Cerebral palsy claims

Our specialist cerebral palsy claims solicitors secure life-changing compensation settlements and early provision for care, therapies, adapted accommodation and specialist equipment and support, for children with cerebral palsy.

We help families secure the compensation, support and future care their children deserve.

Negligent healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth or a newborn baby’s first days can cause brain injury and cerebral palsy disability. Parents can feel overwhelmed and confused as they come to terms with a traumatic birth and their baby’s need for neonatal intensive care or cooling, and try to understand what that means for their child and family’s future. For over 30 years, our cerebral palsy solicitors have supported parents of children injured by maternity and neonatal negligence through the maternity investigations that follow a birth injury, and the claims process. We are nationally recognised for our outstanding results, often achieving substantial interim payments which provide adapted accommodation, therapies and help with care for our client families, long before the claim is settled.

Nationally recognised cerebral palsy specialists with decades of experience
Access to leading medical experts and rehabilitation professionals
Proven track record of securing life-changing compensation for families

Dedicated solicitor support from initial enquiry through to settlement
No upfront costs and claim through a no win no fee agreement

Do I have a cerebral palsy claim?

Many parents of children with cerebral palsy are unsure whether their child’s condition may have been caused by avoidable medical negligence and may feel hesitant about seeking legal advice. Some worry about placing blame, while others simply want answers about what happened during pregnancy, labour, delivery, or the early stages of their child’s development. Speaking to a specialist cerebral palsy solicitor does not mean you have to pursue a claim. It is an opportunity to discuss your concerns, understand whether the care provided met the expected standard, and explore whether legal support, compensation, rehabilitation, or future care assistance may be available to help secure your child’s future.

If you have concerns about the maternity care you or your child received around the time of birth, or if you have been contacted by HSIB, the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI), or NHS Resolution, it is sensible to seek specialist legal advice. Contact from these organisations can indicate that aspects of care are being reviewed. It is important to note, not all families are contacted even where care fell below the expected standard. Early, independent legal advice can help you understand what options are available to you and your family to secure the compensation and answers you and your child needs.

Making a cerebral palsy injury claim

We understand how daunting it can feel to take the first step. Our specialist cerebral palsy solicitors are here to guide you through every stage.

Getting in touch

Call us or complete our online form to get free, confidential advice from a specialist cerebral palsy solicitor. We will listen carefully to your concerns, explain your options in clear and straightforward terms, and advise whether we can help investigate the care provided.

The cerebral palsy claim

Our cerebral palsy specialists will gather your medical records, instruct independent experts, and build a clear picture of what happened and why. Where appropriate, we can request an interim payment to meet your child’s immediate needs.

Securing compensation

Our solicitors provide sensitive and supportive guidance throughout the process, working to secure the maximum compensation for your child as quickly as possible to cover their lifetime care needs, therapies, adapted accommodation, equipment, and other essential support.

Cerebral palsy FAQs

What is cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy is a non-progressive, neurological condition which is caused by damage to the brain before, during or soon after birth. A diagnosis of cerebral palsy may not be made until signs of the condition become apparent as the child develops. An early diagnosis of HIE (hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy), birth asphyxia, kernicterus or other type of brain injury often indicates that the child may go on to have disability as a result of cerebral palsy.

Physical effects of cerebral palsy can include impaired muscle control, coordination, posture, balance, tone, and reflexes. People with cerebral palsy may have difficulties with mobility, dexterity, feeding, communication, and independent living. With support, many children with physical disability from cerebral palsy can still study at school, college, or university and go on to paid employment. Those with more severe brain injury may have severe learning disability, epilepsy, cortical blindness, or be totally unable to communicate.

Cerebral palsy affects each person differently. The full extent of the disability may only become clear as the child grows and develops. Therapeutic cooling (which is now given routinely to babies with HIE) may reduce the more obvious physical disability, sometimes leaving hidden or more subtle cognitive disability to appear over time.

