Erb’s Palsy, also known as brachial plexus palsy, results from injury to the brachial plexus, a nerve bundle between the neck and shoulder, that occurs during delivery. This network of nerves gives rise to all the nerves in the arm, providing feeling and movement to the arm, hand and fingers.
Most medical malpractice brachial plexus cases are a result of difficult delivery. Many times, during a complicated birth, the physician may deliver the baby quickly and use force to pull the baby from the birth canal. When pulled too hard, the baby’s neck and nerves are stretched, and injury may result.
When an in-utero child becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone, it’s called shoulder dystocia. The shoulders are stuck, preventing the baby’s body from being born. When the doctors and physicians don’t handle this situation properly, they may pull too hard on the baby, damaging the brachial plexus and causing injury to the baby. By trying to forcibly extract the baby while the shoulders are trapped, the doctor can severely hurt your baby.
Complications from Erb’s palsy are usually the result of a treating physician’s failure to recognize that a caesarean section should have been performed or excessive pressure of pulling on the baby’s head, beck or shoulder during delivery.
Most Erb’s palsy cases are a result of forces during birth. The condition can occur during a vertex presentation (head first delivery) when there is excessive pulling on the shoulders or by pressure on the arms during a breech (feet first delivery).
If your child suffers from Erb’s palsy, as a result of a complicated delivery, please contact a medical malpractice attorney to discuss your legal options.