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

Erb's palsy can cause an injury to the nerve system in the shoulder, arm and hand. It can lead to paralysis and a range of other problems.

This birth injury can be the result of medical negligence. This birth injury is typically due to a challenging or rushed delivery.

Causes

Most pregnancies and births go well but, on rare occasions something could go wrong. Hudgell Solicitors can help if your child has an impairment that was caused by medical negligence like Erb's palsy.

Erb's palsy is a weakness with varying degrees of paralysis in the shoulder or arms, that affects the brachial nerves. These nerves send electrical messages to the muscles, allowing them to move. Injuries to the brachial nerve can cause an inability to grasp and move the hand that is affected.

Erb's Palsy can be caused by a range of factors. Erb's palsy can be caused by shoulder dystocia, which is a complication that occurs when the baby's skull becomes stuck above the mother's pubic bone. This can be more common in certain risk factors like gestational diabetes, and a large infant or baby. Shoulder dystocia is a medical emergency, and it is imperative that doctors are aware of this and are able to respond swiftly to avoid complications for the baby. It can also be caused by forceps, vacuum extractors, or an emergency Cesarean.

Symptoms

Erb's Palsy is characterised by a lack of movement of the hand or arm affected, as well as an inability to grip. The symptoms usually manifest about six to twelve months following the birth.

The brachialplexus is a set of nerves that runs from the spine to both sides of the neck, controlling motion and sensation in the hand, arm and fingers. If they become damaged, the nerves can cause weakness or partial paralysis in the affected arm and hand.

It is often caused by medical errors during childbirth. For instance doctors pulling on the baby's shoulder to hard (shoulder dystocia). It can also be caused when the baby is placed in the 'waiter' tip position during the delivery and puts strain on the C5-C6 upper trunk nerve system that is part of the Brachial Plexus.

The majority of infants who suffer from injuries to their limbs or legs will recover in six to 12 months. However there are cases that are so severe that they require surgery to repair the nerves damaged. If the damaged nerves don't get repaired and rehabilitated, a child could suffer permanent disabilities that limit their ability to move their arm.

Diagnosis

For children with erb's palsy attorney Palsy there are a variety options to treat the effects but the injury is not able to be completely repaired. A few infants suffer from significant disability and are unable to move their hand, erb's palsy Law firms arm or fingers.

The symptoms result from injury to the brachial plexus, which connects all the muscles of the upper limb, except for the trapezius. The injury is usually to the upper trunks of nerves C5 or C6. Less frequently, it can also affect C7. This is the most common Erb's Palsy Law Firms palsy sign which is a waiter's tips type hand that is unable to pronate or extend the forearm. In certain cases, nerves are damaged and can result in Horner syndrome. This is characterized by an elongated pupil and tightened face.

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

Treatment

The nerves of the brachial nerve control movement and feel in the hand and arm. If an infant is diagnosed with Erb's palsy it means the nerves have been damaged. The majority of babies recover within 6 to 12 months however some are left with permanent disabilities that limit movement and feeling in their arm.

Treatment is focused on physical therapy that aims to increase the range of motion in the injured arm. Passive exercises and stretching can be utilized to achieve this. A physiotherapist can also suggest an extension splint which will assist in movement and help prevent stiffness. In the case of severe instances, a nerve graft could be needed to rebuild damaged nerves.

A claim for compensation can help a child with an Erb's Palsy injury live life to the fullest and have access to essential equipment, education, and assistance. If you think that your child's illness was caused by an error in medical care during their birth, then you could be able to make an Erb's Palsy claim for monetary damages.

Compensation

A successful lawsuit could award families financial compensation to treat their child. It may also provide them with a sense of justice and bring attention to medical professionals who might have prevented a brachial-plexus injury.

Erb's palsy lawsuit settlements can be used to pay for the costs of physiotherapy sessions for your child in addition to other equipment and treatments to aid their condition. You may also be compensated for any loss of income or earnings due to the impairment of your child.

You should contact an Erb's Palsy lawyer right away if you suspect that medical negligence was the cause. They can guide you on the best way to move forward and make sure that all the necessary paperwork is filed before deadlines run out. This will give you the best chance of success in securing compensation. Our team of specialized erb's palsy lawyers can help you claim the maximum amount of compensation that you are entitled to. This will help pay for the long-term costs associated with your child's disability, and ensure they have everything they need to live a happy life.