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

Erb's palsy is an injury to the nerve network in the shoulder, arm and hand. This can result in paralysis as well as other issues.

This birth injury can be caused by medical negligence. This birth injury is usually caused by a difficult or rushed delivery.

Causes

Pregnancies and births usually are a breeze, but, on rare occasions something could go wrong. Hudgell Solicitors can assist you when your child suffers from a disability that was brought on by medical negligence such as Erb's palsy.

erb's palsy law firm Palsy is a weakness with varying degrees of paralysis of the shoulder and arms that affects the brachial nerves. These nerves send electrical messages to muscles, allowing them to move. Injury to the brachial plexus could result in a loss of ability to grip and move the hand affected.

There are many causes of Erb's syndrome. Erb's syndrome can be caused by shoulder dystocia which is a condition that occurs when the baby's skull gets stuck over the mother's pubic bone. It is more common in women who have certain risk factors such as gestational diabetes and babies that are too big or overweight. Shoulder dystocia could be an emergency medical situation. It is essential for doctors to recognize this and know what to do to avoid complications. It can also occur when you use forceps, vacuum extractors or have an emergency Cesarean.

Symptoms

Erb's palsy is defined by a lack of movement of the arm or hand affected and a weak grip. Symptoms typically appear six to twelve months after birth.

The brachialplexus nerve system that runs from the spine to both sides of the neck. It controls movement and sensation of the fingers, arm, and hand. When these nerves are damaged, they could cause weakness or partial paralysis of the affected arm or hand.

It is usually caused by medical errors during childbirth. For example, a doctor pulling on the baby's shoulder too much (shoulder dystocia). It can also happen when the baby is placed in the 'waiter' tip position during delivery and puts strain on the upper-trunk C5-C6 nervous system, which forms part of the Brachial Plexus.

Most infants who suffer an injury to their stretch will recover in six to 12 months. However, some cases are so severe that they require surgery to repair the damaged nerves. If the nerves that are damaged are not repaired, a child could have permanent impairment that hinders their ability to move their arm.

Diagnosis

For children with Erb's Palsy there are a variety of treatments to lessen the impact, but the injury is not able to be completely repaired. Some infants suffer from a significant disability and are unable to move their hand, arm or fingers.

The damage to the brachial-plexus which innervates the upper limb muscles except the trapezius, results in symptoms. The injury typically affects the upper trunk of nerves C5 and C6. It is less likely to affect C7. This is the reason for the Erb's palsy sign, a waiter tip-like hand which is unable to pronate nor flex the forearm. In some instances, nerves are damaged and can result in Horner syndrome. The symptoms include an elongated pupil and tightened face.

It is possible to bring a claim for medical negligence in a birth that leads to an infant suffering from Erb's Palsy. This is because the condition is typically caused by excessive force applied to the baby during birth. This can include using forceps or ventouse (vacuum extraction) in a way that is not correct. It can also include a doctor not managing shoulder dystocia appropriately or opting to have vaginal birth or breech when a caesarean section earlier would have been more appropriate.

Treatment

The brachialplexus nerves regulate movement and sensation in the hands and arms. If the baby is diagnosed with Erb's spalsy, this means the nerves have been damaged. Most babies recover within 6 to 12 months however some are left with a permanent disability affecting movement and feeling in their arm.

The treatment is centered around physical therapy that aims to increase the range of motion of the injured arm. It can be done in various ways, including passive exercises and stretching. A physiotherapist can also recommend an extension splint specifically designed to ease flexibility and prevent stiffness. In extreme instances, a nerve graft might be required to rebuild damaged nerves.

A claim for compensation could assist a child suffering an Erb's Palsy injury live their life to the fullest and access essential equipment, care, education and assistance. If you suspect that your child's condition was the result of an error in medical care at birth, you could be eligible to make an Erb's Palsy claim for monetary damages.

Compensation

A successful lawsuit could award families financial compensation that will help pay for their child's treatment. It can also give them a sense justice and bring attention to medical professionals who could have prevented a brachial-plexus injury.

Settlements from the Erb's Palsy lawsuits can be used to pay for the cost of physiotherapy for your child as well as other equipment and treatments needed to help their condition. They can also compensate you for any loss of income or earnings due to the disability of your child.

If your child is diagnosed with erb's palsy, and you suspect that medical negligence played a role in this, it is imperative to get in touch with an experienced Erb's palsy lawyer immediately. They will be able to advise you on the best way to move forward and ensure all necessary paperwork is filed before deadlines expire. This increases the chances of obtaining compensation. Our team of expert erb's palsy lawyers can help you obtain the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. This can help with the long-term costs of your child's handicap and ensure that they have everything they need to lead a happy, healthy life.