Hudgell Solicitors Can Help You Make an Erb’s Palsy Claim
Erb’s palsy can cause an injury to the network of nerves in the arm, shoulder and hand. It can lead to paralysis and a range of other problems.
The birth injury could be caused by medical negligence. It can be linked to an uneasy or rushed birth and, in particular, when the baby’s shoulder gets stuck during labour.
Causes
Pregnancies and births usually go smoothly, however on the rare occasion something could go wrong. Hudgell Solicitors can help when your child suffers from a disability that was caused by medical negligence like Erb’s palsy.
Erb’s palsy is a weakness that causes paralysis of varying degrees in the arm and shoulder affected by the brachial nerves. These nerves send electrical messages to muscles, allowing them to move. Injury to the brachial plexus can cause an inability to grasp and move the hand in the affected area.
Erb’s Palsy can be caused by a variety of factors. Erb’s palsy is often caused by shoulder dystocia, which is a condition that occurs when the baby’s skull gets stuck above the mother’s pubic bone. It is more frequent in certain risk factors like gestational diabetes, and an infant or baby who is too large. Shoulder dystocia is an emergency medical situation. It is essential for doctors to be aware of this and be aware of what to do to prevent complications. It can also be caused when you use forceps, vacuum extractors or emergency Cesarean.
Symptoms
Erb’s spalsy is identified by a lack in movement of the hand or arm affected, as well as an inability to grip. The symptoms usually manifest six to twelve months after the birth.
The brachialplexus is a nerve network that runs from the spine to both sides of the neck. It regulates movement and sensation of the fingers, arm, and hand. If damaged, these nerves could cause weakness or partial paralysis of the affected arm or hand.
It is often caused by medical mistakes during childbirth. For instance, a doctor pulling on the baby’s shoulder too much (shoulder dystocia). It could result from a violent birth, especially if the infant is held in a ‘waiter’s tip’ position, which causes strain on the C5-C6 upper trunk nerves that form 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 surgery to repair the nerves damaged. If the nerves damaged do not get repaired then a child could be left with a permanent disability that affects their ability to move their arm.
Diagnosis
For children who suffer from Erb’s Palsy there are a number of treatments that can reduce the effects but the injury cannot be completely repaired. Some infants are left with a significant disability and cannot move their hands, arms or fingers.
The injury to the brachial-plexus which is the nerve that innervates the upper limb muscles, excluding the trapezius, results in symptoms. The most common injury is to the upper nerves of C5 or C6. It is less often, however is it also affecting C7. This results in the classical Erb’s palsy sign which is a type of waiter’s hand that cannot pronate, or bend the forearm. In some cases, the damaged nerves can also cause Horner syndrome. It is manifested by the pupil drooping and a constricted face.
You can sue for medical negligence when your child is suffering from Erb’s Palsy due to the birth. This is because the condition is usually caused when excessive force is applied to the baby during delivery. This includes using vacuum extraction (ventouse) or forceps used incorrectly. It could also involve the doctor not managing shoulder dystocia correctly or deciding to give birth via an breech or vaginal birth when a caesarean section earlier would have been more appropriate.
Treatment
The nerves that make up the brachial system control movement and feeling in the hand and arm. If a baby is diagnosed with Erb’s palsy, it is a sign that the nerves have been injured. Most babies recover in 6 to 12 months, however some suffer from a permanent disability that affects movement and sensation in their arm.
Treatment is focused on physical therapy which aims to improve the range of motion of the injured arm. This can be achieved in different ways, such as stretching exercises, as well as passive exercises. A physiotherapist could also recommend an extension splint which will help with movement and prevent stiffness. Surgical intervention may be necessary in the most severe cases to reconstruct damaged nerves through the nerve graft.
A claim for compensation could aid a child suffering from an Erb’s Palsy injury live life to the fullest and have access to essential equipment, care, education and assistance. If you suspect that your child’s illness was caused by a medical mistake during their birth, then you could be eligible to submit an Erb’s Palsy claim for financial damages.
Compensation
A successful lawsuit may award families financial compensation to help pay for the treatment of their child. 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 costs of physiotherapy for your child and other equipment and treatments needed to help their condition. You could also be compensated 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 was the cause in the diagnosis, it is crucial to reach out to an experienced lawyer who specializes in erb’s palsy attorneys Palsy as soon as possible. They can guide you on the best method to proceed and ensure all necessary paperwork is filed before any deadlines end. This will give you the greatest chance of success in securing compensation. Our team of experts from Erb’s-Palsy can help you get the most compensation to which you are entitled to. This could help offset the long-term costs of your child’s disability and make sure that they have everything they require to live a happy life.