Over 500,000 people in the United States suffer from some form of cerebral palsy. There are a number of maternal and fetal conditions that increase the risk of a child being born with the disease. However, when cerebral palsy occurs during or after birth, medical provider negligence may contribute to this often-preventable condition. There are several examples of preventable causes of cerebral palsy. A premature infant may not be given appropriate therapy to reduce jaundice, thereby leading to brain damage. A delivery may be mishandled and lead to fetal stress and brain injury. A parent may find that their spouse or another caregiver has abused their child, causing brain damage that results in cerebral palsy.

There are no accurate figures on the proportion of cerebral palsy cases attributable to medical provider negligence or child abuse. However, with the knowledge that provider negligence may have played a role in their child