We help people get the compensation they deserve.Cerebral Palsy Causes
Cerebral palsy can happen before birth, during labor and delivery, or shortly after birth. Some cases are linked to preventable medical errors. Learn the most common cerebral palsy causes and how families may be able to pursue the financial help they need.
Why Take Legal Action?
By filing a cerebral palsy lawsuit, you can seek financial compensation to provide your child with the care they need to live their best life.
Results Secured
- $10.5 million for a family in Missouri
- $7.8 million for a Florida family
- $6 million for a family in New York
Fact-Checked and Legally Reviewed by: Katie Lavender, RN
What Causes Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a lifelong neurological condition that affects movement, muscle tone, and coordination. The cause of cerebral palsy brain damage varies, but in many cases, it’s linked to complications during pregnancy, delivery issues, or lack of oxygen at birth.
Sometimes, cerebral palsy causes are unavoidable. In other situations, cerebral palsy may be the result of medical negligence. Health care professionals can cause the condition by failing to monitor fetal distress, respond to infections, or take action during a difficult birth.
If a preventable medical error caused your child’s cerebral palsy, your family may be eligible for compensation to help pay for care. Lifetime care costs for a child with CP are over $1.6 million, when adjusted for inflation, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
LawFirm.com has a network of cerebral palsy lawyers who have secured over $1 billion for preventable birth injuries like CP.
Our legal partners never charge any upfront costs or hourly fees and can help families in all 50 states. Take the first step toward justice — get a free case review now.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy & Medical Negligence
In some cases, cerebral palsy causes occur because a medical provider failed to act safely and responsibly. When doctors, nurses, or hospitals don’t follow accepted standards of care, a baby’s brain development can be affected, causing cerebral palsy.
These mistakes often involve delayed responses, inadequate monitoring, or improper delivery techniques. In situations where timely action could have prevented harm, cerebral palsy causes can lead to lifelong disability.
Examples of medical negligence that may cause cerebral palsy include:
- Delaying or failing to perform an emergency C-section
- Failing to monitor fetal distress during labor
- Ignoring problems with the placenta or umbilical cord, reducing oxygen flow
- Missing or not treating maternal infections, such as Group B strep
- Misusing forceps or vacuum extractors, causing head injuries or brain trauma
- Not giving a baby oxygen fast enough after birth, leading to hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- Treating newborn jaundice or seizures too late, leading to brain damage
If a preventable medical error caused a child’s cerebral palsy, the family may have the right to pursue financial compensation for care, therapy, equipment, and lifelong support.
You don’t have to try to piece together what happened on your own. We have registered nurses on staff who can listen to your story, review your child’s medical history, and help explain whether cerebral palsy medical negligence may have played a role.
Call (888) 726-9160 right now or chat with a case manager to get the answers you need.
What Causes Cerebral Palsy During Pregnancy?
Cerebral palsy often begins before birth, while the baby’s brain is still developing. Certain medical conditions, infections, or complications during pregnancy can interfere with the brain’s growth. In some cases, early diagnosis and treatment could have prevented harm.
Causes of cerebral palsy during pregnancy include:
- Exposure to toxins or unsafe medications: Taking certain medications during pregnancy can interfere with fetal brain development.
- Genetic or developmental brain abnormalities: These cerebral palsy causes are usually not preventable.
- Maternal infections: Infections in the mother, like cytomegalovirus (CMV), chorioamnionitis, toxoplasmosis, and rubella, may cause inflammation or fever that can harm brain development.
- Placental insufficiency or poor fetal growth: If the placenta isn’t supplying enough oxygen and nutrients, the brain may not develop normally.
- Untreated maternal conditions: Preeclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure), thyroid disorders, or gestational diabetes can lead to reduced blood flow or oxygen deprivation.
“Certain infections, if mom has an infection, that cytomegalovirus or CMV, if that hasn’t been identified and treated, then those babies can also develop cerebral palsy brain damage as a result of mom not being treated appropriately.”
– Andi Lowe, Registered Nurse and LawFirm.com case manager
Doctors are responsible for monitoring maternal health, screening for infections, and responding to risk factors during pregnancy. When they fall short, families may be entitled to compensation from a cerebral palsy lawsuit.
Cerebral Palsy Causes at Birth
A baby’s brain is highly vulnerable during birth. If labor becomes complicated and medical providers fail to respond quickly, the baby may experience oxygen deprivation (birth asphyxia) or physical trauma that leads to permanent brain injury.
