The challenges of a cerebral palsy diagnosis can overwhelm any family. Our Chillum cerebral palsy lawyer Jonathan Schochor and birth-injury attorney Kerry Staton have spent decades helping children harmed by medical negligence. We listen, explain options in plain language, and shoulder the legal work so parents can focus on their child’s care.
From our Baltimore office, we proudly serve families across Prince George’s County, including Chillum, with in-home and virtual consultations when travel feels impossible. By combining respected trial experience with genuine compassion, the Chillum cerebral palsy attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. fight for the resources that give injured children a chance to thrive.
Jonathan Schochor, Founding Partner
Jonathan Schochor co-founded Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. in 1984 with a mission to give victims of medical negligence the strongest voice possible. Over four decades, he has led more medical-malpractice filings than any other lawyer or firm in Maryland, recovered well over a billion dollars for clients, and guided the record-setting class-action settlement in state history.
Kerry D. Staton, Founding Partner
Kerry Staton launched the firm alongside Jonathan Schochor to raise the bar for plaintiff advocacy in complex medical-malpractice and mass-tort litigation. Named “Lawyer of the Year” by *Best Lawyers in America* and “Trial Lawyer of the Year” by Top 100 Lawyers, Kerry is widely respected for his strategic insight and compassionate client care.
Call us now at (443) 909-2792 for a free, no-obligation case review and let our Chillum cerebral palsy lawyers fight for the resources your child deserves.
Was My Child’s Cerebral Palsy Caused by Medical Malpractice?
Medical negligence can, and often does, cause preventable cerebral palsy. If doctors missed clear signs of fetal distress, delayed a needed C-section, or misused delivery tools, their errors may have deprived your baby of oxygen long enough to damage the developing brain. Conversely, some CP stems from unavoidable genetic or prenatal factors.
A thorough review of prenatal records, fetal monitor strips, and delivery notes helps our Maryland CP attorney Jonathan Schochor and his team pinpoint what really happened. When evidence shows a preventable injury, we build a case that holds every responsible hospital, obstetrician, nurse, or midwife fully accountable.
What Is Cerebral Palsy and Why Does It Happen?
Cerebral palsy is a lifelong motor disability caused by brain damage before, during, or shortly after birth. About one in 345 U.S. children lives with CP. Common triggers include prolonged oxygen deprivation (hypoxia), untreated infections, or direct trauma to an infant’s head. Types of CP, spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, or mixed, vary in severity and symptoms.
Early interventions such as physical therapy, medication, and assistive technology improve function, but treatment costs can exceed $1 million over a lifetime. We explain the medical science in everyday terms so parents understand whether their child’s history suggests negligence.
Birth Injuries and Medical Errors That Lead to Cerebral Palsy
Preventable CP usually traces back to a specific delivery or newborn error. Our cerebral palsy trial attorneys often see patterns such as:
- Oxygen deprivation during labor: Ignoring abnormal heart rates or stalling an emergency C-section can leave a baby without vital oxygen.
- Improper use of forceps or vacuum extractors: Excessive traction may fracture the skull, bleed inside the brain, or shear fragile nerves.
- Umbilical-cord complications: A prolapsed or tightly wrapped cord demands immediate action to restore blood flow.
- Untreated maternal conditions: Failing to manage high blood pressure, infection, or placental abruption endangers both mother and child.
- Post-delivery lapses: Neglecting severe jaundice, newborn seizures, or respiratory distress can cement brain damage within hours.
- Uncommon but devastating mistakes: Anesthesia errors that starve the fetus of oxygen, or accidental drops causing head trauma, occasionally appear in our investigations.
Our Chillum CP legal advocates scrutinize every second of the prenatal timeline to uncover these failures and prove causation.
How Can a Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Help My Family?
Legal action feels daunting. We make it manageable. First, our Chillum birth-injury attorneys offer a free, confidential case review. Next, our medical experts, obstetricians, neonatologists, neurologists, scrutinize every chart entry, imaging study, and fetal-monitor reading. Then our litigation team drafts a Certificate of Merit, files suit, and pursues records, depositions, and expert testimony.
Because we prepare every matter for trial, hospitals often settle sooner and for more. Throughout, we arrange liens, negotiate with insurers, and connect families to local support programs, therapists, and assistive-technology suppliers. You focus on your child. Our Maryland birth-injury attorneys handle everything else.
What Compensation Can We Recover in a Cerebral Palsy Lawsuit?
Financial recovery should match lifelong needs. A successful claim can cover:
- Medical expenses: Hospitalizations, surgeries, medications, durable equipment, and all therapies.
- Care and education costs: In-home nursing, respite care, specialized schooling, home or vehicle modifications.
- Lost income: Wages a parent sacrifices to provide full-time care, plus diminished future earnings.
- Pain and suffering: Maryland caps these non-economic damages, yet our cerebral palsy litigator Jonathan Schochor maximizes recovery within statutory limits.
Given that the CDC pegs lifetime CP care at more than a million dollars, our cerebral palsy litigation team aims for settlements or verdicts in the hundreds of thousands, or millions, of dollars.
Is There a Time Limit for Filing a Cerebral Palsy Claim in Maryland?
Maryland’s statute of limitations is strict. Parents generally have five years from the injury or three years from discovery, whichever comes first. Because the patient is a minor, the deadline often extends until the child’s twenty-first birthday. Waiting is risky and witnesses relocate, electronic fetal-monitor data may be overwritten, and memories fade. The medical-malpractice attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea move quickly to secure records and expert certificates before time runs out.
Why Choose Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea for Your Cerebral Palsy Case?
Results, resources, and respect define our practice. We have spent 35 years litigating birth-injury and CP claims across Maryland and Washington, D.C. Juries and defendants respect our record of multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements.
- Deep medical insight: We decode complex charts and identify each deviation from the standard of care.
- Relentless advocacy: Opposing insurers know our cerebral palsy attorney Jonathan Schochor will try a case if a fair offer is not made.
- Compassionate service: We limit caseloads so every client works directly with lead counsel and our in-house nurse consultants.
“With Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea you receive exactly what’s needed…expert representation with integrity and professionalism at a time when you need it most.” – Stephanie
Serving Chillum, MD and Surrounding Communities
Our office sits near Baltimore’s Penn Station, yet we routinely travel the East-West Highway, New Hampshire Avenue, and Riggs Road to meet clients in Chillum, Lewisdale, Avondale, Carole Highlands, and Langley Park. Virtual meetings via encrypted video chat keep vulnerable children safe and spare families the stress of commuting. Wherever you live in Prince George’s County, dedicated Chillum cerebral palsy counsel Kerry Staton stands ready to help.
Contact Our Chillum Cerebral Palsy Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Your child’s future cannot wait. Call (443) 909-2792 or complete our secure form today to schedule a free consultation with Chillum CP attorney Jonathan Schochor or medical-malpractice litigator Kerry Staton. W
e answer calls 24/7 and advance all litigation costs, no fee unless we win. Meet us at 1211 St. Paul St., Baltimore, or request an in-home or virtual visit anywhere in Chillum. Let our team fight for the accountability, justice, and financial security your family deserves.