Cerebral Palsy Claims Solicitors
Supporting a child with cerebral palsy and ensuring their needs are met can be challenging, so it’s important to get all of the help you can. Our medical negligence solicitors appreciate that cerebral palsy cannot be cured, but with specialist management, care, therapy and equipment, it is normally possible to significantly improve the quality of your child’s life.
Getting support for someone with cerebral palsy can be costly. That’s why our solicitors aim to help you to secure a compensation package that funds care for a lifetime, whilst providing your child with long-term financial security.
What causes cerebral palsy?
The most common causes of cerebral palsy are cerebral hypoxia (poor oxygen supply to the brain) or the baby being born very prematurely.
Other causes of cerebral palsy include:
- Failure to treat an infection in the birth mother
- Negligence in the monitoring of the baby during labour
- Medical negligence in neonatal care
- Shoulder dystocia which was negligently managed
- Failure to advise or perform a C-section
Following birth, cerebral palsy can be caused by an infection of the brain, such as meningitis and encephalitis, or from a head injury.
Our cerebral palsy claims expertise
Cerebral palsy compensation claims are usually technically complex and require a specialist medical negligence lawyer. For over 25 years, our cerebral palsy solicitors have successfully represented clients in a large number of challenging claims. We therefore understand the financial and emotional impact of this condition.
We know that the process of claiming compensation can seem intimidating. This may be the first time you have ever dealt with a lawyer, let alone something like this. Our solicitors are here to give you all the help and support you need every step of the way.
With our experience with all types of birth injury claims, we are able to resolve the vast majority of claims out of court. This makes the whole process easier on you and your family, whilst also helping you to get the support you and your family need faster.
The vast majority of claims for cerebral palsy compensation that our solicitors handle are funded through Legal Aid, thanks to our contract with the Legal Aid Agency (LAA). This means there is normally no cost to you for pursuing a claim.
No-obligation initial consultation
To arrange a no-obligation initial consultation on starting a claim for cerebral palsy, call us on 0117 325 2929 or complete our simple online enquiry form.
Why choose Barcan+Kirby’s cerebral palsy solicitors?
We want you to know that your family and your claim are in safe hands. We have decades of experience in handling high-value and complex birth injury claims, including for disabilities connected to cerebral palsy. Our medical negligence lawyers have an exceptional track record of success for our clients, securing millions of pounds in compensation.
We’re a recognised leader in the field of medical negligence, having been ranked by Chambers and Partners for our medical negligence practice. We also have a top-tier ranking in Legal 500.
Many individual members of our Clinical Negligence team have achieved recognition for their expertise, with Claire Hurrell, Fiona Dabell, Helen Franklin, Jay Nathwani and Richard Harries all highly ranked by Chambers and Partners. Fiona, Helen, Jay, Helen and Rich are also individually recognised in Legal 500 UK.
Our experienced medical negligence claims team is headed up by panel members of Action Against Medical Accidents, the charity for patient safety and justice, and the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Accreditation Scheme.
Case study | Multi-million pound settlement for boy diagnosed with severe cerebral palsy
How our cerebral palsy solicitors can help you claim compensation
Starting a claim
To start a claim for cerebral palsy compensation, the first step is to get in touch with our friendly, approachable team. We will then arrange a confidential meeting to discuss the details of your case and advise you on whether we believe you are likely to have grounds for a successful claim.
If we believe your claim has a good chance of success, we will then investigate further. This involves gathering all of the necessary evidence to support your claim. This will usually include requesting copies of your and your child’s medical records, contacting witnesses and having your child examined by an independent medical expert.
Case study | £10m compensation for child diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to avoidable brain damage
Legal aid for cerebral palsy compensation claims
The majority of cerebral palsy compensation claims are funded through legal aid. As one of the few legal firms with a legal aid contract handling these types of claims, we can advise you on whether you’re eligible for legal aid and guide you through the process of securing funding.
To get legal aid funding for a birth injury claim, the following conditions must apply:
- Your child’s injuries were a result of clinical negligence
- This negligence occurred either:
- While your child was in the womb
- During your child’s birth
- Shortly after your child’s birth, defined as:
- For children born before the 37th week of pregnancy, this is eight weeks from what would have been the beginning of the 37th week
- For children born during or after the 37th week of pregnancy, this is eight weeks from your child’s date of birth
No win, no fee cerebral palsy claims
If you are not eligible for legal aid funding, we can also advise you on other options for funding a medical negligence claim. This might include a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), more commonly called a ‘no win, no fee’ deal. This can allow you to start a claim without any upfront cost to you.
