Pikesville Cerebral Palsy Lawyer, Fighting for Your Child’s Future
Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in childhood, yet many cases are the tragic result of preventable medical errors. When that happens, local counsel who knows the medical community and the courts in Baltimore County can make the difference between unanswered questions and financial security for your child.
As Pikesville cerebral palsy lawyer Jonathan Schochor and birth-injury attorney Kerry Staton, we have stood with families across the region for decades. We know the stakes: lifetime care for a child with CP can exceed $1 million, and early resources often determine a child’s long-term quality of life.
Understanding Cerebral Palsy & Birth-Injury Basics
What Is Cerebral Palsy?
Cerebral palsy is a group of brain-injury disorders that impair muscle control, posture, and coordination. Early signs include stiff or floppy tone, developmental delays such as late sitting or crawling, and asymmetrical movements.
Types of CP
Spastic CP causes tight, jerky muscles. Athetoid (dyskinetic) CP leads to involuntary writhing motions. Ataxic CP produces shaky balance and depth-perception problems. Some children have mixed forms.
Lifelong Challenges & Costs
Many children need daily therapies, assistive devices, and periodic surgeries. Lost earning potential and specialized housing drive lifetime costs past seven figures, which is why full compensation matters.
How Medical Negligence in Pikesville Leads to CP
Delivery-Room Errors
Oxygen deprivation from a tangled umbilical cord or a misused vacuum extractor can damage a baby’s brain in minutes. Prompt action prevents most of these injuries; delay makes them irreversible.
Failure to Monitor & Respond
Fetal heart strips, newborn jaundice levels, or post-delivery seizures all send clear danger signals. When staff ignore or misread those signals, preventable brain hypoxia can follow.
Maryland Standard of Care & Local Hospital Protocols
Hospitals around Pikesville follow state-mandated protocols for labor, delivery, and neonatal care. Jonathan Schochor, Pikesville cerebral palsy attorney and cerebral palsy trial lawyer Kerry Staton understand those rules and how deviations prove negligence.
Your Legal Rights Under Maryland Law
Maryland law grants families strong but time-sensitive rights after medical malpractice.
Statute of Limitations & Notice Deadlines (§ 5-109)
Most claims must be filed within three years of discovery and no later than five years after the injury. For birth injuries, the window usually runs to the child’s 11th birthday, yet evidence fades quickly, act now.
Certificate of Qualified Expert Requirement (§ 3-2A-04)
A licensed physician must certify the claim’s merit before suit may proceed. Our firm secures respected specialists early to satisfy this gatekeeping rule and strengthen settlement leverage.
Contributory Negligence & How We Counter Defensive Tactics
Maryland follows strict contributory negligence, so defendants often blame others. The Pikesville cerebral palsy attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. prepare every case for trial from day one, closing escape routes for the defense.
Calculating Full & Fair Compensation
Medical and Therapy Expenses (Present & Future)
We project hospitalizations, therapy visits, medications, and surgeries over your child’s life expectancy, using specialist reports and actuarial tables so nothing is overlooked.
Assistive Technology, Housing & Transport Mods
Wheelchairs, communication devices, van lifts, and home renovations restore independence. These costs rise as equipment needs upgrading; we build that escalation into our demands.
Non-Economic Damages
Pain, frustration, and lost childhood joys are real harms. While no dollar erases them, Maryland law recognizes their value, and juries respond to clear, heartfelt evidence.
Why Choose a Pikesville-Based Cerebral Palsy Lawyer
Proven Verdicts & Resources
Our birth-injury team has recovered millions of dollars in CP verdicts and settlements, including a reported $5.2 million settlement for a Pikesville family after a delayed C-section. Success funds our access to neonatologists, life-care planners, and economists who build winning cases.
Contingency-Fee Promise – No Fees Unless We Win
Families already face mounting bills. We advance all litigation costs and collect nothing unless and until we obtain compensation for you.
What Happens During Your Free Case Review
We listen to your story, outline next steps, and answer every question, no jargon, no pressure. If you retain us, our Pikesville birth-injury attorneys gather records immediately, protecting deadlines while you focus on your child.
Step-by-Step Claims Timeline
Collecting Records & Expert Review
We secure prenatal, delivery, and neonatal charts, then consult independent specialists to pinpoint breaches in care.
Filing With the Health Claims Arbitration Office
Maryland requires an initial filing in this administrative venue. We prepare the claim, the expert certificate, and a detailed damages analysis before moving to circuit court.
Negotiation vs Trial – What to Expect
Most cases resolve through informed negotiation once liability is clear, but Baltimore County cerebral palsy lawyer Jonathan Schochor and Maryland cerebral palsy lawyer Kerry Staton are seasoned courtroom advocates ready for verdict if fair terms are refused.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much time will the case take?
Straightforward cases may settle within 12 to 18 months; contested matters that reach trial can take two years or more. We push for efficiency without sacrificing value.
Will a lawsuit affect my child’s ongoing medical care?
No. Medical providers cannot withhold necessary treatment because a family pursues legal action. Confidentiality rules also protect your child’s records.
Can more than one provider be liable?
Yes. Obstetricians, nurses, anesthesiologists, and hospitals can share fault. We name every responsible party so each insurer contributes its share.
What if the hospital already offered money?
Early offers rarely cover lifetime costs. A detailed life-care plan and experienced negotiation usually increase recovery substantially, sometimes by multiples.
Speak With a Pikesville Cerebral Palsy Lawyer Today
Your child’s future deserves immediate action. Call (443) 909-2792 to reach Pikesville CP attorney Jonathan Schochor or birth-injury lawyer Kerry Staton 24/7, visit us at 1211 St Paul St., Baltimore, or send a quick online form for a same-day reply.
During our free consultation, the cerebral palsy lawyers at our firm will map a strategy, explain costs, and, if we take your case, begin protecting your rights at once. Justice cannot wait, let our Pikesville cerebral palsy attorneys fight for the resources your child needs to thrive.