Why Do Families File Cerebral Palsy Negligence Claims?
When a preventable mistake during labor and delivery harms a child, families may have the right to pursue compensation from a cerebral palsy negligence claim.
Filing a cerebral palsy claim can help families:
- Afford lifelong care: CP is a lifelong condition that typically requires intensive, continuous support. Families can expect to spend about $1 Million on medical care alone over the course of a child's lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Get answers: Many parents don't know their child's cerebral palsy may have been preventable until they request medical records and have them reviewed by a professional.
- Hold negligent providers accountable: When a doctor, nurse, or hospital fails to follow standard protocols during pregnancy or delivery, a claim can establish what went wrong and why.
- Secure their child's future: Successful claims can help cover physical and occupational therapy, assistive devices, home modifications, and lost wages — giving families the resources to meet their child's long-term needs.
At Sokolove Law, we’ve secured more than $1.1 Billion for families affected by cerebral palsy and other birth injuries. See if we may be able to help you file a cerebral palsy negligence claim for compensation.
Who Can File a Cerebral Palsy Claim?
Families whose children developed brain damage as a result of a preventable medical error may be eligible to file a cerebral palsy claim.
You don't need a complete understanding of what went wrong during delivery. We have registered nurses on staff to listen to your story, review birth records, and determine whether negligence could be the reason for your child’s condition.
You may be eligible to file a cerebral palsy claim if:
- Your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy or is showing signs of CP
- The diagnosis followed a complicated labor, delivery, or neonatal period
- You believe a medical error, such as a delayed cesarean section or failure to treat fetal distress, may have played a role
“Our child was born with CP, HIE, and epilepsy. In the early days, feeding issues led to a G-tube, and there were developmental delays. They’ve made some progress, but Sokolove Law’s support has been crucial in securing the compensation we need to help our child.”
– Cerebral Palsy Client
Call (800) 995-1212 now to find out if you may qualify for a cerebral palsy claim payout. It costs nothing to speak with us.
Medical Errors Involved in Cerebral Palsy Claims
Medical negligence by a doctor or another health care provider may cause brain damage that leads to cerebral palsy. These errors can happen before a mother goes into labor, during the process of delivering the baby, or shortly after birth.
Medical errors that may contribute to a cerebral palsy diagnosis include:
- Delaying an emergency cesarean section when monitoring showed it was necessary
- Failing to diagnose or treat a maternal infection in time
- Improperly using forceps or a vacuum extractor in a way that causes head trauma
- Mismanaging high-risk pregnancy conditions like preeclampsia or placental abruption
- Not administering therapeutic hypothermia after a baby is born with signs of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a brain injury that occurs due to lack of oxygen
- Not responding to signs of fetal distress during labor
”What I listen for is whether the care team recognized any warning signs and responded before the baby was harmed. That could involve missed testing, a high-risk pregnancy that was not referred to a specialist, or delivery risks that were not explained.”
– Andi Lowe, Registered Nurse with Sokolove Law
Based on your situation and medical records, the team at Sokolove Law can help establish the likely cause of your child’s condition and explain your legal options.
Our Cerebral Palsy Compensation Claim Payouts
At Sokolove Law, we’ve spent more than 45 years representing families whose children were harmed by preventable birth injuries like CP. Our firm has secured over $1.1 Billion total for families nationwide.
A few of our past cerebral palsy settlements and verdicts include:
- $16.5 Million for a Wisconsin child
- $10.5 Million to a Missouri family
- $8.8 Million for a family in Ohio
- $8 Million to a family in North Carolina
- $7.8 Million for a child in Florida
- $7.5 Million to a Maryland family
- $6.5 Million for a child in Washington
- $9 Million to a family in Colorado
- $10.4 Million for a child in Pennsylvania
If your child's cerebral palsy may have resulted from a preventable medical error, you don't have to navigate the claims process alone. Sokolove Law can help you find out what happened, determine whether negligence played a role, and pursue the compensation your family needs to move forward.
Payout amounts depend on factors like the severity of the injury and the strength of the malpractice evidence. While there’s never a guarantee of compensation from any CP claim, we’ll fight hard to secure every dollar your family may be entitled to.
