Erb's Palsy Lawyers

A knowledgeable attorney can simplify the legal process. Erb's palsy lawyers can also help clients obtain financial compensation for the future medical needs of their child.

Parents need to be able have peace of mind that their children will be taken care for, even after suffering from a life-changing accident. This isn't easy to do when medical malpractice is involved.

Preventable Birth Injuries

Many birth injuries can be prevented. While some are caused by factors outside the medical professionals' control for example, the size and position of the fetus within the pelvis or the birth canal, others aren't. Doctors must accurately assess the weight and size of a fetus. They may recommend a C Section when they feel that the baby is too big to be delivered vaginally. This helps prevent injury to both the mother and the fetus and can often prevent the need for medically needed interventions.

If a doctor does not comply with this requirement, it may lead to injuries such as Erb's palsy or brachial and plexus injuries. These injuries result from nerve damage to the arm or shoulder when a baby is born. These injuries can cause weakness or limited movement within the affected area of the body throughout the child's life. These conditions can be quite costly to treat.

Families that suffer from these injuries need financial compensation to pay for the expenses. An erb's palsy attorney can fight to ensure that a family receives the maximum amount of compensation that is feasible, which can reduce their financial burden and aid in obtaining appropriate treatment for their child. A good erb's palsy lawyer will be upfront about whether or not your case is a strong one and will be a tireless advocate for you.

Erb's Palsy Causes

Erb's palsy is caused due to damage to the upper group of nerves in the arm, called the brachial plexus. These nerves are responsible for transmitting messages to muscles that allow them to move. If these nerves are damaged, they can't transmit signals correctly and the arm cannot move at all or in a good way. In the majority of cases, the injury will heal over time. However some infants could be permanently disabled.

Shoulder dystocia is a common cause of Erb's psy. It happens when the infant's arm gets stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. The medical experts who deliver the baby need to exert pressure to loosen the shoulder, which can stretch or tear healthy nerves in the brachialplexus.

The nerves may be avulsed meaning they are completely torn from the spinal column or neuroma, where the scar tissue presses the nerve, stopping it from sending signals or neuropraxia - if nerves have been stretched but not cut. The longer a damaged nerve is in its damaged state, the more difficult it is to recover.

To avoid shoulder dystocia the mother-to-be and the doctor must discuss the ideal position for delivery of the baby and the best way to react in the event of a complication during birth. Unfortunately, many cases of Erb's Palsy are the result of medical carelessness on the part doctors and nurses that use excessive force during the delivery process.

Erb's Palsy Treatment

For babies with Erb's palsy, their physical therapy will focus on regaining range of motion in their hands and arms. Physical therapy is often coupled with other treatments like hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy can help because it allows children to exercise in a gravity-free setting which eases pain from muscle spasms.

Other treatments include medications that ease swelling and pain. A doctor can also splice or transplant healthy nerves from elsewhere in the body to replace damaged ones. This could restore sensation and flexibility, as well as support to the arm.

Newborns with Erb's palsy may require surgery to repair a strained brachial plexus. A nerve that has ruptured, caused by tearing one or more nerves from the spine, is the most severe form of Erb's Palsy. The nerves damaged are reattached by medical professionals, allowing the nerves to heal. This procedure is generally effective and allows most children to regain their full range of movement in their arms. However, some patients have permanent disability due to the injury.

Erb's Palsy Settlements

While some children who suffer from Erb's palsy can overcome the limitations created by the condition with daily physical therapy, a majority will require surgery to repair nerve damage. Fortunately, the medical malpractice lawsuit process can assist families in obtaining fair compensation for their child's injuries.

If you file a legal claim the lawyer will work with experts to determine what the treatment is likely to cost. This is referred to as the case value. The value of your case will depend on the severity of the injury and the impact it will have on your child's future. The lawyer you hire will seek to recover the cost of life-care, future estimated medical expenses and other damages.

Your lawyer will then send an official demand letter to the doctor or hospital responsible for your child’s injuries. The letter will detail your child's injuries, and the ways in which they were triggered by negligence on the part of medical professionals. The letter will mention the amount of compensation that you are seeking.

The doctor who is at fault will be able to negotiate an agreement. This is a cheaper alternative to going to trial. If your attorney builds an argument that is convincing that is supported by the medical professional at fault, they might be willing to settle out of court with both you and your child to get rid of the negative publicity associated with a trial. The settlement money will be put in an trust to fund medical treatment and other expenses of your child.