A cerebral palsy diagnosis turns a joyous moment of welcoming a child into a distressing one, wondering whether it was preventable. If a healthcare provider’s negligence during pregnancy, labor, or delivery caused your child’s cerebral palsy, you may have the right to pursue compensation. A Philadelphia cerebral palsy lawyer at Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. can help you understand your legal options and fight for the resources your child needs.

Our firm has represented Pennsylvania families in complex Philadelphia birth injury cases for decades; we’ve recovered more than $75 million for injured clients to date. We’re ready to help your family pursue the future your child deserves.

Why Philadelphia Families Choose Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C.

Birth injury cases involving cerebral palsy require Philly med mal attorneys who understand medicine and law and how a birth injury affects the life of a child and family. These cases are emotionally demanding, and often fought against hospital systems that would rather fight your claim than accept liability.

Families throughout Philadelphia, PA, turn to our firm for their legal matters because:

We’ve recovered more than $75 million for victims of medical negligence
Our attorneys bring nearly a century of combined legal experience to complex malpractice litigation
We’re a boutique firm, which means your case gets direct attorney involvement rather than getting passed between staff
We’ve been recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers
Our firm was named a U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm for personal injury and medical malpractice
We work closely with respected medical experts across the Commonwealth
We handle every cerebral palsy case on a contingency fee basis

Call today to schedule a free case review with a Philadelphia cerebral palsy attorney. We’re here to stand up for your family.

How a Philadelphia Cerebral Palsy Attorney Can Help Your Family

Cerebral palsy litigation is complex. It involves analyzing treatment at several stages of care, from pregnancy to labor to birth. It also requires reviewing hundreds or thousands of pages of medical records.

An experienced attorney can help lead the charge by:

Reconstructing the full timeline from prenatal visits through delivery
Reviewing neonatal records line by line
Retaining obstetric and pediatric neurology experts
Identifying every liable party, from the delivering physician to the hospital itself
Bringing in life care planners to project your child’s medical needs
Managing all communications with hospital insurers and their defense teams
Preparing to try the case if the other side won’t offer fair compensation

Our firm handles this work so your family can focus on your child’s care and development. Reach out to us today to learn more about how an attorney can help you.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy Linked to Medical Negligence

Cerebral palsy is not always attributable to medical malpractice. Some cases result from factors unrelated to the care a mother or baby received. Still, a significant number of cases are based on preventable medical errors made during pregnancy or delivery, including:

Oxygen deprivation during labor or delivery
Failure to act in the face of fetal distress
Delayed decision to perform a necessary emergency cesarean section
Improper use of forceps or vacuum extraction devices during a difficult delivery
Untreated maternal infections that were passed to the baby during pregnancy or birth
Failure to treat severe newborn jaundice
Medication errors during labor

Identifying whether these factors (and which ones) contributed to your child’s condition is the foundation of a medical malpractice claim. It helps uncover which parties bear liability for your child’s condition.

Establishing Liability in a Pennsylvania Cerebral Palsy Case

A Pennsylvania cerebral palsy malpractice claim requires establishing four main elements:

That a healthcare provider owed your child a duty of care
That the provider breached the accepted standard of care
That this breach caused your child’s injury
That your family suffered actionable damages

Meeting these elements requires gathering and extensively reviewing the mother and baby’s medical records, usually in consultation with obstetric and pediatric medical experts. Expert testimony from specialists is necessary to connect the provider’s specific actions/omissions to your child’s condition. Your attorney will also consult with economic and developmental experts to project your child’s damage and develop a comprehensive life care plan detailing your child’s future needs.

What Compensation Is Available in Pennsylvania Cerebral Palsy Cases?

Pennsylvania law allows recovery of two main types of damages in a birth injury case: (1) economic damages and (2) non-economic damages. Together, these should address the financial and personal impact of a cerebral palsy diagnosis caused by malpractice.

A successful claim can result in an award for:

Current and future medical expenses
Ongoing therapies
Assistive devices and specialized equipment
Home modifications
Your child’s diminished future earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Loss of enjoyment of life

Some states place caps on your ability to recover these damages, especially the non-economic variety. Fortunately, Pennsylvania does not. You can seek money for the full range of monetary and non-monetary losses you’ve experienced after a child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy.

Filing Deadlines for Cerebral Palsy Claims in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania generally requires malpractice lawsuits to be filed within two years of the date of injury. However, in cases involving minors, that limitation period can be tolled/paused until the child turns 18, giving additional time to initiate a lawsuit.

Pennsylvania also requires a certificate of merit under Pa.R.C.P. 1042.3 before a malpractice case can proceed. This filing confirms that a qualified medical specialist has reviewed the case and found a reasonable basis for the claim.

Ultimately, you shouldn’t wait if your child was injured due to malpractice. Delays can make evidence harder to obtain and weaken your litigation position.

Contact a Philadelphia Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Today

If your child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you suspect medical negligence played a role, you deserve answers. You deserve accountability. Your child deserves the resources to live the fullest life possible. Morris Wilson Knepp Jacquette, P.C. is ready to fight for your family’s future.

Philadelphia Cerebral Palsy Lawyer