Does my child have a cerebral palsy claim?

Cerebral palsy is complex, and advancements in medical understanding of the condition are being made all the time. In our experience, certain types of mistakes by doctors or midwives are more likely to result in a successful claim, but no two clients’ cases are ever exactly the same.

The quickest way to find out whether you can claim cerebral palsy compensation for your child or teenager, is to contact our cerebral palsy lawyers. We strongly recommend that you contact us immediately if you are contacted by NHS Resolution or MNSI after the birth of your child.

What maternity mistakes cause cerebral palsy from lack of oxygen?

Cerebral palsy can be caused by brain injury from lack of oxygen during late pregnancy, labour, delivery and immediately after birth. Other names for this cause of brain injury include hypoxia, asphyxia or anoxia. Babies who have suffered this type of brain injury may be diagnosed with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy or HIE after birth.

Mistakes by midwives and doctors in maternity and neonatal care which can cause cerebral palsy from HIE brain injury include:

delayed delivery of a baby with signs of ‘fetal distress’;
negligent monitoring, interpreting or recording of the fetal heart rate;
Syntocinon errors, such as hyperstimulation of the mother’s uterus from negligent use of oxytocin;
negligent care during VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean) and uterine rupture;
failing to act on signs of placental abruption.
errors or delays helping the baby to breathe by intubation, resuscitation, or ventilation;
failing to clear the baby’s airway of meconium, leading to meconium aspiration;
poor supervision of neonatal skin-to-skin contact.

Babies who are diagnosed with significant HIE are treated with therapeutic cooling shortly after birth. Their injury may be reported by the hospital for further investigation to the Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations Special Health Authority (MNSI) or the NHS’s defence organisation, NHS Resolution, under the Early Notification Scheme.

We strongly advise parents who are contacted by NHS Resolution or MNSI after the birth of their child to contact us immediately for independent, specialist advice on how to protect their child’s right to compensation.

What maternity mistakes cause cerebral palsy from traumatic birth injury?

Traumatic injury to a baby during or after their birth can cause brain injury, leading to disability from cerebral palsy. These types of birth injuries are often caused by negligent management of an obstructed labour, incorrect technique or excessive force during the delivery.

Cerebral palsy claims arising from traumatic brain injury caused by obstetrician and midwife negligence, often involve excessively forceful or incorrect use of forceps or Ventouse suction, or negligent management of obstetric complications or emergencies, such as shoulder dystocia, impacted fetal head or vaginal breech delivery.

What maternity mistakes in twin pregnancies cause cerebral palsy?

Twin or multiple pregnancies should be treated as high risk and need careful monitoring and management. Twin pregnancies are more likely to be complicated by diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and other risk factors in pregnancy, and also have specific risks of their own.

Examples of complications in twin pregnancy which, if poorly managed, can lead to brain injury and cerebral palsy include:

twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS);
delayed delivery of the second twin;
negligent handling of a vaginal breech delivery.

What neonatal care mistakes cause cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy can also be caused by injury to a newborn baby’s brain from negligent neonatal care. Mistakes by midwives, paediatricians, and other neonatal staff in the minutes, hours, and days after the baby’s birth may cause further damage to a baby who was already injured or severely harm a healthy baby.

Cerebral palsy claims arising from negligent neonatal care of a newborn baby often involve:

errors or delays in helping the baby to breathe by intubation, resuscitation, or ventilation;
failing to clear the baby’s airway of meconium, leading to meconium aspiration;
poor supervision of neonatal skin-to-skin contact, leading to neonatal collapse;
cooling errors after HIE;
kernicterus brain injury from failure to diagnose, monitor and treat jaundice;
hypoglycaemia – failing to monitor and treat low blood sugar;
hyponatraemia – fluid monitoring errors leading to injury from low blood sodium;
VKDB – vitamin K deficiency bleeding or haemorrhagic disease of the newborn, from failure to give vitamin K;
delayed diagnosis and treatment of infection, such as group B streptococcal infection (GBS), meningitis, HSV (herpes simplex virus) or sepsis.

