs, communication aids and other tools that make daily life easier.
Caring for a child with cerebral palsy can be emotionally and financially demanding, often requiring round-the-clock care and specialised support throughout their lifetime. That’s why we are committed to securing the maximum compensation possible to help ease the burden and ensure your child has access to the best possible care and resources.
No Win No Fee Cerebral Palsy Claims
At Patient Claim Line, we operate on a strict No Win No Fee basis, giving you peace of mind from the moment you make your first inquiry. This means you won’t need to pay any upfront costs; we’ll cover all expenses, including insurance fees, access to medical records and other associated costs until your case is successfully resolved.
In some instances, we can also secure an interim payment – a pre-payment of funds to cover urgent needs while your case is ongoing. This can include essential items such as assistive equipment, mobility aids or even securing accommodation for your family.
Our goal is to make the claims process as simple and stress-free as possible, so you can focus on caring for your loved one. We’re here to ensure you get the support you need quickly and without financial risk.
Why Choose Patient Claim Line for your Cerebral Palsy Claim?
Patient Claim Line was established in 2014 and consists of a team of medical lawyers specialising in cancer negligence and general medical negligence claims.
At Patient Claim Line we have more than 100 solicitors with a combined experience of over 400 years and they will work on your behalf to achieve the best result possible for you.
It’s not enough to use a solicitor who sometimes covers medical negligence. You need someone who knows this area through and through. That is what the solicitors here at Patient Claim Line do. They deal exclusively in this area of law and are experts in the field.
Frequently asked questions about Cerebral Palsy Claims
Our expert legal team answer your questions about making a Cerebral Palsy Claim
Start the process of making a cerebral palsy claim by contacting a medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can, who will tell you if you have grounds for a claim. You can then choose whether to go ahead and pursue compensation. If so, your lawyer will handle everything for you, only asking for supporting documentation where necessary and guiding you through each step.
As with most medical negligence claims, there is a standard time limit of three years from the date of knowledge in which the individual reasonably became aware that their condition or injury was caused by the negligence of medical professionals. If you, or the individual the error happened to, were under the age of 18 when the injury occurred, you have a time limit of three years from your 18th birthday to make a claim.
Cerebral palsy compensation sums can reach millions of pounds. This is because some cases are so severe that the child is unable to live independently and round the clock care will be needed. Compensation amounts vary according to the specific details of each case and the impact the condition has had, and will have, on the child and their family.
We’d recommend getting in touch with our expert team for a no-obligation chat; our advisors will be able to provide you with a good estimate of the amount of compensation you can expect to receive.
You may need to provide proof of earnings and any financial losses that you have incurred following the cerebral palsy diagnosis. This will include things like travel costs, paying for family to care for dependants and any medical equipment you have had to buy. Our experienced medical negligence solicitors are experienced in accessing medical records and all other evidence efficiently to help make your cerebral palsy case.
The length of the process for making a cerebral palsy negligence claim can vary depending on the complexity of the case. It can take anywhere from several months to a few years to resolve, with the exact time depending on factors like the amount of evidence required and the severity of the injury. Your lawyer will provide a more accurate timeline after reviewing your case and will keep you updated throughout the process.
Meet our Cerebral Palsy Team
Case Study
Vincent's Story
"He's always there for us"
At the age of 2 we noticed our son Vincent had trouble with his hearing. We had this testing over a number of years and were repeatedly told there was nothing wrong.
Initially we thought this was a speech and language problem, this wasn't the case. It took 4 to 5 years of assessments, with the constant response that there was nothing wrong with his hearing. A different test was them carried on Vincent overnight where it was found he was profoundly deaf.
After years of frustration we were finally able to provide Vincent with the support he required and received an implant. This has enable Vincent to be able to hear. The support from our solicitors has enabled to to gain access to specialist which have supported Vincent in closing the gap in his speech he lost out on to his peers.
