A cerebral palsy diagnosis after a difficult birth raises urgent questions about what happened, who is responsible, and how your family will afford years of specialized care.
A Baltimore cerebral palsy lawyer at Furman Honick Law helps families hold negligent doctors, nurses, and hospitals accountable when preventable medical errors during labor or delivery cause lasting brain damage.
With $80+ million recovered and 230+ 5-star reviews from clients across Baltimore, the firm prepares every cerebral palsy claim with the depth and seriousness these cases demand.
Call 410-406-7890 for a free consultation to discuss your child's case.
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Why Families Trust Furman Honick Law With Cerebral Palsy Claims
Cerebral palsy cases are among the most complex claims in medical malpractice. They require detailed medical record review, qualified medical testimony, and attorneys who understand both the science of birth injuries and the procedural demands of Maryland law.
Furman Honick Law brings that level of preparation to every case.
Trial-Ready Approach From Day One
Our cerebral palsy medical malpractice attorneys begin building each case as though it may need to be proven before a jury. That preparation strengthens the claim at every stage, whether the case resolves through negotiation or proceeds to trial.
The firm has secured dozens of jury verdicts and earned recognition from organizations including Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Best Lawyers Ones to Watch, and National Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyers.
Direct Access to Your Attorneys
Parents dealing with a child's cerebral palsy diagnosis need clear communication, not silence. Families who work with Furman Honick Law speak directly with experienced trial lawyers throughout the process.
No Fees Unless We Win
Furman Honick Law handles cerebral palsy cases on a contingency basis. Families pay no upfront costs and owe no legal fees unless the firm recovers compensation on their behalf. Free consultations are available at the firm's Baltimore and Owings Mills offices.
Ask Furman Honick Law
Q: Is cerebral palsy always caused by a doctor's mistake?
A: No, cerebral palsy is not always caused by medical negligence. Some cases result from genetic factors, infections during pregnancy, or complications that occur despite appropriate care. However, when a healthcare provider fails to respond to fetal distress, delays a necessary cesarean section, or mismanages a high-risk delivery, that failure may constitute malpractice.
Q: How much does a cerebral palsy case cost to pursue?
A: Families pay nothing upfront to pursue a cerebral palsy claim with Furman Honick Law. The firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning legal fees are a percentage of the recovery and are only collected if the case is successful. Costs for medical record review, qualified medical testimony, and other case expenses are advanced by the firm.
Q: What if my child was diagnosed with cerebral palsy years ago?
A: Maryland law provides extended filing deadlines for children injured at birth. The statute of limitations for the child's own claim does not begin until the child reaches age 18, allowing until the child's 21st birthday to file. Parents' claims for their own losses are subject to shorter deadlines.
How Does Medical Negligence Cause Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy caused by birth injuries often traces back to mistakes made during labor and delivery that deprive a baby's brain of oxygen.
The CDC reports that 85% to 90% of cerebral palsy cases are congenital, meaning the brain damage occurred before or during birth. When that damage results from a healthcare provider's failure to meet the standard of care, families may have grounds for a medical malpractice claim.
Medical errors during labor and delivery that may lead to cerebral palsy include the following:
- Failing to monitor fetal heart rate patterns or recognize signs of distress on electronic monitoring equipment
- Delaying an emergency cesarean section when fetal distress or complications such as placental abruption are present
- Mismanaging high-risk conditions, including preeclampsia, umbilical cord compression, or prolonged labor
- Improperly using delivery instruments such as forceps or vacuum extractors, causing direct trauma to the baby's head
Any of these failures may result in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a form of brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation and one of the most common pathways to a cerebral palsy diagnosis. The risk increases when pregnancies already carry complications such as preeclampsia, maternal infection, premature labor, or multiple births.
Medical teams have a responsibility to identify those factors early and adjust care accordingly. When a provider misses warning signs or fails to refer a patient to a higher level of care, the resulting harm to the baby may form the basis of a cerebral palsy claim.
A cerebral palsy lawyer in Baltimore reviews medical records closely to determine whether providers met their responsibility to act. Contact Furman Honick Law now for a free consultation: 410-406-7890.
Who May Be Held Liable in a Baltimore Cerebral Palsy Case?
Multiple parties may bear responsibility when medical negligence during labor or delivery leads to cerebral palsy. Maryland law allows families to pursue claims against any healthcare provider whose actions fell below the accepted standard of care. Identifying each liable party affects both the strength of the claim and the total compensation available.
Depending on the facts of the delivery, liable parties may include the following:
- The obstetrician or attending physician who managed the labor and delivery
- Nurses or midwives who monitored the mother and baby during labor
- Anesthesiologists whose errors contributed to complications during delivery
- The hospital or birthing facility itself, for systemic failures in staffing, training, or protocol
Each defendant's role is evaluated separately based on what they knew, what they did, and whether their actions met the standard of care expected in that situation.
How Hospital Liability Differs From Individual Provider Liability
A cerebral palsy claim against an individual doctor focuses on that provider's specific decisions during labor and delivery. A claim against a hospital raises different questions.
Hospitals may be liable when understaffing contributed to delayed monitoring, when facility policies failed to require timely interventions, or when the hospital employed or credentialed a provider with a known pattern of substandard care.
In some cases, both the individual provider and the institution share responsibility for the same injury.
Why Maryland's Contributory Negligence Rule Matters
Maryland follows a strict contributory negligence standard. Under this rule, if the defense argues the patient's own actions contributed to the injury in any way, it may attempt to bar recovery entirely.
