Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit Damages
Available Damages for Cerebral Palsy Victims in New Jersey
Dealing with cerebral palsy can present significant challenges for any child and their family members in many ways, including financially. If your child’s cerebral palsy results from improper medical procedures during labor and delivery or another form of medical malpractice, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the medical team, treating doctor, and even the hospital that provided substandard care. A successful legal claim after your child’s cerebral palsy diagnosis can provide essential financial assistance to your family and vastly improve your son or daughter’s quality of life.
Cerebral palsy claims are incredibly complex, requiring extensive medical documentation and other evidence, thorough investigation of every aspect of the treatment process, and often one or more medical experts who can attest to the medical errors or failures that led to a child’s condition. With this in mind, enlisting the help of an experienced cerebral palsy attorney it absolutely essential to the success of your case. If you are seeking damages for cerebral palsy related medical negligence in New Jersey, contact our team of seasoned cerebral palsy lawyers for help today. We provide free consultations and our representation will cost you nothing unless we obtain financial compensation on your behalf. Please feel free to call 866-708-8617 for immediate assistance.
What are Grounds for a Cerebral Palsy Damages Claim?
Healthcare providers fail to provide proper care during labor and delivery and at a number of critical times throughout pregnancy, which may result in your baby suffering from cerebral palsy. When cerebral palsy results from improper medical care prior to, or at the time of your baby’s birth, you may have grounds to sue for compensation. For instance, doctors and nurses may apply forceps or use other birth instruments incorrectly, fail to recognize that your baby is being deprived of oxygen, fail to correct oxygen deficiency in a timely manner, or make errors administering prenatal care.
Although cerebral palsy can be treated and managed, it cannot be cured, meaning that you may be faced with ongoing treatment, therapy, and other related bills over the entire course of your child’s life. Given the expense associated with providing top quality treatment to manage cerebral palsy, bringing an action to hold the doctor, medical team, or hospital involved responsible can provide a critical avenue through which you can obtain money damages to help cover the costs of your child’s ongoing treatment.
What Types of Compensation Can I Get from a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit?
There are several types of compensation or damages you can recover in a cerebral palsy case. The first type of damages, known as “economic damages,” can compensate you for the concrete financial losses you suffer a result of cerebral palsy. For example, medical expense damages can cover physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, medications, doctors visits, and many other cerebral palsy treatments and therapies. And you can recover damages for even more than treatment. Other compensation from cerebral palsy claims include damages for lost wages. For example, if your child is unable to work for the remainder of their life, the court can compensate you for their inability to earn income for themselves.
You can also recover non-economic damages for your child’s pain and suffering as a result of cerebral palsy and many other losses related to the malpractice. These damages are hard to assign a dollar value to, but the award can be significant. There are a number of other types of damages for medical malpractice resulting in cerebral palsy, including what are called “punitive damages.” These damages are designed to punish a doctor or hospital that engaged in particularly willful, wanton, or otherwise egregious conduct. They are awarded less often than other types of damages and are the only type of damages limited by New Jersey law.
How Much is a Cerebral Palsy Case Worth?
If you or your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy and you suspect medical mistakes played a role, a qualified attorney who knows the facts of your case can tell you more about your likelihood of recovering damages and how much you may be entitled to. You attorney may hire a specialist in the field to draft a life care plan, a detailed treatment program including all of the necessary therapy and rehabilitation from the moment of your child’s diagnosis for the remainder of your child’s life. Life care plans also carefully outline all of the costs associated with your child’s care. This can serve as a helpful blueprint for you in caring for your affected child and help a jury determine the amount of damages that should be awarded to make you whole after you have proven that medical malpractice occurred.
Want to Pursue Compensation for Cerebral Palsy in NJ? We Can Help.
Having a child with cerebral palsy is not a burden you should carry alone. You can get legal help bringing a claim for the compensation you and your family need. The first step is to have a knowledgeable attorney evaluate your case to determine if you may be entitled to sue for damages. Contact us today at 866-708-8617 to speak with a highly knowledgeable cerebral palsy attorney in NJ free of charge.