When should you contact a solicitor if you think your child has a cerebral palsy claim?

We advise parents who think their child may have been injured by negligent care around the time of birth to contact our cerebral palsy solicitors as soon as possible for free, confidential advice. The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can begin to help.

Initial help may take the form of general advice about making a claim, responding to NHS Resolution or MNSI, or pursuing a claim and seeking an admission of liability or interim payment.

Parents who are considering making a claim for their child often find it helpful to contact us for advice:

after their child’s traumatic birth, HIE brain injury diagnosis, cooling and neonatal treatment;
as soon as they are contacted by NHS Resolution or MNSI;
if concerned about the child missing developmental milestones or special educational needs (SEN);
before transition to secondary school, further education or independent living;
when NHS or social care does not provide enough support and the family needs extra help to cope financially or physically with the needs of the growing child.

We also help families of teenagers and young adults with cerebral palsy who decide at a later date to find out more about their entitlement to claim compensation.

Many of our client families come to us after being referred by other families, support groups and other solicitors.

What are the benefits of making a cerebral palsy compensation claim?

It costs nothing to find out from our friendly, cerebral palsy specialist solicitors whether your child is entitled to compensation. If your child’s disability was caused by negligent care before, during or after birth, taking that first step could open the way for them to receive a lifetime of essential care and provision, and the security of guaranteed financial support.

Compensation can’t undo the injury, but it can make a huge difference to the injured child’s life in a way that parents may not be able to imagine during the child’s infancy and early years. Cerebral palsy isn’t progressive, but its effects become more apparent as the child develops, creating physical and financial challenges which parents increasingly find hard to meet.

Our client families often find that our specialist cerebral palsy solicitors can help them access:

clear, straightforward information about their child’s condition;
an admission of liability and apology from the hospital;
money from interim payments to pay for help with care, equipment, private therapies and other urgent needs long before the claim is concluded;
specialist support from a professional case manager with renting, buying or adapting a family home which is suitable for the child’s disability, and setting up and managing help with care;
support with school placements and educational support from our SEN team;
deputyship support with managing, protecting and accessing funds;
expert support for the child during life-stage transitions, such as from school to college, or from home to supported independent living;
compensation settlements which combine the flexibility of a lump sum with the security of lifelong annual payments for care.

What compensation can you claim for a child with cerebral palsy?

Cerebral palsy compensation settlements for children with severe disability from negligent birth injury are among the highest amounts that can be claimed for medical negligence. Whilst no amount of compensation can ever undo the harm that a child has suffered, the compensation aims to provide the child and their family with access to the help that they need to meet the extensive needs that arise from their cerebral palsy. The amount of compensation depends on the severity and impact of the child’s disability, the cost of meeting their needs for the rest of their life, and other factors, such as their life expectancy.

Our clients benefit from early interim payments and outstanding compensation settlements which pay for care, therapies, equipment and adapted accommodation. As soon as we can secure an admission of liability and interim payment from NHS Resolution we start making a difference where it is most needed, whether that’s providing access to SEN educational support and assistive technology, professional help with personal care, specialist therapies and medical treatment, buying an adapted vehicle or moving the child and their family to a more suitable, fully adapted home.

Cerebral palsy compensation claims are complex and must be handled by claimant specialist solicitors to ensure that the child receives the financial provision that they will need throughout their life to manage their disability.

Will my child’s privacy be protected after a cerebral palsy claim?

We understand that parents of children who receive cerebral palsy compensation may be concerned about their child’s vulnerability to unwanted interest in their compensation from friends, neighbours and local press or media.

We use a variety of ways to protect our clients and their compensation from unwanted attention, including asking the court for an anonymity order which prohibits any publication of the child and family’s name or address, and protecting their compensation via Court of Protection deputyship or personal injury trusts.