How Cerebral Palsy Medical Negligence Claims Work
A cerebral palsy medical negligence claim is filed against the hospital, physician, or another health care provider whose error caused your child's injury.
The team at Sokolove Law will help determine if you can pursue a cerebral palsy claim. Your legal team builds the evidence to support your case and then completes and files the necessary paperwork.
Learn more about the steps that could lead to a cerebral palsy lawyer negotiating a settlement or a court reaching a verdict in your cerebral palsy claim.
1. Free Case Review
During your free case review, a member of the team at Sokolove Law will listen to what happened before, during, and shortly after your delivery. They will ask questions to determine whether a medical error may have contributed to your child's diagnosis.
Our team looks for indications that health care providers missed warning signs or failed to take actions that would have prevented a brain injury. If medical malpractice was likely a cause of your child’s condition, then they will help you move forward with a cerebral palsy claim.
2. Gathering Evidence
Your legal team works to build a strong case to support your cerebral palsy claim. By examining the details of your child’s medical care and speaking with witnesses, they can establish the role that negligence may have played in your child’s injury.
Registered nurses with labor and delivery experience are on staff at Sokolove Law to review your child's medical records, looking for signs of errors that could contribute to cerebral palsy. Outside medical experts may provide further insights into the causes of your child's condition and the lifetime cost of care.
“Cerebral palsy attorneys like the ones at my law firm can investigate whether medical negligence played a role in your child’s condition. This involves gathering medical records, speaking with experts, and basically getting to the bottom of what happened so that you have a path to justice.”
– Ricky LeBlanc, Managing Attorney at Sokolove Law
3. Filing the Cerebral Palsy Claim
Your attorneys file the lawsuit in the appropriate court before the deadline set by the state’s statute of limitations. These laws establish a cerebral palsy claim time limit to ensure cases are filed while evidence is still available. Depending on the state, you may have as little as 1 year to file a cerebral palsy claim.
Both sides exchange evidence, including depositions from physicians, nurses, and hospital staff. Your legal team at Sokolove Law files all the necessary paperwork and communicates with the court on your behalf.
4. Reaching a Settlement or Verdict
CP attorneys at Sokolove Law negotiate directly with the health care provider’s legal team and insurer on your behalf. Your lawyer will work to reach a settlement to resolve the cerebral palsy claim. If a settlement is unable be reached, we can take your case to trial and fight for a jury verdict.
Hospitals and their insurers may defend these cases aggressively. Sokolove Law has the resources and experience to see a cerebral palsy claim through to the end. Contact us now to explore your legal options.
- Determine if malpractice took place
- Find out about treatment options
- See if you qualify for compensation
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Cerebral Palsy Claims News & Updates
Families across the U.S. have recovered significant settlements and verdicts from cerebral palsy birth injury claims. In these cases, families obtained compensation to help them provide care and support for their child.
Recent cerebral palsy birth injury claim updates include:
- September 2026: The U.S. Department of Justice agreed to pay an $11 Million settlement to a family whose daughter experienced a brain injury during delivery at a military hospital.
- July 2025: A Pennsylvania court upheld a $207.6 Million judgment against Penn Medicine for birth malpractice resulting in cerebral palsy.
- May 2025: A Wisconsin family received $29 Million after a nurse-midwife's delayed response to fetal distress resulted in anoxic brain injury and cerebral palsy.
- March 2025: A Missouri jury awarded $48 Million to a child born with cerebral palsy after a physician allowed 12+ hours of pushing despite fetal distress.
- February 2025: A family in Wisconsin was awarded $10.2 Million due to a Pitocin® overdose that caused brain damage and cerebral palsy.
- April 2024: A family in Pennsylvania received a $32.5 Million settlement for a son who developed spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy following fetal distress.
- March 2024: A Michigan jury awarded $120 Million to a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy after a delayed emergency C-section.
These cases reflect health care providers being held accountable for negligence that had lasting consequences for children with cerebral palsy and their families.
At Sokolove Law, we can help you pursue a cerebral palsy claim to help cover the cost of medical care, physical therapy, assistive devices, and more.
$11 Million Kentucky Cerebral Palsy Claim Settlement
In September 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice agreed to pay an $11 Million settlement to the family of a soldier in the U.S. Army. The family had filed a claim in federal court over negligent treatment during their daughter’s delivery at a military hospital in Kentucky.
