Every year, many newborns sustain avoidable injuries at birth. Some of these cases occur as the result of failure on the part of medical staff to monitor the condition of the unborn child or predict the complications which can lead to serious injury.
If your child was diagnosed with Erb’s palsy as the result of medical malpractice during birth, the Joliet birth injury lawyers at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group may be able to help you seek compensation to cover your expenses. For a free consultation, call our Joliet Erb’s palsy lawyers at (800) 222-9529 to learn more about what we can do for you.
What Parents Need to Know About Erb’s Palsy
One type of alarming birth injury that can be debilitating to children is called Erb’s palsy. Erb’s palsy, a form of brachial plexus birth injury, affects newborns who have been delivered subject to a difficult or medically complex birth. The chances of an Erb’s palsy injury may be increased when medical staff do not respond effectively to address the complications of a difficult birth.
A condition like this may cause significant loss of mobility, feeling, and (in severe situations) paralysis, according to Mayo Clinic. Some cases may be so severe that the symptoms may not be treated or reversed, even when the most dramatic forms of treatment are utilized.
Erb’s palsy refers to an injury to the nerve roots in the shoulder, which can cause what a study published in the journal of Pediatrics & Child Health calls “waiter’s tip hand.”
Mayo Clinic reports that feet-first delivery or breech birth is a common cause of Erb’s palsy in infants. A situation of this kind usually requires the baby to be delivered via caesarian section. Failure to perform this surgery in the event of a breech birth can cause the baby’s shoulders to become wedged in the birth canal (shoulder dystocia) and impede the baby’s delivery. Shoulder dystocia may also be associated with high birth weight or prolonged labor.
Medical professionals are held to a high standard of care when providing aid before, during, and after labor. If certain precautions are not taken, either due to negligence or poor judgment, a child can suffer lifelong consequences.
"If your child was born with a birth injury, or cerebral palsy, we can help."
Types of Treatment a Lawyer Can Help Me Pursue to Cover Compensation
Erb’s palsy is a complex and specific type of injury which may require one or more of the following types of treatment to restore mobility:
- Physical therapy
- Surgery
- Occupational therapy
These forms of treatment can be expensive, and their success is not guaranteed. The attorneys at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group do not wish to see any families in Joliet have to pay these costs on their own.
Your financial burden should be carried by the negligent parties. We invite you to call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group at (800) 222-9529 to discuss your child’s birth injury and learn more about what we can do for you.
Joliet Erbs Palsy Lawyer Near Me (800) 222-9529
A Lawyer Can Help Me Pursue Damages
If your child was the victim of medical malpractice which resulted in Erb’s palsy, you may be entitled to compensation. The Birth Injury Lawyers Group can gather eyewitness statements from those in the delivery room or obtain a statement of admission from the medical professionals who were present to prove that your child’s condition was caused at birth.
Our team can also work to determine how many parties are at fault and hold them responsible for their actions. If it can be proven that the medical staff did not act in the best interests of the mother and child, then the liable parties can be held accountable for your baby’s condition. If it is found that the hospital did not have adequate facilities or tools to provide for a safe birth, it may also be held responsible for your claim.
Should our team be successful in securing fair compensation for your injuries, these costs may be able to cover:
- Past and future costs of medical treatment
- Cost of medical equipment (such as a wheelchair)
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
- Lost wages due to time off for your child’s intensive medical treatment
- Ongoing physical therapy
- Loss of consortium
The Birth Injury Lawyers Group represents birth injury clients on a contingency fee basis. So, we do not charge any fees until you receive compensation.
"We know first-hand what you are going through."
What A Lawyer is Prepared to Do For My Case
If your medical malpractice claim is successful, you may be able to recover money from the liable medical staff and facility whose negligence led to your child’s injuries. The Birth Injury Lawyers Group can provide many services to help support your claim during this difficult time. Our attorneys can support your appeal by:
- Keeping you updated about your case
- Answering your questions
- Making you aware of your legal options
- Valuating your family’s damages
- Representing you in court, if necessary
You may only have a short time to pursue a claim against a medical practice, as Sect. 735 ILCS 5/13-212 of the Illinois Statutes limits personal injury lawsuits to four years after injury or two years after you learned of your child’s injury. Responding promptly after a birth injury can start you on the road to compensation. Call the Joliet Erb’s palsy lawyers at the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 for a free and confidential case evaluation.
You may be able to prevent a similar injury from occurring to another child if you choose to seek justice and hold the wrongful party or parties responsible for the action or inaction that caused or contributed to your child’s injury. Let us help you. Reach out today.
"We are committed to helping families who have suffered medical negligence."