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New York City Cerebral Palsy Lawyer

Cerebral palsy is a type of brain damage that can cause a host of symptoms in young children. Unfortunately, this condition does not improve over time, and the effects of cerebral palsy are permanent. When a child develops cerebral palsy due to medical negligence during childbirth, his or her parents may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim against the doctor or other medical professional who caused the damage. Contact Sullivan, Papain, Block, Mcmanus, Coffinas, & Cannavo, P.C., in New York City today to schedule a free case evaluation for a recent cerebral palsy diagnosis.

Why Hire Our Firm?

  • Over the past decade, Sullivan, Papain, Block, McManus, Coffinas, & Cannavo, P.C., has helped recover more than $2 billion in compensation for our past clients. We work to improve the lives of people in our New York City community and have acted as lead counsel representing 9/11 first responders and as general counsel to the Uniformed Firefighters Association of New York.
  • Our firm has extensive experience with all types of medical malpractice lawsuits, including birth injury claims for cerebral palsy.
  • We offer contingency fee billing to ensure our clients can secure legal representation when they need it most, regardless of ability to pay. We only recover legal fees when we win our clients’ cases.

Is an Attorney Necessary After a Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis?

In some cases, cerebral palsy can occur from natural causes completely outside of any doctor’s control. However, when a child develops cerebral palsy due to medical negligence, such as poor prenatal care, excessive force during delivery, or failure to monitor a baby’s vital signs, the parents likely have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.

Filing a medical malpractice claim in New York City is a complex process that requires meeting the statute of limitations set forth by New York law. The average client with no legal experience or training will need an attorney to handle insurance issues, build a strong case and contact expert witnesses who can help explain a client’s situation in a way a jury can understand.

Common Symptoms of Cerebral Palsy

  • Spasticity or rigidity in the muscles of the arms and legs;
  • Poor muscle growth;
  • Ataxia or lack of coordination;
  • Tremors and involuntary movements;
  • Delays in motor skill development;
  • Favoring one side of the body, such as crawling only using one leg or only grasping with one hand;
  • Speech delays;
  • Diminished fine motor skills;
  • Seizures;
  • Intellectual impairment;
  • Mental health conditions; and
  • Diminished hearing and/or vision.

The effects of cerebral palsy in each case can be difficult to predict, and the symptoms are different for every child born with this condition. Some may only require minimal assistance as they grow up and may only experience minimal cognitive, social, and physical delays while others suffer severe impairment and will require constant care for the rest of their lives.

Securing Compensation for a Cerebral Palsy Claim

To succeed with a medical malpractice claim for cerebral palsy, a plaintiff’s attorney must prove that an official doctor-patient relationship existed between the plaintiff and the defendant. Then, the attorney must show that the defendant failed to meet the standard of care and caused the child’s cerebral palsy. Finally, the plaintiff’s attorney must prove the extent of the damages involved in the case.

Parents of children who develop cerebral palsy due to medical negligence can secure compensation for the medical expenses required to care for the child’s condition, lost income from the time they must spend away from work to care for their child with cerebral palsy, and pain, and suffering damages as well. It may also be possible for a defendant to face punitive damages for gross negligence or any intentionally harmful acts that caused the damages in question.

Get Help – Call Today

Contact Sullivan, Papain, Block, McManus & Cannavo, P.C., today to schedule a free consultation about your cerebral palsy claim in New York City, and we will let you know how our firm can help.