You can find out about how we protect our clients’ anonymity and their compensation.

What should I do if I am contacted by MNSI after the birth of my child?

We strongly advise parents who are contacted by MNSI (Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations Special Health Authority) about the events which took place during pregnancy, labour, delivery and after the birth of a baby, to contact our cerebral palsy solicitors immediately for free, confidential, specialist advice.

All NHS trusts in England which provide maternity care are required to report maternity safety incidents which have resulted in severe HIE brain injury to full term babies to MNSI for investigation, as part of the government’s national strategy to improve maternity safety. After MNSI complete their investigation, MNSI shares their report with the injured child’s family but also reports the findings of its investigations to the NHS’s defence team at NHS Resolution.

If you are contacted by MNSI or NHS Resolution, it is important that you obtain your own independent advice from solicitors with specialist experience in representing patients in cerebral palsy claims. Your child may be entitled to substantial compensation.

What should I do if NHS Resolution contacts me after my child’s birth?

If NHS Resolution contacts you after the birth of your baby, we strongly advise you to contact our claimant (acting for the patient) cerebral palsy solicitors for free, confidential legal advice, straight away. Your child may be entitled to claim substantial compensation.

It is important that parents understand that NHS Resolution is the organisation which defends the NHS against medical negligence claims made by patients. NHS Resolution’s purpose is to reduce the number of medical negligence claims and the amount of compensation that the NHS pays to injured patients. If you make a cerebral palsy claim for your child, now or at any time in the future, NHS Resolution’s defence team will be acting for the hospital to defend or reduce the value of your claim. They act for the NHS and can only assess claims from the defendant’s point of view. You may be entitled to claim compensation, even in circumstances where NHS Resolution denies liability. In our experience, the majority of our successfully settled high value claims begin with NHS Resolution denying responsibility for the child’s cerebral palsy.

What is the NHS Early Notification Scheme?

If you are contacted, asked for information or offered compensation by NHS Resolution under the NHS Early Notification Scheme, it is essential to contact independent solicitors to protect your child’s interests and ensure that your child receives their full entitlement to compensation.

The NHS defence organisation, NHS Resolution, claims that its Early Notification Scheme offers support for families of babies who were born at full term but suffered hypoxic (lack of oxygen) brain injury from mistakes in maternity care. However, our cerebral palsy solicitors and other organisations representing injured patients, such as the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, are concerned that ENS is being used to provide an early means for the NHS to prepare to defend potential claims, whilst in many cases parents of injured babies are not getting the level of advice or financial support for their child’s claim that they deserve.

Contact us

If you would like advice regarding a serious injury or illness affecting you or a loved one, please complete the form and one of our experts will be in touch as soon as possible.

Rather give us a call:

0800 124 4845

Client story

Helping families obtain liability and claim compensation

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Our cerebral palsy claims

Useful related information

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Every child's brain injury claim is different, and so is the compensation they need. Our solicitors secure settlements built around your child's own needs, both now and for the rest of their life.

Funding for birth injury claims

Read about how birth injury and neonatal brain injury claims can be funded, including No Win, No Fee agreements and other funding options.

Help with care

Accessing the right care can make a life-changing difference. We help families secure compensation to fund specialist support, therapies and ongoing care needs.

Anonymity orders

Anonymity orders can provide vital protection for families pursuing brain injury claims, read more on how we help keep personal details private.