Cerebral palsy caused at birth may involve:
- Delayed or failed emergency C-section: When a C-section is medically necessary, minutes matter to protect both the mother and baby.
- Failure to monitor fetal distress: Abnormal heart rate patterns are often the first sign that the baby is not getting enough oxygen.
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors: Incorrect use can cause skull fractures or brain bleeds.
- Shoulder dystocia or prolonged labor: These complications require quick, skilled intervention.
- Umbilical cord or placental complications: Issues like cord prolapse or placental abruption require immediate response to protect oxygen supply.
When cerebral palsy causes result from delivery errors, the condition is often preventable. In these cases, families may be eligible for compensation to cover medical bills, therapy, long-term care costs, and more.
Causes of Cerebral Palsy After Birth
Cerebral palsy can also develop in the days or weeks after birth if injuries or medical conditions aren’t recognized and treated properly. Newborns require close monitoring because early intervention can prevent lasting brain damage.
Post-birth causes of cerebral palsy include:
- Head trauma: Injuries from accidents or rough handling can cause lifelong damage.
- Meningitis or other infections: Infections can result in swelling in the brain if not treated quickly.
- Severe jaundice: Extremely high bilirubin levels can damage areas of the brain responsible for muscle tone and movement, leading to a life-threatening condition called kernicterus.
- Untreated breathing or seizure disorders: Lack of oxygen can result in permanent brain injury.
Early treatment during the newborn period can often prevent or limit damage, which is why proper monitoring is critical. Medical professionals are expected to monitor for any complications and act quickly to minimize harm.
If you believe medical malpractice may have contributed to your child’s cerebral palsy, we may be able to help. Our team is standing by to listen to your story and explain your legal options. Get a free case review now.
The Effects of Cerebral Palsy Brain Damage
Cerebral palsy affects each child differently because outcomes depend on where and when the brain injury occurred. Different regions of the brain control movement, balance, coordination, and muscle tone.
When certain areas are damaged, cerebral palsy symptoms can look very different:
- Motor cortex (movement control): Injury to this area often causes stiff or tight muscles (spasticity), difficulty with movement control, and contractures (joints becoming tight over time). This is the most common type of cerebral palsy and is known as spastic cerebral palsy.
- Basal ganglia (smooth, controlled movements): Damage here can lead to involuntary movements, variable muscle tone, and difficulty controlling motion. Children may have challenges with speaking, swallowing, or incontinence. This is associated with dyskinetic (athetoid) cerebral palsy.
- Cerebellum (balance and coordination): When this region is affected, a child may have trouble with balance, depth perception, coordination, and fine motor tasks. This is linked to ataxic cerebral palsy and may also impact learning or timing of movement.
- Multiple brain areas: If more than one part of the brain is injured, a child may develop mixed cerebral palsy, showing symptoms from more than one type of CP.
Some children may also experience epilepsy (seizures), intellectual or learning disabilities, or orthopedic conditions such as scoliosis as the body grows.
Understanding which part of the brain was injured can help families make sense of why their child moves the way they do and determine which therapies — such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, or speech therapy — may be most helpful.
How a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Can Help
If you believe medical negligence may have caused your child’s cerebral palsy, you don’t have to try to uncover what happened on your own. Birth injury cases are complex, and hospitals rarely admit fault without a thorough investigation.
A cerebral palsy lawyer can help you:
- Review medical records from pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the newborn period to determine the cause of cerebral palsy
- Consult medical experts, including neurologists, neonatologists, and labor & delivery specialists to determine whether medical negligence occurred and who may be responsible
- Calculate the lifetime cost of care, which may include physical and occupational therapy, wheelchairs, adaptive technology, and long-term support
- Seek compensation through a cerebral palsy settlement, which can help secure your child’s future care needs
Financial support from a birth injury claim can help cover expenses and ease financial worries. With a cerebral palsy lawyer fighting for the money you deserve, you can focus on your child’s health and well-being.
The average cerebral palsy settlement is over $2.5 million, providing the support families need to help their child live the best life possible.
“After birth, our child was resuscitated for an hour. This led to CP due to brain damage from blood flow issues. With severe developmental delays and limited vision, managing her care has been a challenge. The law firm has been a huge help in fighting for the support she needs.”
– Oklahoma parent who worked with our legal partner
Get Help From a Cerebral Palsy Attorney
Many parents are told that cerebral palsy just happens, without any clear explanation of why. But in some cases, CP is linked to preventable problems during pregnancy, labor and delivery, or shortly after birth.
