New York Birth Injury Lawyer For Erb's Palsy Settlement
The vast majority of Erb’s palsy cases are a result of traumatic stretching or tearing of the brachial plexus during birth. Many of these situations are preventable and are caused by medical negligence. The effects of Erb鈥檚 palsy are far-reaching. If you believe your health care providers did not do all they could to prevent Erb’s palsy in your child, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Please contact Mark L. Bodner, P.C. for a free consultation to discuss your legal matter.
What is Erb’s palsy?
Erb’s palsy is a form of brachial plexus palsy. Erb’s palsy is an injury to the brachial plexus, the area where the neck joins the shoulder. The brachial plexus area consists of a network of nerves that provides movement and sensation to the arm, hand, and fingers. Erb’s palsy is usually a result of the baby’s shoulder becoming impacted or “stuck” on the mother’s pelvis during the baby’s birth, causing the nerves to tear or stretch through improper maneuvers during delivery. Erb’s palsy affects as many as two out of every 1,000 babies. Erb’s palsy can cause paralysis, limpness or loss of sensation in the arm or shoulder. The symptoms of Erb’s palsy vary depending upon the extent of the nerve damage.
What is brachial plexus palsy?
Brachial plexus palsy is a birth injury that affects the area where the baby’s neck meets the shoulder. The brachial plexus area consists of a network of nerves that provides movement and feeling to the arm, hand, and fingers. A baby with brachial plexus palsy may experience:
- No sensation or muscle control in hand or arm
- Little or no wrist and hand control
- Arm paralysis
- Paralysis of shoulder or elbow muscles
- Limp hand and fingers
- Facial paralysis
- Inability to crawl without intervention
- Inability to sit up without assistance
Can Erb’s palsy be the result of a preventable birth injury?
New York birth injury lawyer Mark Bodner can attest that Erb’s palsy is very often a result of medical negligence. There are certain maternal and fetal conditions that can increase the likelihood of Erb’s palsy and its complications. If one or more of these risk factors were ignored or undetected during your labor, it is likely that your baby’s Erb’s palsy was avoidable.
Do I have an Erb’s palsy birth injury case?
If you experienced one or more of the following during pregnancy or your child’s birth, it is possible that your baby’s Erb’s palsy is the result of a preventable birth injury:
- Maternal diabetes
- A baby that was too large for gestational age
- Failure to utilize the correct maneuvers to the mother during delivery
Living with Erb’s palsy
Many babies born with Erb’s palsy can recover some function. All treatments for Erb’s palsy involve some sort of physical or occupational therapy which will help rehabilitate nerves, improve motion and reduce joint stiffness. Early intervention is key to facilitating recovery from Erb’s palsy.
Contact our firm
If you think you have an Erb’s palsy birth injury case, please contact our firm to discuss your legal matter. There are strict time limits in birth injury lawsuits, and prompt action is critical to a successful resolution. Mark L. Bodner, P.C. is an experienced New York brain and birth injury law firm. We have helped many families win large settlements to ensure that their child will have the correct and proper care over the course of the child’s lifetime. If you think you have a case, contact us for a free consultation to discuss your legal matter.