Our medical negligence team

What our clients say

We cannot thank Susan and her team at Boyes Turner enough

Words cannot express how grateful we are to Susan and her team for the level of commitment and dedication shown to our family during a time which would be difficult for anyone. Susan demonstrates a calm professional manner which helped us to feel at ease. Her level of knowledge has proven to be the best in the field and we fully recommend her to anyone seeking to investigate birth injury claims. You can be confident that Susan and her team will scrutinise the medical notes thoroughly and will keep you well informed throughout the process. We are very pleased with the outcome of our child’s case and know that her work has resulted in justice being achieved. Our family will now be able to move forward in the knowledge that the finances are securely in place for our child to receive a suitable care package, purchase equipment and receive necessary lifelong therapy. We cannot thank Susan and her team at Boyes Turner enough.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

We would all highly recommend them

The support we received from Boyes Turner and our specific solicitors was exceptional. As a family, we would all highly recommend them to anyone. They were consistently knowledgeable, kind and professional throughout, always putting our son at the centre of our fight for justice.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

I would recommend

I would not hesitate in recommending Boyes Turner to anyone.

Mr Hopkins

What our clients say

I am overwhelmed

I am overwhelmed by the outcome in terms of the monetary value and know I should consider it as a near a ‘sorry’ as I am likely to get from the hospital. It will be nice to start the process of closure on the whole issue now and look towards the future for us as a family.

Mrs T, Surrey

What our clients say

I couldn’t fault them they have been brilliant throughout the whole process

From the moment I picked up the phone and spoke to Richard Money-Kyrle I knew I had done the right thing by choosing Boyes Turner to take our claim forward and to represent my son. Both Richard Money-Kyrle and Alpa Rana have worked on our case and they both have been amazing throughout, explaining every step of the way and anything we didn’t understand and keeping me updated constantly. This gave me and my family a lot of reassurance. Both Richard and Alpa are friendly and gained my trust and have been really easy to talk to which has made the process a whole lot easier and smoother than anticipated. The outcome of the claim was far more than I could have wished for and that was down to their hard work and expertise. I couldn’t fault them they have been brilliant throughout the whole process I would recommend Boyes Turner to anyone.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

I thoroughly recommend Boyes Turner

I thoroughly recommend Boyes Turner. I cannot thank them enough for the effort they have put in for my son and our family. From the outset Richard and his team have been straightforward, knowledgeable, patient and considerate and throughout the whole process have had my son’s best interests at heart.

Boyes Turner Client

What our clients say

Friendly and sympathetic

Everything was handled in a friendly and sympathetic, but also professional and efficient, manner.

Irene Dowdall

What our clients say

Boyes Turner were excellent, dug in for the long haul

Boyes Turner were excellent, dug in for the long haul and, after, four years of legal wrangling, eventually secured a sum of compensation. At no time did anyone at Boyes Turner consider ‘throwing the towel in’, which other, less determined firms might easily have done. Throughout this campaign I was very impressed indeed by the belief, understanding and dedication of Boyes Turner. The commitment and service were first-class, so if you are involved in a compensation case you have come to the right firm of solicitors!

Mr S, Warwickshire

What our clients say

Brain injury at birth

My daughter was born with a severe brain injury and was severely disabled as a result, I approached Boyes turner when she a few months old because I wanted answers. I remember the day well sitting in the carpark in total shock and dismay having been to a serious incident meeting within the hospital, the tone of that meeting had been to deny there had been any wrongdoing on the hospitals part and they tried to blame me. I mustered the courage to contact BT and it was the best decision I have ever made. From start to finish they have been professional, kind, explained the process through every step of the way, empathetic, responsive, they not only got me the answers I needed by instructing top of their class experts, they also won my daughter an award that now means she can be looked after, with the correct input and in the right accommodation for the rest of her life. Nothing can take the pain away of what happened to my little girl but with Boyes Turner’s help we are now able to give her the life she deserves and I will be forever grateful

Anonymous

What our clients say

Clinical negligence claim

At all times we felt guided, supported and encouraged that we were doing the best for our son and it is a credit to your dedication and professionalism that, following the outcome of claim, we have now in fact have secured that future for our son.

What our clients say

Compassionate and patient

You always listened when i needed to talk or get things off my chest. You were compassionate and patient.