If you believe your child’s cerebral palsy may have been caused by a medical error, we’re here to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
The cerebral palsy lawyers we work with:
- Can help families in all 50 states affected by CP
- Have decades of experience in cerebral palsy birth injury cases
- Never charge any upfront costs or hourly fees to represent you
Our legal partners’ results speak for themselves: Together, they’ve secured over $1 billion for families nationwide.
Call (888) 726-9160 right now or get a free case review to see if they may be able to pursue compensation for you.
Cerebral Palsy Cause FAQs
The cause of cerebral palsy is damage to a baby’s brain during pregnancy, during labor and delivery, or shortly after birth. Because the brain is still forming during these stages, even a brief interruption in oxygen or blood flow can affect movement and muscle coordination.
Not all cases of cerebral palsy can be prevented. However, some develop because medical providers failed to recognize or respond to complications. When cerebral palsy is caused by medical negligence, families may be eligible for compensation to help with care.
Get a free case review to see if we may be able to help you seek compensation.
Cerebral palsy develops when the brain is injured very early in life, while it is still growing and forming connections. This can happen before birth, during the birthing process, or in the first months after delivery.
Reasons for cerebral palsy include:
- Bleeding in the brain (intracranial hemorrhage)
- Infections that cause inflammation in the mother or baby
- Reduced oxygen flow to the brain
- Untreated medical complications in the newborn period
Once the brain pathways related to movement are affected, the resulting difficulties with muscle tone and coordination become long-term.
Cerebral palsy can be caused by a birth injury. Cerebral palsy’s most common cause is damage to the brain before birth, often due to developmental issues, infections during pregnancy, or problems with the placenta affecting oxygen and nutrient flow.
These situations are sometimes unpreventable, but in other cases, they happen because a medical provider failed to act quickly or appropriately. When a preventable birth injury leads to cerebral palsy, it may be considered medical negligence, and families may have legal rights. Find out your options — call (888) 726-9160 now.
Yes. Cerebral palsy can be caused by birth trauma, but this is not the only cause. Birth trauma refers to physical injury to a baby’s brain or skull during labor or delivery.
Cerebral palsy birth trauma can happen if:
- A difficult delivery isn’t managed quickly
- Excessive force is applied during delivery
- Forceps or a vacuum extractor is used improperly
- The baby experiences head bruising, swelling, or bleeding in the brain
When trauma damages the parts of the brain that control movement and muscle tone, the effects can be lifelong, sometimes resulting in cerebral palsy.
Not all cases of cerebral palsy can be prevented. But risk may be reduced when doctors carefully monitor pregnancy complications, respond quickly to fetal distress during labor, and treat newborn jaundice or infections right away.
Babies born prematurely, with low birth weight, or as part of a multiple birth have a higher risk of cerebral palsy because their brains are more vulnerable to injury. Certain maternal infections or complications during labor can also increase risk.
Cerebral palsy is not triggered later in life. It develops when the brain is injured while it is still forming — typically before birth, during delivery, or shortly after birth. Symptoms of cerebral palsy may appear gradually as a child grows, but the brain injury is already present.
A fetus may be considered high risk when conditions reduce oxygen or blood flow to the brain, such as maternal infection, placental problems, or preeclampsia. In these situations, close medical monitoring is essential.
When doctors ignore risk factors or make poor decisions, they can be held accountable for causing harm. Get a free case review to see if we may be able to help you file a cerebral palsy lawsuit.
Fact-Checked and Legally Reviewed by: Katie Lavender, RNRegistered Nurse
- Editor
Katie Lavender has over 8 years of experience as a registered nurse (RN), providing direct care to mothers and babies after childbirth. She brings her hands-on experience in the field of labor and delivery to the LawFirm.com team, helping ensure that our birth injury content is correct and up to date.
Written by: Rae Theodore
Rae Theodore is a writer and editor with more than 30 years of experience in legal publishing. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Pennsylvania State University.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). “Cerebral palsy (CP).” Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/cerebral-palsy/index.html.
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. (2021.). “What causes cerebral palsy?” Retrieved from: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/cerebral-palsy/conditioninfo/causes.
- Mayo Clinic. (2023). “Cerebral palsy.” Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cerebral-palsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20353999.
- Sokolove Law. (2025). “Signs of Cerebral Palsy in Infants.” Retrieved from: https://www.sokolovelaw.com/birth-injuries/cerebral-palsy/signs-symptoms/.
