Cerebral Palsy is life long, chronic medical condition that requires continual support services and constant financial outlays. Currently, this condition is the leading developmental disability among children in this country. It is estimated the between 8,000 and 10,000 children are born in America with a diagnosis of one or more of the symptoms of Cerebral Palsy.
Given the struggles men and women with Cerebral Palsy have in securing steady employment, families of these individuals are usually left to shoulder the financial responsibility for treatment and support. If you have been the victim of a medical error that has resulted in a diagnosis of cerebral palsy in your child, here is what you need to know about the cost of raising a child with this condition. Read on to learn the financial facts of the illness and then contact the SSGC team of Maryland Medical Malpractice Attorneys for help in bringing a lawsuit that will ease this financial burden and let your family focus on providing the emotional support and love your child needs every day.
When calculating the cost of raising a child with cerebral palsy, it is important to understand the prevalence of co-mitigating conditions. Individuals with Cerebral Palsy often suffer from other challenges that include cognitive conditions, vision and hearing loss, and seizures. Each of these conditions requires its own set of expensive support services. Understanding the full scope of treatment that will be required of family members is the first step in realizing the cost of the illness.
Following are some of the most common costs associated with this condition.
Common Costs Associated With Cerebral Palsy:
- Ongoing medical and nursing care
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Special education services
- Surgery
- Developmental assistance services
- Assisted living facilities and personnel
- Loss of wages due to occupational limitations
It is estimated that the average family will spend nearly $1,000,000 a year on raising a child with Cerebral Palsy. A recent update from The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report has broken the costs down as follows. Please be advised that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that these costs do not include out of pocket expenses such as emergency room visits, lost wages for caregiving family members, and costs related to the psychological effects of the condition.
- Indirect Costs: $742,326.00
- Direct Medical Costs: $93,942.00
- Indirect Medical Costs: $84,732.00
If you are raising a child with Cerebral Palsy and believe that the condition could have been prevented with better medical diagnosing and treatment, call the Maryland medical malpractice lawyers at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg, and Cardea, P.A. today. We can be reached at 1-410-234-1000 and are dedicated to getting you the financial settlement you deserve.