Hudgell Solicitors Can Help You Make an Erb's Palsy Claim

Erb's palsy is an injury to the nerve network in the arm, shoulder and hand. This can cause paralysis and other problems.

Medical negligence can cause this birth injury. This birth injury is usually linked to a difficult or rushed birth.

Causes

In rare circumstances things can occur that go wrong. If your child was born with a disability caused by medical negligence, for instance Erb's palsy, Hudgell Solicitors can help you seek compensation for the ongoing suffering.

Erb's'Palsy' is a weakness of varying degrees or paralysis in the shoulder or arms, that affects the brachial nerves. These nerves transmit electrical signals to muscles, allowing them to move. Injuries to the brachialplexus could cause the hand to be unable to move and grip the affected hand.

There are a number of causes of Erb's Palsy. It can be caused by shoulder dystocia an complication of labour that occurs when the baby's head is stuck above the pubic bone of the mother's. It is more common in women with certain risk factors such as gestational diabetics and large infants or babies. Shoulder dystocia is a medical emergency and it is imperative that doctors recognize this and be able to respond quickly in order to avoid complications for the baby. It can also be caused by the use of forceps or an extractor vacuum during labour or by having an emergency Cesarean section.

Signs and symptoms

Erb's Palsy is characterized by a lack of movement of the arm or hand affected and a weak grip. Typically, the symptoms begin to manifest within 6 to 12 months after birth.

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves which run from the spine to both sides of the neck, managing movement and sensation in the arm, hand and fingers. If they become damaged, the nerves can cause weakness or partial paralysis in the affected arm and hand.

It's typically caused by an error made by a doctor during childbirth, like an unintentional pull by a doctor to release a baby's head (shoulder dystocia). It can also result from a traumatizing birth when the baby is held in a 'waiter's point position, which causes tension on the C5-C6 upper trunk nerves which are part of the brachial.

The majority of infants who suffer from injuries to their limbs or legs will recover in six to 12 months. However certain cases are so severe that they require surgical intervention to repair the nerves damaged. If the nerves damaged are not repaired, then children may suffer from a permanent disability affecting their ability to move and use their arm.

Diagnosis

For children with Erb's Palsy there are a variety options to treat the impact, but the injury cannot be completely repaired. A few infants suffer from significant disability and are unable to move their arms, hands or fingers.

The injury to the brachial-plexus, which innervates the upper leg muscles, except for the trapezius causes symptoms. The injury is usually to the upper trunks of nerves C5 and C6. It is less often, however is it possible to affect C7. This can cause the Erb's Palsy sign, a waiter tip-like hand that is unable to pronate or stretch the forearm. In a few cases, injured nerves also cause Horner's syndrome, which is a pupil that droops and a chin that is constricted.

It is possible to make an action for medical negligence in the birth process that results in a child suffering with Erb's Palsy. This is because the condition is usually caused by excessive force being imposed on the baby during the birth process. This could include using forceps or ventouse (vacuum extraction) incorrectly. It can also include a doctor who is not controlling shoulder dystocia properly, or deciding to do an breech or vaginal birth when a more conventional caesarean delivery would have been more suitable.

Treatment

The nerves that make up the brachial nerve control movement and feeling in the hand and arm. If a baby is diagnosed with erb's palsy law firms Palsy it means that the nerves have been injured. Most babies recover within six to 12 months. However, some suffer from a permanent disability affecting the movement and sensation of their arm.

Treatment is focused on physical therapy that seeks to improve the range of motion of the injured arm. Stretching and exercises for passive exercise are a great way to achieve this. A physiotherapist can also suggest an extension splint, which can aid in movement and reduce stiffness. In extreme cases, a graft of nerves could be required to repair damaged nerves.

A claim for compensation may help a child with an Erb's Palsy injury live their life to the fullest and have access to essential equipment, education, and support. If you suspect that your child's illness was caused by an error in medical care at the time of their birth, you could be able to file an Erb's Palsy claim for damages in the form of money.

Compensation

A successful lawsuit could award families financial compensation that will help with the cost of their child's treatment. It could also provide them with a a sense justice and bring attention to medical professionals that could have prevented a brachial-plexus injury.

Settlements in erb's palsy lawsuit Palsy lawsuits will pay for physical therapy and any other treatments or equipment required to aid your child's needs. They may also reimburse you for any loss of income or earnings due to your child's disability.

If your child has been diagnosed with Erb's palsy and you suspect medical negligence played a role in this, it is imperative to contact an experienced lawyer who specializes in Erb's Palsy as soon as you can. They can guide you on the best approach to take and make sure that all the necessary paperwork is filed prior to when any deadlines end. This increases the chances of receiving compensation. Our team of specialist erb's palsy lawyers can help you claim the highest amount of compensation you are entitled to. This can help you with the long-term costs of your child's disabilities and ensure that they have everything they need to lead a fulfilling, healthy life.