Birth injuries often require a lifetime of medical care, therapy, and support services. Understanding these costs is essential for ensuring settlements adequately provide for an injured child's future needs.

Cerebral Palsy Lifetime Costs

Cerebral palsy generates the highest lifetime costs among birth injuries:

Medical Care

  • Physicians—neurologist, orthopedist, physiatrist, pediatrician
  • Hospitalizations—for surgeries, complications, pneumonia
  • Surgeries—orthopedic procedures, feeding tube placement, spasticity management
  • Medications—antispasticity drugs, seizure medications, pain management

Therapy Services

  • Physical therapy—$150-300/session, often 2-3x weekly for years
  • Occupational therapy—similar cost and frequency
  • Speech therapy—if communication affected
  • Aquatic therapy—beneficial for many CP patients

Equipment

  • Wheelchairs—$5,000-60,000, replaced every 5-7 years
  • Standers and gait trainers
  • Communication devices—$5,000-15,000
  • Orthotics and braces—replaced as child grows
  • Adaptive equipment—for feeding, bathing, mobility

Attendant Care

The largest cost component for severe CP:

  • Mild CP: May need minimal assistance—$50,000-200,000 lifetime
  • Moderate CP: Part-time care—$500,000-2 million lifetime
  • Severe CP: 24-hour care—$3-10+ million lifetime

Home Modifications

  • Wheelchair accessibility—$50,000-200,000
  • Bathroom modifications
  • Lift systems
  • Vehicle modifications or accessible van—$40,000-80,000, replaced periodically

Total Lifetime Costs: Cerebral Palsy

  • Mild CP: $1-2 million
  • Moderate CP: $2-5 million
  • Severe CP: $5-15+ million

Brachial Plexus Injury Costs

If Injury Resolves

  • Therapy during recovery: $20,000-50,000
  • Monitoring and follow-up: minimal ongoing costs

Permanent Brachial Plexus Injury

  • Surgeries—nerve grafting, muscle transfers: $50,000-150,000
  • Years of therapy—$100,000-300,000
  • Adaptive equipment
  • Career impact—reduced earning capacity
  • Lifetime costs: $500,000-2+ million

Brain Injury (HIE) Costs

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy costs vary by outcome:

Mild HIE with Recovery

  • NICU stay and monitoring
  • Follow-up developmental assessments
  • May need early intervention services
  • Lifetime costs: $100,000-500,000

Moderate to Severe HIE

Similar to cerebral palsy costs:

  • Extensive medical care
  • Therapy services
  • Special education
  • Attendant care
  • Lifetime costs: $2-15+ million

Special Education Costs

While public schools provide free education, families often need supplemental services:

  • Private therapy—beyond school-provided services
  • Tutoring—specialized educational support
  • Private school—if public options inadequate
  • Summer programs—to prevent regression
  • Transition services—preparing for adulthood

Calculating Lifetime Costs: Life Care Planning

A life care plan documents all anticipated future needs:

Components

  • Medical care projections
  • Therapy frequency and duration
  • Equipment needs and replacement schedules
  • Attendant care hours and costs
  • Home and vehicle modifications
  • Education and vocational needs

Present Value Calculation

Future costs are reduced to present value—the current sum needed to fund future expenses, accounting for:

  • Medical cost inflation (typically 3-5% annually)
  • Investment returns
  • Life expectancy

Why Accurate Cost Projections Matter

Settlements must last a lifetime. Underestimating costs means:

  • Running out of funds before needs end
  • Relying on inadequate government programs
  • Foregoing needed care and services

A qualified life care planner ensures all needs are identified and properly costed.

Conclusion

Birth injury lifetime costs often reach millions of dollars. Every settlement must be evaluated against a comprehensive life care plan to ensure it provides for the injured child's actual lifetime needs. Never accept a settlement without professional analysis of whether it truly covers projected costs.