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As an expectant parent, you want everything to go right. You took care of yourself throughout your pregnancy to give your baby the best chance of being healthy. Before delivering your baby, you probably looked into the best obstetricians or midwives, and you might have looked at various hospitals and birthing centers. What you probably did not prepare for was the medical staff making a reckless or careless mistake during your child’s delivery.
When doctors, nurses, and midwives in the delivery room fail to adhere to the proper standards of care, birth injuries, such as Erb’s palsy, can occur. A seasoned Stamford Erb’s palsy lawyer can help you hold the medical staff who harmed your child accountable for their mistakes. To learn more about your legal options, get in touch with the birth injury attorneys at Berkowitz Hanna right away.
Erb’s palsy is a common complication that can occur when healthcare workers act negligently in the delivery room. Abnormal deliveries are the most common causes of Erb’s palsy. In some deliveries, the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck in the birth canal. If the attending medical professional fails to recognize that the baby is stuck and tries to pull the baby out with force by yanking on the baby’s head or using too much traction, they could stretch the nerves, resulting in pain and possible paralysis of the affected arm. Obstetricians and midwives should recognize if a baby’s shoulder is stuck and act carefully when pulling the baby out.
Doctors today also have the benefit of advanced diagnostic technology, such as ultrasounds, where they can see if a baby could be too big to deliver safely through the birth canal. In those instances, doctors should recognize that a C-section would be safer.
When a healthcare team’s actions fall below the acceptable standard of care and lead to an infant developing Erb’s palsy, they can be held liable in a malpractice suit. An experienced Stamford Erb’s palsy attorney can investigate all of the facts surrounding the baby’s delivery and help a family find the evidence to support their claim against the attending medical staff.
Erb’s palsy causes paralysis of the shoulder and arm and arises from damage to the nerves in the area of the spinal cord, known as the brachial plexus. The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that controls the movement and sensation in a person’s arm, hand, and shoulder. When a person suffers a brachial plexus injury, the nerves are compressed, stretched, or even torn from the spinal cord. Erb’s palsy can result in partial or complete paralysis of a baby’s arm and shoulder.
Many cases of Erb’s palsy resolve with physical therapy and ongoing medical treatments. Some babies need nerve transplants and other advanced surgical procedures. In the most severe cases, Erb’s palsy can hinder a baby’s future physical development and leave them with permanent disabilities.
A dedicated Erb’s palsy attorney in Stamford can review an infant’s medical history, speak with medical professionals who are experts in the field, and develop a clear understanding of the baby’s prognosis. With that prognosis, the legal team can help calculate a damages award that adequately compensates the family for the baby’s suffering and future anticipated needs.
A diagnosis of Erb’s palsy in your baby has probably caused your family a great deal of financial and emotional stress. You will most likely have many unexpected medical expenses that could continue for months or even years.
There are few things worse than being unable to relieve your child of their pain. The doctor, nurse, or midwife who caused your child’s Erb’s palsy should be held accountable for their actions. Contact a Stamford Erb’s palsy lawyer right away to get started on your case.
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