Glenna Aultman asked 2 months ago
The legal process is complicated however an experienced attorney can make it easier. Erb’s lawyers are also capable of helping clients receive financial compensation for any future medical requirements.
Parents should have the confidence that their children are taken well regardless of a life-changing accident. Unfortunately it can be a challenge when medical negligence is involved.
Birth Injury Prevention
Many birth injuries can be prevented. While some are caused by factors outside the control of doctors for example, the size and position of the pelvis or the birth canal, other injuries aren’t. Doctors must accurately assess the weight and size of a fetus, and recommend a C section when they feel that the baby is too large to be delivered via vaginally. This can prevent injuries to both the mother and the fetus, and can often prevent the need for medically-needed interventions.
If a doctor doesn’t follow this procedure injuries like Erb’s brachial plexus or a brachial palsy could occur. These injuries are caused by nerve damage in the shoulder or arm when a baby is born. These injuries can cause weakness or limited movement in the affected region of the body throughout the life of the child. These conditions can be extremely expensive to treat.
Families that suffer from these injuries require financial compensation to cover the costs. An erb’s palsy attorney can fight to ensure that families receive the highest amount of compensation that is possible, which will reduce their financial burden and aid in obtaining appropriate treatment for their child. A good lawyer for erb’s palsy will be upfront about whether or not your case is solid and will be a tireless advocate for you.
Erb’s Palsy – Causes
Erb’s Palsy is caused by the upper grouping of nerves in your arm, also known as the brachialplexus, gets injured. These nerves send signals to muscles to allow them to move. If these nerves are damaged, they cannot conduct signals properly and the arm can’t move well or at all. In most cases, the damage will heal over time. However some infants are permanently disabled.
Shoulder dystocia is the most common cause of Erb’s Palsy. It is caused when the infant’s arm gets stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. The medical experts who deliver the baby need to exert pressure to loosen the shoulder, which can stretch or tear healthy nerves in the brachialplexus.
The nerves can be avulsed, meaning they are completely separated from the spinal column or neuroma. This is when the scar tissue presses against the nerve preventing it from sending signals or neuropraxia – when nerves have been stretched but not cut. The longer that the nerve is damaged the more difficult it becomes to recover.
To prevent shoulder dystocia, the mother and doctor who is delivering the baby must discuss the most appropriate position to deliver the baby and how to respond in the case of a problem occurring during birth. Many cases of erb’s syndrome are caused by medical inattention by nurses and doctors who use too much force during the delivery process.
Erb’s Palsy Treatment
For babies with Erb’s palsy, their physical therapy will focus on regaining range of motion in their hands and arms. Physical therapy is often integrated with different treatments like hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy can help because it allows babies to exercise in a gravity-free setting and relieves pain from muscle spasms.
Other treatments include medications to decrease swelling and pain. The doctor can also use healthy nerves from other areas of the body to replace damaged nerves. This can restore the arm’s flexibility, feeling and support to the arm.
Newborns who suffer from Erb’s palsy could need surgery to repair a strained brachial plexus. A ruptured nerve is the most serious form of Erb’s paralysis, resulting from one or more nerves being pulled from their spine. Doctors may opt for surgery to reconnect the injured nerves which allows them to heal. This procedure is usually successful and allows children to recover full range of motion in their arms. However, some patients will suffer permanent disabilities because of the injury.
Erb’s Palsy Settlements
While some children suffering from Erb’s Palsy are able to overcome the limitations created by the condition with regular physical therapy, a majority will require surgery to repair nerve damage. Medical malpractice lawsuits can assist families get fair compensation for their child’s injuries.
When you file a legal complaint your lawyer will collaborate with experts to determine the amount the treatment is likely to cost. This is referred to as the case value. The value of the case will be based on the extent of the injury and the impact it has on your child’s future. Your attorney will seek to recover all costs associated with life-care as well as future medical expenses and other damages.
Your lawyer will send a demand note to the hospital or doctor responsible for your child’s injuries. The letter will outline your child’s injuries and how they resulted of medical negligence. The letter will include the amount of compensation that you’re seeking.
The at-fault doctor will then be able to negotiate an agreement. This is a less expensive alternative to a trial. If your attorney builds a convincing case the medical professional who is at fault may be willing to settle outside of court with you and your child to get rid of the negative publicity associated with a trial. If a settlement agreement is reached, the funds will be placed into a trust and used to pay for the medical treatment of your child and other expenses.