Erb's Palsy Lawyers
An experienced attorney can help simplify the legal procedure. Erb's Palsy lawyers are also capable of helping clients receive financial compensation for future medical needs.
Parents need peace of mind to know that their children are taken seriously even if they experience an event that will change their life. This can be difficult to achieve when medical malpractice is involved.
Preventable Birth Injuries
Although there are birth injuries that occur due to factors outside of the doctor's control like the size and position of the baby's pelvis or birth canal, many others are easily prevented. Doctors must accurately estimate the weight and size of a fetus. They can suggest a C section if they feel that the baby is too big to be delivered vaginally. This prevents injury to the fetus as well as the mother and often can avoid the need for medically necessary interventions.
When a doctor fails to follow this duty this can lead to injuries like Erb's palsy or brachial and plexus injuries. These injuries result from nerve damage to the arm or shoulder during delivery. These injuries can cause weakness or limited movement within the affected area of the body throughout the life of the child. Treatments for these conditions can be extremely expensive.
Families afflicted with these injuries usually require financial compensation to pay the expenses. An erb’s palsy lawyer can fight to ensure a family receives as much compensation as possible. This can help alleviate their financial burden and aid in securing appropriate treatment for their children. A good erb's palsy lawyer will be honest about whether or not your case is solid and will do their best for you.
Erb's Palsy - Causes
Erb's syndrome is caused by injuries to the upper portion of nerves in the arm, known as the brachial plexus. These nerves are responsible to transmit messages to the muscles that allow them to move. When these nerves become damaged, they will be unable to transmit signals correctly. The arm won't move as well or at all. In the majority of instances, the injuries will heal over time. However some infants are permanently disabled.
Shoulder dystocia is a frequent cause of Erb's Palsy. It happens when the baby's arm becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. The medical professionals who deliver the child have to exert force to free the shoulder, and it can cause strain or tears to the healthy nerves of the brachial plexus.
These nerves damaged by injury may be avulsed. That means they completely tear away from the spinal cord. neuroma, meaning that the scar tissue places pressure on the nerve and prevents it from transmitting signals, or neuropraxia. This is when nerves are stretched, but not torn. The longer that the nerve is damaged the more difficult it will be to recover.
To prevent shoulder dystocia, the pregnant mother and the Obstetrician must be in agreement about the ideal position to deliver the baby and the best way to react in the case of a problem occurring during birth. Unfortunately, many cases of erb's palsy are the result of medical inattention on the part of nurses and doctors who use excessive force during the delivery process.
Erb's Palsy Treatment
Physical therapy for infants with Erb's Palsy will focus on enhancing the range of motion in their fingers and arms. Physical therapy is often paired with other treatments like hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is helpful because it allows babies to exercise in an anti-gravity setting which can help ease pain from muscle spasms.
Other treatments include medicines that ease swelling and pain. A physician may also splice, or graft, healthy nerves from other parts of the body to replace damaged ones. This can restore flexibility, feeling and support to the arm.
Newborns with Erb's paralysis may require surgery to repair a ruptured brachial nerve. A nerve that has ruptured, caused by tearing one or several nerves in the spine, is the most severe type of Erb's palsy. The nerves that have been injured can be reattached by doctors to allow the nerves to heal. The procedure is generally successful and allows the majority of children to regain full range of movement in their arms. Some patients may experience permanent disability as a result of the injury.
Erb's Palsy Settlements
While some children suffering from Erb's Palsy are able to overcome the limitations of the condition through regular physical therapy, many will require surgery to repair nerve damage. Medical malpractice lawsuits can help families receive fair compensation for their child’s injuries.
Your lawyer will consult with experts in order to estimate the likely cost of treatment. This is referred to as the case value. The value of your case will be based on how serious the injury is and the impact it will have on your child's future. erb's palsy attorney duluth will attempt to recover the cost of life-care, future estimated medical expenses and other damages.
Your lawyer will send a demand letter to the hospital or doctor responsible for the injuries your child sustained. The letter will outline the child's injuries and explain the manner in which they resulted of medical negligence. The letter will contain the amount of compensation you're seeking.
The doctor at fault will then be able to negotiate an agreement. This is a more affordable alternative to going to trial. If your lawyer can build an argument that is strong and the medical professional at fault might be willing to settle without courtroom battles with you and your child to avoid the negative publicity of a trial. The settlement money will be deposited in an trust to fund medical treatment and other expenses of your child.