Cerebral Palsy is a physical condition that affects movement as a result of an injury to the brain. Every person with Cerebral Palsy is affected in a different particular way. There are many types but the 3 main types are:-

1. Athetoid Cerebral Palsy - Here the control of muscles and posturing are destructed because of spontaneous uncontrolled movements.
2. Spastic Cerebral Palsy - Here control and movement is very difficult because some of the muscles in the body are tight, stiff and sometimes weak.
3. Ataxic Cerebral Palsy - This involves difficulties with speech as well as with balance and uncontrolled shaking movements of the hands and/or feet.

Although it does affect a persons movement, Cerebral Palsy can also, but not always, involve damage to the areas of the brain that causes learning difficulties. Some individuals with Cerebral Palsy are very intelligent, others can have severe learning difficulties.

A proportion of cases involving Cerebral Palsy are attributable to difficulties during labour and birth. Better maternity care over the years has meant fewer babies are born with Cerebral Palsy from birth trauma, but this still occurs. Any child born with Cerebral Palsy as a consequence of birth trauma could have a substantial claim for compensation. That compensation would be used to help that child receive the right level of care throughout their life, pay for any aides or adaptions in and around the home or indeed modifications to their home (or even the purchase of appropriate property) as well as compensate them for any pain and suffering and the lost opportunities in their life.

Birth injury cases are very complicated. We are specialists in handling these cases, having already recovered millions of pounds in damages for children with Cerebral Palsy. We are able to call upon top experts to review the history of the pregnancy, labour and delivery (including any electronic fetal monitoring), any brain imaging (and we can organise this if no adequate or proper imaging has already been done by the hospital) as well as assessing the nature of the condition itself and the affect it will have upon the child’s life. If a case is successful we will also arrange to provide the necessary advice for investing (with the Court’s approval) the compensation so that it should provide the right level of return for that child’s future.

If your child suffers from Cerebral Palsy please contact us. We can appraise the case for you over the telephone and this will not cost anything. We can quickly assess whether legal aid would be available, although it usually is for children.