Why All The Fuss Erb s Palsy Case

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

Erb's Palsy is a result of an injury to the nerve system in the arm, shoulder and hand. This can result in paralysis and a range of other issues.

Medical negligence can result in this birth injury. The birth injury is usually related to a difficult or rushed birth.

Causes

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

Erb's palsy is a condition that causes weakness or paralysis of varying degrees in the arm and shoulder affected by the brachial nerves. These nerves send electrical messages to muscles, which allow them to move. Injury to the brachial plexus can cause an inability to grasp and move the affected hand.

There are a variety of reasons for Erb's palsy. Erb's palsy can be caused by shoulder dystocia which is a complication that occurs when the baby's head gets stuck above the mother's pubic bone. This can be more common with certain risk factors including gestational diabetes and a large infant or baby. Shoulder dystocia is a medical emergency and it is crucial that doctors recognize this and understand how to respond quickly to prevent complications for the baby. It can also occur by forceps, vacuum extractors or have an emergency Cesarean.

Symptoms

Erb's Palsy is characterized by a lack of movement of the arm or hand affected and an inability to grip. Typically, the symptoms begin to manifest between six and 12 months following birth.

The brachialplexus is a network of nerves that connects the spine to both sides of the neck. It regulates the movement and sensation of the arm, fingers and hand. If damaged, these nerves, can cause weakness or partial paralysis of the affected arm or hand.

It is usually caused by medical errors that occur during childbirth. For instance, a doctor pulling on the baby's shoulder too hard (shoulder dystocia). It can also be caused when the baby is placed in the 'waiter tip' position during the delivery, which puts strain on the C5-C6 upper trunk nerve system that forms part of the Brachial plexus.

Most infants who sustain a stretch injury recover within six to twelve months however, there are some cases that are severe enough to require surgical intervention using a nerve graft to restore the injured nerves. If the nerves damaged do not get repaired the child may suffer permanent impairment that hinders their ability to move their arm.

Diagnosis

For children who suffer from erb's palsy law firm Palsy there are a number options to treat the effects, but the damage can never be fully repaired. Some children are left with a significant impairment and are unable to move their hands, arms or fingers.

The damage to the brachial-plexus which is responsible for the innervation of the upper limb muscles, erb's Palsy lawsuits excluding the trapezius, can cause symptoms. The most common injury is to the upper trunks of nerves C5 and C6. Infrequently it may also affect C7. This causes the classic sign of Erb's palsy the waiter's tip hand which cannot pronate or stretch the forearm. In a few cases, injured nerves also cause Horner's syndrome, erb's palsy lawsuits which is a drooping of the pupil and a chin that is constricted.

It is possible to file a claim for medical negligence in the birth process that results in a child suffering with Erb's Palsy. This is because the condition is typically caused by excessive force being applied to the baby during delivery. This can include using forceps or ventouse (vacuum extraction) in a way that is not correct. It could also be a doctor not managing shoulder dystocia appropriately or deciding to give birth via a breech or vaginal birth when a caesarean section earlier would be more suitable.

Treatment

The brachialplexus nerves control sensation and movement in the hands and arms. When a baby is diagnosed as having Erb's Palsy, it means that the nerves are damaged. 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 can be used to improve range of motion. Stretching and exercises for passive exercise are a great way to achieve this. A physiotherapist may also recommend an extension splint to help with movement and prevent stiffness. In extreme cases, a nerve transplant 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 think that your child's condition is the result of an unintentional medical error during their birth, you might be able to submit an Erb's Palsy claim for monetary damages.

Compensation

A successful lawsuit can provide families with financial compensation for the treatment of their child. It can also give them the feeling of justice and draw 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 treatments for your child and other equipment and treatments needed to treat their condition. You could also receive compensation for any lost income or earnings resulting from the disability of your child.

If your child has been diagnosed with Erb's palsy and you believe that medical negligence played a role in this, it is imperative to get in touch with an experienced Erb's palsy lawyer as soon as you can. They will be able to advise you on the most effective way to proceed and ensure all necessary paperwork is filed before deadlines expire. This will give you the greatest chance of getting compensation. Our team of experts in erb's-palsy can assist you in obtaining the most compensation to which you are entitled to. This could help offset the long-term expenses of your child's disabilities and ensure that they have everything they require to live a fulfilling life.