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

Erb's Palsy is caused by nerve damage in the shoulder, arm and hand. This can lead to paralysis as well as a variety of other problems.

This birth injury can be the result of medical negligence. It often links to the birth process being rushed or difficult particularly when the baby's shoulders become stuck during labour.

Causes

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

Erb's palsy is a condition that causes weakness or paralysis in varying degrees within the arm and shoulder that affects the brachial plexus nerves. These nerves send electrical messages to muscles, allowing them to move. Injuries to the brachialplexus could cause a loss of ability to move and grip the hand affected.

There are a number of reasons for Erb's palsy. It could be caused by shoulder dystocia, a complication of labour that happens when the baby's head becomes stuck above the pubic bone of the mother's. It is more frequent with certain risk factors, like gestational diabetes, and the size of a baby or infant. Shoulder dystocia could be an emergency medical condition. It is important for doctors to be aware of this and be aware of what to do to prevent complications. It can also occur if you use forceps, vacuum extractors or Erb's Palsy lawsuit have an emergency Cesarean.

Symptoms

The symptoms of Erb's Palsy are a lack of movement in the affected hand or arm and weak grip strength. Typically, symptoms manifest within six to 12 months after the birth.

The brachial plexus is a system of nerves which run from the spine to both sides of the neck. They control motion and sensation in the arm, hand and fingers. If damaged, these nerves could cause weakness or partial paralysis of the affected arm or hand.

It's typically caused by an error in medical care during childbirth, such as doctors pulling too hard to release the baby's head (shoulder dystocia). It could result from a violent birth, especially if the infant is held in a 'waiter's tippy position, which puts strain on the C5-C6 upper trunk nerves that are part of the brachial nerve.

Most infants who suffer a stretch injury will recover in six to 12 months. However, some cases are so severe that they require surgical intervention to repair the nerves damaged. If the nerves that are damaged are not treated, the child may be left with an ongoing disability that impacts their ability to move and use their arm.

Diagnosis

For children with Erb's Palsy there are a number of treatments that can reduce the effects, but the damage cannot be completely repaired. Certain infants suffer from a significant disability, and are unable move their arms, hands or fingers.

The damage to the brachial-plexus which innervates the upper leg muscles, except for the trapezius causes symptoms. The most common injury is to the upper trunks of nerves C5 and C6. It is less often, however is it possible to affect C7. This causes the classic Erb's Palsy sign which is a waiter's tips type hand which cannot pronate or stretch the forearm. In certain cases, nerves damaged may also result in Horner syndrome. The symptoms include pupils that are drooping as well as a tightened face.

You can file a claim for medical negligence in the event that your child suffers from Erb's Palsy due to the birth. This is because the condition is usually caused by excessive force placed on the baby during the birth process. This can be caused by using vacuum extraction (ventouse) or forceps that are not used correctly. It can also mean a doctor not managing shoulder dystocia properly or opting to have a breech or vaginal birth when a caesarean section earlier would have been more appropriate.

Treatment

The nerves that comprise the brachial plexus manage movements and sensations in the arm and hand. If a baby is diagnosed with Erb's palsy, it is a sign 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.

Physical therapy is used to increase range of motion. This can be done in various ways, including stretching exercises and passive exercises. A physiotherapist might also suggest an extension splint to help with movement and prevent stiffness. In the most severe cases, a nerve graft may be needed to reconstruct damaged nerves.

A claim for compensation could help a child with an Erb's Palsy injury live life to the fullest and access essential equipment, treatment, and assistance. If you believe your child's condition was the result of an error in medical care at birth, you could be eligible to file an Erb's Palsy claim for monetary damages.

Compensation

A successful lawsuit can be able to award families financial compensation in exchange for the treatment they received from their child. It could also provide them with a an understanding of justice and bring attention to medical professionals that could have prevented a brachial plexus injury.

Erb's palsy lawsuit settlements will help pay for the cost of physiotherapy for your child as well as other treatments and equipment required to treat their condition. You may also be able to receive compensation for any lost income or earnings due to the disability of your child.

If your child was diagnosed with erb's palsy and you suspect medical negligence played a role in this, it is imperative to reach out to an experienced lawyer who specializes in erb's palsy law firm Palsy as soon as you can. They can advise you on the best approach to take and ensure that all documents are filed before any deadlines end. This will ensure you have the best chance of getting compensation. Our team of specialist Erb's Palsy lawyers can assist you obtain the maximum amount of compensation you're entitled to. This can help with the long-term cost of your child's disability and ensure that they have everything they need to lead a happy, healthy life.