Out-of-court settlements
Almost all of the cerebral palsy cases we handle are settled out of court. This approach means you can receive compensation faster while avoiding the need to attend a court hearing. Out-of-court settlements also usually involve significantly lower legal fees.
Our team offer strong skills in negotiation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). We can usually resolve even the most high-value, complex and contentious claims without the need for a trial.
Court proceedings
Sometimes, claims cannot be resolved with an out-of-court settlement. In those rare cases, our team have the expertise to run all types of claims through court trials.
Our team has strong working relationships with specialist barristers and the leading independent medico-legal experts in the UK. We can therefore ensure you have all the support and skills needed to give you the best chance of winning fair compensation for your child in court.
Managing cerebral palsy compensation
Following the settlement of a cerebral palsy claim, our team can also signpost you to other specialists who can advise on the best options for effectively managing any compensation your child receives.
Cerebral palsy claims FAQs
If the claimant is under 18, or is over 18 and lacks mental capacity, it will usually be their parent or guardian who brings a claim.
If the claimant is 18 or over and has mental capacity, they will normally need to commence a claim of their own before their 21st birthday.
In order to be able to claim compensation, you need to show that the condition is due to an injury your child suffered due to medical negligence, e.g. mistakes made during their prenatal care, during their birth or in the neonatal management.
The time limit for claiming cerebral palsy compensation on behalf of yourself or your child will depend on a number of factors:
Is the claimant under 18? Most claims are made by the parent or guardian of a child with cerebral palsy while the child is still under 18. They will ordinarily have until the child turns 18 to make a claim. If this is not done, the child may be able to bring their own claim once they turn 18 with a final deadline of their 21st birthday.
Does the claimant have mental capacity? If the claimant is deemed to have the mental capacity to bring a claim, as mentioned above, they can do so once they turn 18 if their parents/guardian has not done so. However, if a person with cerebral palsy is deemed to lack mental capacity (e.g. due to severe learning difficulties) then there is usually no time limit for someone else to bring a claim on their behalf.
Exactly what you can claim compensation for on behalf of your child will depend on the circumstances and the needs of your child, but can cover both the financial impact of dealing with your child’s disabilities and non-financial matters.
Examples of what you may be able to claim for include:
- Compensation for your child’s suffering and injury
- The cost of additional care for your child
- The cost of adapted accommodation for your child
- The cost of private medical intervention for your child
- The cost of physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and other types of therapy your child needs
- The cost of special equipment required in order to maximise your child’s independence
- Your child’s loss of earnings
- Professional costs associated with managing any compensation you receive
- The cost of any other help and support your child needs
There are two main parts to the claims process:
- Proving that medical negligence occurred and that this caused your child’s injuries
- Establishing the value of compensation to which your child is entitled (sometimes referred to as the ‘quantum of damages’)
Various types of evidence will be used to show that medical negligence was responsible for your child’s injuries, including:
- Your and your child’s medical records
- Statements from witnesses
- Reports for medicolegal experts on whether negligence occurred and whether this caused your child’s injuries
Establishing the value of damages will rely on evidence including:
- Reports from independent medical experts on your child’s condition and needs
- Evidence of any specific financial costs and losses you have experienced as a result of your child’s condition
If you believe your child may be showing signs of cerebral palsy, it is important to speak to your GP or health visitor as soon as possible. Symptoms of cerebral palsy range from mild to severe and are often not obvious until your child is around two to three years old. Some children have problems with their motor skills, whilst others are profoundly disabled and need lifelong care.
Your doctor or health visitor can refer you to a specialist team who can examine your child for signs of cerebral palsy. This will likely include questions about your child’s medical history and development, as well as checking for common symptoms of the condition such as muscle weakness or tightness, random uncontrolled or clumsy movements and muscle spasms.
A specialist may also assess your child’s movement and learning ability if they feel this is appropriate.
If you feel you may have a cerebral palsy claim, call our team of clinical negligence solicitors on 0117 325 2929 to discuss your options.
Useful information about medical negligence claims
- A straightforward guide to Medical Negligence
- Case studies of medical negligence claims
- Suing the NHS – is it ethical?
- Ways to fund a medical negligence claim
Start a cerebral palsy compensation claim today
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to an injury at birth, we are here to help. Our solicitors work with clients all over the UK from our offices spread across Bristol and South Gloucestershire in Bedminster, Bishopston, Bristol city centre, Kingswood and Thornbury.
For a confidential, no-obligation discussion about a potential claim with a member of our team, call us on 0117 325 2929 or complete our online enquiry form.