In cerebral palsy cases, this defense is rare because the injured party is a newborn. However, defense teams may still raise arguments about the mother's prenatal care decisions or compliance with medical instructions.
Strong documentation and thorough case preparation help counter those arguments. Furman Honick Law builds each cerebral palsy claim with Maryland's contributory negligence landscape in mind, anticipating defense strategies from the start.
What Compensation May Be Available in a Baltimore Cerebral Palsy Case?
A cerebral palsy claim in Maryland may include both economic and non-economic damages. Compensation for both is crucial because the financial burden of cerebral palsy is substantial.
A Medicaid claims analysis published in the National Library of Medicine found that annual medical costs for children with CP averaged $22,383, compared to $1,358 for children without the condition. For children who are nonambulatory, those costs jumped to $43,687 per year.
Economic damages in these cases are uncapped under Maryland law, meaning there is no statutory limit on recovery for medical expenses, lost income, or future care costs.
Medical Expenses and Future Care
Cerebral palsy treatment often requires ongoing physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medications, surgical procedures, and assistive devices. Many children need specialized equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, and communication tools.
A cerebral palsy claim may seek compensation for both past and anticipated future medical costs across a child's lifetime.
Lost Parental Income and Earning Capacity
Parents frequently reduce work hours or leave jobs entirely to care for a child with cerebral palsy. A claim may include compensation for that lost income. In cases involving severe impairment, the child's own reduced future earning capacity may also factor into the damages calculation.
Home and Vehicle Modifications
Children with mobility challenges often require modifications to the family home, such as wheelchair ramps, widened doorways, or accessible bathrooms. Adapted vehicles may also be necessary.
These costs are recoverable as part of a cerebral palsy medical malpractice claim.
Pain, Suffering, and Non-Economic Losses
Maryland caps noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases. For claims arising in 2026, that cap is $920,000 for a single claimant. In wrongful death cases with two or more beneficiaries, the cap increases to 125% of the base amount.
These caps apply only to non-economic losses. There is no limit on economic damages such as medical bills, therapy costs, and lost wages.
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What Does Maryland Law Require in a Cerebral Palsy Malpractice Case?
Maryland imposes specific procedural requirements on medical malpractice claims that make legal representation critical from the start. Under the Maryland Health Care Malpractice Claims Act, families must follow a defined process before a cerebral palsy case reaches a courtroom.
Several steps are required before a cerebral palsy malpractice claim moves forward in Maryland:
- Filing the claim with the Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office (HCADRO) before the case may proceed in court, unless arbitration is properly waived
- Submitting a Certificate of a Qualified Expert within 90 days, with a report stating that the provider failed to meet the standard of care and that this failure caused the injury
- Meeting Maryland's statute of limitations deadlines, which differ for the child's claim and the parents' claim
Each requirement carries strict timelines, and missing any one of them may jeopardize the family's right to recover compensation. Furman Honick Law manages every stage of this process from the initial filing through resolution.
Statute of Limitations for Birth Injury Claims
Maryland's medical malpractice statute of limitations generally requires claims to be filed within five years of the injury or three years of discovery, whichever comes first.
For children injured at birth, the timeline is different. Under Maryland case law, the statute of limitations does not begin to run until the child turns 18, giving the child until age 21 to file.
Parents pursuing their own claims for medical expenses and lost income are subject to the standard three- or five-year deadline.
Even with extended filing windows, early action matters. Medical records, fetal monitoring data, and witness testimony become harder to obtain over time. Speaking with a Baltimore cerebral palsy attorney soon after a cerebral palsy diagnosis helps preserve critical evidence.
Common Question Answered by Our Baltimore Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
What medical records matter most in a cerebral palsy claim?
Fetal heart rate monitoring strips, labor and delivery notes, nursing assessments, and neonatal records are often the most important evidence in a cerebral palsy case. These records show whether the medical team recognized signs of fetal distress and how quickly they responded. Brain imaging studies, such as MRI results, may also help establish when the injury occurred.
What is the difference between a cerebral palsy claim and a general birth injury claim?
A cerebral palsy claim is a specific type of birth injury case focused on brain damage that affects motor function, balance, and muscle control. General birth injury claims may involve other conditions such as brachial plexus injuries, fractures, or oxygen deprivation without a cerebral palsy diagnosis. The legal process is similar, but damages and medical evidence differ.
Does my child's cerebral palsy severity affect the value of the case?
Yes, the severity of a child's cerebral palsy diagnosis directly affects the potential value of the claim. Children who require full-time care, use wheelchairs, or have co-occurring intellectual disabilities typically face higher lifetime care costs. Generally speaking, more severe cases could result in larger economic damage calculations.
How do I choose a lawyer for a cerebral palsy case in Baltimore?
Cerebral palsy cases require attorneys with direct experience in birth injury medical malpractice and familiarity with Maryland's procedural requirements. Families may want to ask whether the firm has taken similar cases to trial, how communication works throughout the process, and whether the attorneys prepare for trial from the start rather than pushing for a quick settlement.
Furman Honick Law: Protecting Your Child's Future After a Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis
The first months after a cerebral palsy diagnosis are overwhelming. Between therapy appointments, specialist visits, and the daily reality of caring for a child with complex needs, the legal process may feel like one more burden.
Furman Honick Law takes that weight off families by handling every aspect of the claim, from the initial medical record review through the HCADRO process and, if necessary, trial.
Serving families in Baltimore, Owings Mills, throughout Maryland, and Washington, D.C., the firm offers free consultations and charges no fees unless it recovers compensation. Call 410-406-7890 to speak with a Baltimore cerebral palsy lawyer about your family's legal options.