Cerebral palsy claims

If your child has cerebral palsy, and you believe medical mistakes played a part, you could make a cerebral palsy compensation claim. Our specialist birth injury team will guide you through every stage with the legal expertise, clinical insight and genuine care your family deserves.

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Author

Trevor Ward

Partner Solicitor, Head of Birth Injury Unit

Reviewer

Sahida Patel

Partner, Birth Injury Team Lead

Last Updated

15th July 2026

Can I make a cerebral palsy claim?

You might be able to make a cerebral palsy claim if your child has been diagnosed with the condition, and you believe medical mistakes during pregnancy, labour or shortly after birth played a part.

Cerebral palsy is a life-changing diagnosis that can affect your child’s movement, communication, learning and independence. For many parents, the diagnosis brings understandable fear about the future and how to make sure their child has the support they need as they grow.

Our specialist cerebral palsy solicitors support families through some of the most complex and emotionally challenging times of their lives. Making a claim can help secure the lifelong care, therapies, equipment, and security your child will need – while giving your family confidence for the future. Even if you’re unsure if your child’s cerebral palsy could have been prevented, our experts can investigate on your behalf. We’ll listen to your experience and advise if we think you have a case.

Example of a cerebral palsy claim

Imagine that a mother goes into hospital to give birth, but the CTG trace indicates foetal distress. This is not picked up by the doctors or midwives responsible for the mother and baby. Later, a decision is made to carry out a caesarean section, but there are further delays – which contribute to oxygen deprivation to the baby, and very serious brain damage which is irreversible. If the attending medical team failed to act in a reasonable and timely manner, which directly contributed to the brain damage, we may be able to argue a valid cerebral palsy negligence case.

Related cerebral palsy claims we support

Expertise you can trust

9/10 clients would recommend us
AVMA Panel Members
Securing interim payments to ensure early access to support

What compensation can help with

Supporting lifelong care future development

A diagnosis of cerebral palsy often brings lifelong needs, and we know the financial pressure can add to what is already an overwhelming time. Compensation helps ensure your child has the therapies, equipment and support they need to build confidence, independence and a fulfilling future.

With the right help in place, many children with cerebral palsy go on to thrive and reach their own potential. Compensation can ease some of the strain on your family and help you feel more secure about the years ahead.

Every child’s needs are different, and compensation reflects the impact cerebral palsy has on their daily life, development and future independence. When a child requires lifelong support, settlements can be significant to ensure they have the right care, opportunities and stability throughout their life.

A successful cerebral palsy compensation claim may help fund:

Specialist physiotherapy
Ongoing rehabilitation
Speech and language therapy
Assistive equipment
Home adaptations
Additional care and support
Loss of earnings for parents and carers
Educational support and specialist schooling costs

Understanding the potential value

For example, in one case we handled, a baby who was not breathing for the first nine minutes after birth developed four-limb cerebral palsy. After the hospital accepted that failings during labour and delivery had caused 80 per cent of the injury, the claim settled for over £14.5 million, providing a £6 million lump sum and annual payments to fund lifelong care, therapies and specialist support. Compensation in cerebral palsy claims is based on your child’s individual needs, including the severity of their condition and the level of lifelong care they need.

Understanding cerebral palsy settlements

There are two parts to your cerebral palsy compensation claim:

Compensation for the injury and compensation to mitigate the financial challenges as a result of your child’s condition. The financial portion will pay for expenses like professional care costs, medical expenses not met by the NHS, mobility aids and alterations to your property and vehicle. If you have to give up work to look after your child, loss of earnings, including pension contributions, will be reflected in the final value. To reflect your needs now, and in the future, you will likely receive a lump sum payment initially, followed by monthly payments for the rest of your child’s life.

Specialist cerebral palsy solicitors

Why choose Fletchers for your cerebral palsy claim?

With one of the UK’s most experienced birth injury teams and top-tier rankings for complex medical negligence work, we have the expertise to your support your whole family. Our specialist cerebral palsy solicitors work alongside leading medical experts and rehabilitation professionals, securing life-changing results for children with significant, long-term needs.

Expertise you can rely on

Specialist cerebral palsy and birth injury solicitors, with nearly 40 years of combined experience in complex medical negligence cases
Members of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Panel
Recognised in leading legal directories such as Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500
Multi-million-pound settlements secured for families, including a £17 million lifetime award
Dedicated rehabilitation and wellbeing support to help your child access therapy and care from the earliest stage of the claim
Rated excellent on Trustpilot by the clients we’ve supported
No Win No Fee, so you can pursue your claim without financial risk

You're not alone

We have supported many parents facing the same uncertainty.

We understand that making a cerebral palsy compensation claim isn’t just a legal matter – it’s about your child’s future and your family’s wellbeing. Our commitment is to stand beside you throughout the claim and beyond. We’ll keep you informed, answer questions honestly, and ensure your child’s needs are always at the centre of every decision.

A cerebral palsy diagnosis changes everything for new parents. Many of the families we have represented say they feel they are facing uncertain times, navigating medical appointments, therapies, school decisions and the practical demands of supporting a child with complex needs, often while managing their own grief, exhaustion and worry about the future.

When people come to us for support, often they’re looking for someone to give them direction and clarity about the future. Life after a cerebral palsy diagnosis is overwhelming, and families often want the reassurance that a diagnosis does not define who their child can become. We know that children with cerebral palsy are still children first, with their own personalities, interests and paths ahead of them.

We will handle every part of the legal process, keep you informed at every stage and work to secure compensation that reflects the lifelong impact of what has happened, so your child has the care, support and opportunities they need.

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FAQs about cerebral palsy claims

Can you sue the NHS for cerebral palsy?

Yes. If your child developed cerebral palsy as a result of medical negligence during or after childbirth, you can bring a claim against the NHS trust responsible.