The child was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, HIE, epilepsy, and cortical visual impairment after health care providers failed to respond to fetal distress. She now requires 24-hour care and a feeding tube.
$207.6 Million Pennsylvania Cerebral Palsy Claim Verdict
In July 2025, a Pennsylvania appellate court upheld a $207.6 Million judgment, the largest medical malpractice verdict in the state’s history, against the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
A jury originally awarded $183 Million to the family of a boy who developed cerebral palsy after hospital staff delayed a C-section by 45 minutes despite a documented maternal infection. A judge later increased the award, and the appellate court affirmed the full verdict.
$29 Million Wisconsin Cerebral Palsy Claim Verdict
A Wisconsin family was awarded a $29 Million verdict in May 2025, after a certified nurse-midwife failed to contact the on-call OB/GYN in time to respond to their baby’s fetal distress during labor. As the fetal heart rate dropped, the midwife did not recognize the signs of danger, according to the lawsuit.
Oxygen deprivation caused a brain injury that resulted in the child’s cerebral palsy. The compensation addresses medical costs, lost earning potential, and pain and suffering.
$48 Million Missouri Cerebral Palsy Claim Verdict
In March 2025, a Missouri jury awarded $48 Million to the family of a child born with permanent brain damage and cerebral palsy in the largest medical malpractice verdict in Missouri history.
The cerebral palsy claim alleged that a physician allowed the mother to push for more than 12 hours despite evidence of fetal distress, rather than performing a timely cesarean section.
The child suffered seizures within 24 hours of birth, spent weeks in the NICU, and will require lifelong care.
$10.2 Million Wisconsin Cerebral Palsy Claim Verdict
In February 2025, a Wisconsin jury awarded $10.2 Million to the family of a 6-year-old girl who developed cerebral palsy. Nurses and an obstetrician reportedly failed to properly monitor the effects of the drug Pitocin, which is used to induce labor.
Rather than stopping the medication and performing a C-section when fetal monitoring showed signs of oxygen deprivation, the hospital waited approximately 2 hours, leading to brain damage, according to the lawsuit.
$32.5 Million Pennsylvania Cerebral Palsy Claim Settlement
A Pennsylvania family settled with a hospital for $32.5 Million in April 2024, after their son developed spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy and cortical blindness. The cerebral palsy claim alleged that hospital staff failed to recognize signs of a uterine infection and fetal distress during delivery.
The staff did not treat the infection with antibiotics and performed the delivery with forceps and a vacuum extractor rather than an emergency cesarean, according to the lawsuit.
After the baby was born with HIE, they allegedly failed to administer therapeutic hypothermia, the only treatment known to be effective.
$120 Million Michigan Cerebral Palsy Claim Payout
In March 2024, a Wayne County, Michigan jury awarded $120 Million to the family of a child who suffered severe brain damage and cerebral palsy after physicians allegedly delayed performing a cesarean section for more than 2 hours despite clear signs of fetal distress.
The child is now nonverbal, legally blind, wheelchair-dependent, and requires continuous care. The settlement is intended to pay for his care and lost earning potential for decades to come.
A cerebral palsy claim may allow your family to recover compensation for the medical negligence that harmed your child. Contact the team at Sokolove Law to find out if you can pursue a settlement or verdict.
Average Cerebral Palsy Claim Payout
The average settlement from a cerebral palsy claim is approximately $2.5 Million, although severe cases have produced larger verdicts and settlements.
Cerebral palsy claims can recover compensation that’s calculated to pay for expenses throughout your child's life.
Compensation from a cerebral palsy claim help with:
- Equipment such as wheelchairs, communication devices, and orthotics
- Home and vehicle modifications to accommodate your child's needs
- Long-term care, including in-home nursing or residential facility costs
- Lost earning capacity for parents or caregivers who cannot work, and for the child's own lost future earnings
- Medical care, including surgeries, specialist visits, and hospitalizations
- Pain, suffering, and emotional distress
- Physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapy
- Special education services and school-based support
Because cerebral palsy is a permanent condition that shapes every aspect of a child's life, the compensation may reflect the lifelong scope of the harm, not just the immediate medical bills. The cerebral palsy attorneys at Sokolove Law can fight for the compensation you deserve.
