Childbirth is a magical time for the majority, but when there are complications involved, it can get quite scary. During the actual birthing process, there are several injuries that can occur to both mother and baby. While some conditions are minor and can be treated right away, there are others that can turn out to be life-altering. Erb’s palsy is one such injury that may affect a newborn as they are being delivered, impacting approximately one to two babies out of every 1,000 births. However, it is often avoidable, and that’s when it may be time to get a dedicated New York City Erb’s palsy lawyer involved.

What Is Erb’s palsy?

Erb’s palsy occurs when there is damage done to the network of nerves around the baby’s neck, which control the arm’s muscles, movement, and feeling. The result is partial or complete paralysis of the arm, hand, and fingers. The injury can turn out to be temporary or permanent depending on its severity. With proper treatment, there is a chance for the baby to regain use and movement of their arm. Although in more severe instances, the effects of limited to no mobility can last a lifetime.

Causes of Erb’s palsy

Erb’s palsy is frequently caused during a vaginal birth when there is excessive pulling or stretching of the baby’s head and shoulders. The risks become particularly heightened when an infant is especially large, the mother has had quite a bit of pregnancy weight gain, extraction tools are used in the delivery, the baby is in a breech position, and the late stage of labor has lasted over an hour.

Who is to blame for Erb’s palsy injuries?

In many cases of Erb’s palsy, the delivery doctor is found to be at fault of causing the injury through negligent action. This would then likely be a medical malpractice situation. Pulling too hard on the shoulders or feet or placing the infant’s body in an incorrect position is a physician error that can usually be prevented if proper attention was being paid and better care was being taken.

If your child has suffered from the effects of Erb’s palsy, Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP can help. With an extensive background in birth injury cases, our medical malpractice attorneys will guide you through the process of filing a claim and recovering the compensation your family deserves in order to pay for medical costs and other damages. Contact Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP today at (212) 986- 7353.

Posted in: Birth Injury