An Erb's palsy injury can leave a child with severe lifelong damage including the loss of motor control, sensation and possibly even the use of an arm. Although the injury may have been unavoidable, it might be as a result of the use of too much force by the doctor who delivered the infant. Under those circumstances, the doctor may be liable for medical malpractice. This article examines how.

Malpractice Cases Alleging Baby’s Erb’s Palsy Was A Result Of Physician’s Error

Joseph Hernandez is an attorney accepting birth injury matters. For more information about Erb’s Palsy please visit his website at http://www.birth-injury-malpractice-law.com/erbs-palsy.shtm

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Erb’s palsy is an injury that can affect an infant’s shoulder, arm and hand, giving the child a limp arm. The injury typically occurs during delivery from too much force on the baby’s head, neck or shoulders. If your baby is affected you ought to contact a lawyer right away to find out whether you and your baby have a medical malpractice claim against the physician who caused the injury. Erb’s palsy describes damage to the system of nerve fibers that deliver signals from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm, wrist, hand and fingers, and therefore affects the child’s ability to manipulate the affected areas and feeling in those areas.

It is an injury that typically during a challenging natural delivery because of excessive force applied to the head, neck or shoulders. The types of deliveries in which a baby is most likely to be harmed in this manner include those with a big baby, breeched position or extended labor. When one of the conditions occurs, the physician or other health care professional may apply maneuvers (sometimes including the use of forceps or a vacuum) that may produce excessive pulling on the shoulders during a headfirst delivery or put excessive pressure on the arm and shoulder during a breech delivery.

Typically, the newborn tends to present with a limp arm. Basically, the arm hangs limp and is rotated internally. Due to the lack of use, the arm may appear underdeveloped in comparison to the normal arm. n addition, infants with Erb’s palsy may display a number of other symptoms regarding difficulty with circulation, such as skin rashes, slow healing, and a propensity for infections.

Many newborns suffering from Erb’s palsy fully recover within 6 months, usually after physical therapy. In cases involving an actual rupturing or tearing of the nerves, surgery might be required, perhaps including tendon transfers to make up for nerves that have lost functionality. In the event that surgery does not eliminate the damage, the child could be left with long term, partial, or total loss of functionality of the damaged nerves, causing paralysis of the arm or arm weakness.

If your child suffers from the injury you should immediately consult with a medical malpractice lawyer to find out if you and your son or daughter may be able to pursue a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor or other medical care professional liable for your child’s injury. Consider that the law limits the time a plaintiff has to pursue a claim. Consult with a lawyer about how much time may be left.

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