Our solicitors represent families in claims against both NHS trusts and private healthcare providers, on a No Win, No Fee basis.

How long do I have to make a cerebral palsy claim?

In most medical negligence cases, you have three years to make a claim from the date of negligence or the date you became aware that negligence may have taken place.

However, where the claim is on behalf of a child, or where the person affected does not have mental capacity, the three-year time limit generally does not apply in the same way.

A child’s claim does not usually expire until their 21st birthday. If you are unsure about timing, speak to us – we will explain clearly where you stand.

What causes cerebral palsy?

Understanding what leads to cerebral palsy is complex. In most cases, the reason a child has cerebral palsy is because of how their brain developed during pregnancy. Cerebral palsy can also occur because of what happens during or shortly after childbirth.

Common causes include:

Oxygen deprivation (hypoxia)
Premature birth
Infection during pregnancy
A stroke affecting the baby’s brain
Untreated jaundice or neonatal complications

Many doctors believed that if a child developed cerebral palsy during or after birth, it was because they didn’t get enough oxygen. While that can be true, the medical profession widely regards this as just one of several potential causes.

While not all cases are preventable, many cerebral palsy claims succeed where warning signs were missed or action was delayed.

Will I have to go to court?

Most cerebral palsy claims are resolved through negotiation, without the need for a court hearing. However, if your case does require a trial, our solicitors will support and represent you throughout the entire process.

What evidence do I need for a cerebral palsy compensation claim?

You do not need to gather evidence before speaking to us. Once we have assessed your case, we will obtain the relevant medical records from pregnancy, labour, and neonatal care, and work with independent medical experts to review what happened.

As the case progresses, evidence may include:

Maternity, labour, delivery, and neonatal medical records
Foetal monitoring traces and scan reports
Independent expert reports from obstetricians, midwives, neonatologists, and paediatric neurologists
Evidence of delayed diagnosis, missed warning signs, or failures in escalation
Therapy, care, and education records showing the impact of cerebral palsy on your child’s daily life
Financial evidence relating to care costs, equipment, housing adaptations, and loss of earnings

What can cerebral palsy claims help with?

You may use the compensation you’re awarded for your child’s cerebral palsy to pay for:

The cost of a professional carer if you need support and/or someone to look after your child when you’re at work
Private medical treatments like physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy
Mobility aids like wheelchairs and hoists
Travel costs to and from medical and other related appointments
Adaptations to your property
Educational support and assistive technology
Adaptations to your vehicle to make it suitable for your child, or vehicle replacement
Long-term financial security for your family. If you need to leave work or reduce the hours you work to look after your child, your compensation award will also cover your loss of earnings.

Who can make a cerebral palsy claim on behalf of a child?

A cerebral palsy claim is usually brought by a parent or legal guardian acting as a litigation friend – someone who makes decisions in the child’s best interests. Claims may also be brought by other family members or by a deputy or representative appointed by the Court of Protection, where the child does not have the mental capacity to manage their own affairs. If you are unsure whether you are eligible to act on your child’s behalf, we will explain this clearly.

Can you help if my child no longer has capacity to make their own decisions?

Yes. Cerebral palsy claims are commonly brought on behalf of children and individuals who lack mental capacity. A parent or guardian can act as a litigation friend to bring the claim and make decisions in the child’s best interests. We will guide you through this process clearly and sensitively.

How long does a cerebral palsy claim take?

Cerebral palsy claims are among the most complex in medical negligence law and can take several years to resolve. The timeline depends on the complexity of the medical evidence, the severity of the condition, and whether the case is settled through negotiation or proceeds to trial. We will keep you informed at every stage and, where possible, seek interim payments so your child can access support before the case concludes.

Is there any support available for families during the claim?

Yes. Alongside the legal process, we can help you access rehabilitation, therapy, care support, and specialist services. We work with charities and support organisations that assist families emotionally, practically, and financially. Our commitment does not end when the claim settles – we continue to help families put care packages in place and plan for the future.

How much does it cost to make a cerebral palsy claim?

Fletchers represents families pursuing cerebral palsy compensation claims on a No Win, No Fee basis. This means:

No upfront legal costs
No fees to pay if the claim is unsuccessful
A clear, agreed success fee only if compensation is secured

If your claim is successful, we charge an agreed percentage of the total compensation awarded. Our team will explain this clearly during your initial consultation.

Who will be working on my cerebral palsy case

As a Fletchers’ client, you benefit from legal representation led by some of the UK’s leading medical negligence and cerebral palsy compensation solicitors.

Experts like Natalie Richardson, Sahida Patel, Leanne Devine, and Trevor Ward will be on your team representing your child and your family. We recently helped one client secure a £12 million birth injury claim for a child with cerebral palsy.

Birth Injury Team Leader, Trevor Ward is a highly respected and exceptionally experienced solicitor with nearly 40 years’ experience specialising in complex and catastrophic clinical negligence cases, including some of the most challenging birth injury and cerebral palsy claims.

Natalie, Sahida, Leanne, Trevor and our other experienced solicitors work with leading medical experts to prove that your child’s cerebral palsy was preventable. They will show that it was caused by medical negligence like inadequate prenatal care or the use of improper birthing techniques.

The compensation we secure ensures that your child has the lifelong care they need and you have the financial support you need as a family now and in the future.

What other cerebral palsy cases have been successful?

Cases involving cerebral palsy where we and solicitors from our family of companies have been successful in securing compensation for cerebral palsy cases include:

Our claimant’s child suffered grade 1 hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) resulting in permanent brain injury. After obtaining expert evidence from obstetricians, gynaecologists, midwifery consultant, neuroradiologists, and paediatric neurologists, our client was awarded a lifetime settlement of £17 million.

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