Complications during labor can happen. Sometimes, healthcare providers do not react in time to prevent birth complications from leading to serious injuries. One such type of injury that can occur when physicians make oversights in the delivery room is called a brachial plexus injury. This injury affects children who, for various reasons, become stuck in the birth canal before being delivered.
When the child becomes stuck in the birth canal, excess pressure can then build and put undue strain on the shoulders of the newborn, which can lead to overly stretched and sometimes severed nerves. The damage to the nerves causes a condition known to the medical community as Erb’s palsy.
Depending on the severity of the injury, the damage may become permanent and may not be reversed, even with surgery. Physicians and nurses train to recognize these problems in advance and respond to them effectively. However, when they fail to do so, families must deal with the consequences. An Erb’s palsy injury lawyer can help you cope.
A brachial plexus injury in newborns that leads to Erb’s palsy may result from:
- Feet first birth or breech birth
- Misuse of tools, such as forceps, to extract the child
- Oversized fetus with shoulders too wide to pass the birth canal without assistance
- Excessive prenatal weight gain
- Second stage of labor lasting more than 60 minutes
The medical community recognizes four main levels of Erb’s palsy severity:
- Neuropraxia: This is a very common type of nerve damage, which occurs when the nerve is stretched but not severed.
- Neuroma: When a stretched and damaged nerve heals, the scar tissue puts pressure on the healthy nerves and creates pain. This condition is typically permanent in part.
- Rupture: The nerves are torn. Surgeons must reconnect the torn nerves as they cannot heal autonomously.
- Avulsion: A nerve completely severed from the spinal cord. There is no way to reconnect the severed nerve to the spinal cord. However, doctors can transplant healthy nerves from another part of the body.
If your child has developed Erb’s palsy, some of the warning signs may include:
- Weakness or limpness in one arm
- Paralysis of one arm
- Numbness in the arm
- Stunted growth of muscles and nerves
- Bent or closely held arm
Treatment of Erb’s palsy is a complex process that often lasts longer than many parents expect it. The probability that treatment will restore mobility to your child’s arm and shoulder varies according to the unique circumstances of your child’s injury. Any one or combination of treatment may or may not restore complete mobility to the areas of your child’s body affected by Erb’s palsy. Some of these types of treatment include:
- Physical therapy: therapists use massage and exercise techniques to improve muscular mobility.
- Surgery: in severe cases, this option may be necessary to prevent paralysis. However, surgeons should perform the operation as soon as possible to maximize the chances of recovery.
- Hydrotherapy therapy: therapists use water to alleviate neuropathy or nerve pain.
- Occupational therapy: therapists use a range of motion exercises to improve muscle development and joint function.
If negligent misconduct committed by healthcare providers caused your child’s Erb’s palsy in Tempe, we believe that they should be held responsible. A Tempe Erb’s palsy lawyer from The Birth Injury Lawyers Group will fight for the rights of families who are unable to handle the consequences of medical malpractice injuries to their newborns on their own. We handle complex injury cases, such as Erb’s palsy, and we hope to be able to help your family get through this difficult situation. We are available now to speak to you about your child’s injury. Give us a call at (800) 222-9529.
For a free legal consultation with Tempe Erb's Palsy lawyer, call 1-800-222-9529
Now Fighting for Injured Children in Tempe
The identity of the responsible party for your child’s injury is not always immediately apparent. However, when negligence in the delivery room leads to serious injuries, the responsible parties may include:
- Physicians
- Nurses
- Hospitals
- Medical offices
We have been working for our clients and helping them get the medical treatment their children need for many years. If we are able to represent you for your child’s injuries, we will pursue one or more of the following types of compensation on your behalf:
- Retroactive and future costs of medical treatment
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
- Lost wages
- Loss of consortium
- Intentional misconduct, if any
- And more if you qualify
Covering the costs for Erb’s palsy treatment is challenging for most families. The enormous costs of treatment can make attorney representation unaffordable. In response to this, we offer our Tempe Erb’s palsy lawyer representation to clients in Tempe on a contingency basis. You do not pay any attorney fees until we recover compensation on your behalf. If your child suffered injuries in the delivery room, call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group immediately at (800) 222-9529.
Tempe Erb's Palsy Lawyer Near Me 1-800-222-9529
We Can Fight for Your Family in Tempe
If your family requests our assistance with your child’s birth injury, we will pursue compensation for you via:
- Accessing medical experts who can provide unbiased medical opinions
- Conducting in-depth investigations into your claim
- Calculating an estimated value of treating your child’s injury and any other losses associated with the injury
- Compiling evidence to support your claim
- Helping your child obtain adequate medical treatment
- Making arguments that support a favorable result to your claim
- Negotiating an equitable settlement on your behalf
- Representing you in court
Birth injury claims in Tempe do have a time limit set to them, but a Tempe Erb’s palsy lawyer can discuss those deadlines with you. We encourage you to call us. The Birth Injury Lawyers Group is standing by to take your call at (800) 222-9529.
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