What’s the Lifetime Cost of Cerebral Palsy?

Jacky Gale | August 9th, 2018

Cerebral palsy is a movement disorder that develops when a child’s immature brain suffers damage, such as damage from oxygen deprivation. Sometimes, cerebral palsy is a birth injury caused by medical malpractice or negligence. For example, the obstetrician or nurse may fail to notice the signs of fetal distress and take appropriate action to prevent oxygen deprivation. Cerebral palsy is incurable, but children may make some improvements with years of intensive therapy and medical treatments.

The lifetime cost of raising a child with cerebral palsy

Children with cerebral palsy can experience many complications and impairments that vary widely in type and degree of severity. In general, however, it’s expected that even if a child does improve in ability somewhat, he or she will still need a great deal of extra care throughout the lifetime. The lifetime cost of raising a child with cerebral palsy is exorbitant, and parents often face financial difficulties. Even if they have good insurance coverage, insurance won’t pay for everything.

The more health complications and disabilities a child has, the higher the lifetime cost will be. Children with cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities generally have the highest expenses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that each individual with cerebral palsy requires about one million dollars in care expenses over the course of a lifetime.

And just the medical costs for a child with cerebral palsy (without intellectual disabilities) are 10 times higher than for a child without cerebral palsy (in 2005 dollars, $16,721 compared to $1,674). That figure was taken from Medicaid enrollment data, and does not apply to private insurance costs. Among children enrolled in Medicaid in 2005, the medical costs for a child with cerebral palsy and intellectual disabilities was 26 times higher than for kids without either of these diagnoses ($43,338 compared to $1,674).

How can legal funding help?

In cases in which medical negligence was a likely factor in causing the birth injury, the parents may wish to file a lawsuit against the obstetrician, hospital, and/or nursing staff. A settlement or jury award from a birth injury lawsuit can provide the family with the resources necessary to care for the child for his or her lifetime. But lawsuits can take months, if not years, to resolve, and there’s no guarantee of a favorable resolution.

And in the meantime, parents are left with substantial medical bills, therapy costs, and related expenses. The solution for some families could be legal funding. A pre-settlement lawsuit loan actually works like a cash advance, using the settlement or jury award as collateral. The family gets the money they need right away, and they can use it for anything—from medical bills to physical therapy to groceries to rent.

But the best part about legal funding is that it’s zero risk. If the parents lose the birth injury lawsuit, they’ll owe nothing to the lawsuit loan company. They won’t even have to pay any interest or fees. If they win the lawsuit, they’ll repay the cash advance, plus reasonable interest.

How can parents obtain legal funding?

For years, LawStreet Capital has been a trusted source of legal funding for plaintiffs involved with all sorts of lawsuits, including birth injury lawsuits. We understand that you have lots of questions about legal funding. Our friendly representatives are available to answer your questions and explain the process, so you can feel confident with your decision to apply for legal funding.

Remember that there’s never any risk to you, as you won’t repay the loan if you lose your case. Essentially, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Call LawStreet Capital today at 888-567-4436 or fill out the contact form on our website. We offer 24-hour approval, and you could have cash in your pocket overnight!

Additional resources on the lifetime cost of cerebral palsy:

  1. Mayo Clinic, Cerebral Palsy, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cerebral-palsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20353999
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Data & Statistics for Cerebral Palsy, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/cp/data.html