Find a Cerebral Palsy Claim Attorney Near You
Health care providers and their insurers employ experienced attorneys to limit what families receive in malpractice cases. Sokolove Law can fight for the full compensation your family deserves.
Here’s what Sokolove Law brings to the table for families:
- Registered Nurses on Staff: Our team includes labor and delivery nurses with decades of clinical experience.
- 45+ Years of Experience: Since 1979, Sokolove Law has represented families in cerebral palsy claims and other birth injury cases across the country.
- Over $1.1 Billion Secured for Families: We’re committed to securing the full compensation that families impacted by birth injuries deserve.
- Nationwide Reach: We handle cerebral palsy claims in all 50 states
- No Upfront Cost: We work on a contingency-fee basis with no hourly fees or out-of-pocket costs. We only get paid if we recover compensation for your family
Pursuing a cerebral palsy claim involves gathering and presenting medical evidence as well as negotiating with the legal teams for health care providers and insurers. Sokolove Law is prepared to fight on your behalf.
Get a free case review to find out if your family can pursue a cerebral palsy claim. Call (800) 995-1212 or fill out our contact form now to get started.
Cerebral Palsy Claims FAQs
What is a cerebral palsy claim?
A cerebral palsy claim is a legal action that allows families to seek compensation when a health care provider's negligence caused or contributed to their child's diagnosis.
Filing a cerebral palsy claim may allow your family to:
- Hold the hospital, physician, or nursing staff accountable for a preventable error
- Recover compensation to pay for medical care, therapy, and support across your child's lifetime
- Seek damages for your family's pain and suffering
Call (800) 995-1212 now to find out if Sokolove Law can help you file a cerebral palsy claim.
How is a cerebral palsy claim different from a cerebral palsy lawsuit?
A claim is the broader process of seeking compensation. A cerebral palsy lawsuit is the formal legal action filed with a court. Your claim begins the moment you engage a law firm.
Most cerebral palsy claims are resolved through a negotiated settlement, which can mean that families never have to go to trial.
How do I know if my child's cerebral palsy was caused by malpractice?
Not every case of cerebral palsy involves a medical error, but many do. You don’t need to know for sure to get started on a cerebral palsy claim.
Some signs that malpractice could be involved in a cerebral palsy diagnosis include:
- Delayed C-section
- Failure to offer cooling therapy after birth with HIE
- Fetal monitoring data showing prolonged distress
- Trauma from the misuse of delivery instruments
- Untreated maternal infection
Registered nurses at Sokolove Law can review your child's birth records and help determine whether a preventable error may have played a role.
How much is a cerebral palsy claim worth?
The average cerebral palsy settlement is approximately $2.5 Million. However, the value of any individual claim varies, and there’s no guarantee of compensation.
Factors affecting compensation from a cerebral palsy claim may include:
- Projected lifetime cost of care
- Severity of the injury
- Strength of evidence for malpractice
- What state the case is filed in
Cases involving severe disability have produced verdicts and settlements in the tens and hundreds of millions of dollars, such as the $207.6 Million verdict against the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 2025 and the $120 Million verdict against a Michigan health system in 2024.
How long do I have to file a cerebral palsy claim?
The cerebral palsy claim deadline is set by your state's statute of limitations for medical malpractice. You may have as little as 1 year from the date of injury to file a claim.
Contact Sokolove Law as soon as possible to find out if you’re eligible to pursue a claim. Your legal team will ensure that your case meets all relevant deadlines.
Can I file a cerebral palsy claim if my child hasn't been officially diagnosed?
Yes. You don't need a formal CP diagnosis to get started. If your child is showing signs of developmental delay, motor impairment, or neurological issues that began at birth, the team at Sokolove Law can listen to your story and help you understand your options.
Many children are not formally diagnosed with cerebral palsy until age 2 or later, but you shouldn’t assume it's too late to file.
How much does it cost to file a cerebral palsy claim?
At Sokolove Law, there are no upfront costs or hourly fees to file a cerebral palsy claim. We work on a contingency-fee basis. That means we only get paid if we successfully recover compensation for your family. Call (800) 995-1212 to speak with our team for free.