Boyes Turner client

What our clients say

Accident at work testimonial

The service was personal, professional and considered. I was treated so kindly and in the end I knew that not only had I found the right organisation but also the right person.

Boyes Turner client

Why choose Boyes Turner?

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Our clients receive the highest standards of advice and representation and are always treated with compassion, outstanding care and understanding of the physical, emotional, psychological and financial impact that life-changing injury can have upon their lives.

We are nationally acclaimed for our claimant medical negligence expertise and the outstanding results we achieve for our clients.
We are ranked as leading clinical negligence experts in the Chambers Directory and Legal 500 guides to the legal profession and are accredited for our specialist expertise by the Law Society, AvMA, and the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

Our integrated multidisciplinary team offers our clients a full range of specialist help with compensation, rehabilitation, SEN, deputyship, personal injury trusts and community care.
We secure maximum compensation in claims for adults and children who have suffered catastrophic injury and severe disability, and provide practical support for their families.

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Hypoxic brain injury claims for babies (HIE)

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Hyponatraemia

Our specialist solicitors can help if your baby suffered a brain injury caused by negligent management of hyponatraemia.

Neonatal brain injury claims

Our solicitors claim for compensation for disability from conditions, such as kernicterus, hypoglycaemia, HIE, VKDB or serious infection.

Fetal monitoring mistakes

If your baby suffered HIE brain injury after a delayed or difficult birth, fetal monitoring mistakes may be to blame. Our specialist solicitors can help you understand what happened and secure compensation.

Twin pregnancy birth injury claims

We secure compensation for families affected by negligent maternity and neonatal care, including twin birth injuries, brain injuries and maternal birth trauma.

Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS)

When meconium aspiration during birth leads to severe disability, early support and specialist care can make a vital difference to a child’s future. Read how we help.

Breech birth

Helping families understand what caused their child’s breech birth injury and secure the support they need for the future.

Related cerebral palsy insights

Leading cerebral palsy solicitors for over 30 years

Our solicitors’ expertise in medical negligence claims and their dedication to improving the lives of their injured clients has been recognised by the legal profession and disability charities for over 30 years.

Cerebral palsy claims

We help families secure the compensation, support and future care their children deserve.

Do I have a cerebral palsy claim?

Susan Brown

Making a cerebral palsy injury claim

Getting in touch

The cerebral palsy claim

Securing compensation

Cerebral palsy FAQs

Contact us

0800 124 4845

Client story

Helping families obtain liability and claim compensation

Our cerebral palsy claims

Useful related information

Managing compensation in birth injury claims

Funding for birth injury claims

Help with care

Anonymity orders

Our medical negligence team

Susan Brown

Julie Marsh

Sita Soni

Tara Pileggi-Byrne

Vanessa Wand

Ben Ireland

Laura Hayes-Payne

Hannah Lindley

Megan Levey

Audrey Elmore

Alice Carley

Nicky Melville

What our clients say

We cannot thank Susan and her team at Boyes Turner enough

What our clients say

We would all highly recommend them

What our clients say

I would recommend

What our clients say

I am overwhelmed

What our clients say

I couldn’t fault them they have been brilliant throughout the whole process

What our clients say

I thoroughly recommend Boyes Turner

What our clients say

Friendly and sympathetic

What our clients say

Boyes Turner were excellent, dug in for the long haul

What our clients say

Brain injury at birth

What our clients say

Clinical negligence claim

What our clients say

Compassionate and patient

What our clients say

Accident at work testimonial

Why choose Boyes Turner?

Related birth injury claims

Cooling for babies with HIE birth injury

Hypoxic brain injury claims for babies (HIE)

Hyponatraemia

Neonatal brain injury claims

Fetal monitoring mistakes

Twin pregnancy birth injury claims

Meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS)

Breech birth

Related cerebral palsy insights

Leading cerebral palsy solicitors for over 30 years

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Helping families obtain liability and claim compensation