When medical staff don’t follow the appropriate procedures during childbirth, it can transform what should be the happiest time in your life into a nightmare. Medical negligence at such a vulnerable time in your baby’s life can result in life-long injuries with permanent repercussions.
Recovering from injuries due to negligence can place a lot of stress in your family’s life, especially when they impact your financial situation. Treatments, medical appointments, and other related expenses recurring from this birth injury can cause a financial toll.
Making a claim can help to reduce your family’s financial and emotional burden.
What is Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy, also known as brachial plexus paralysis or shoulder dystocia, can occur during birth when medical staff use excessive force on your baby’s shoulder. Some symptoms connected to this birth injury are:
- Numbness in the arm
- Full or partial paralysis
- Limpness of the affected arm, often presenting with a bend at the elbow and being held against the side of the body
- Nervous, circulatory, and muscular development is impaired
- Decreased grip ability on the affected side
- Motor and sensory function loss in the upper arm
This birth injury results from repositioning, damage, severing, or tearing injury caused to the brachial plexus nerves that connect your baby’s arm to the neck. There are a few types of damage that can occur to the nerves, with the level of severity being the determinant in the likelihood of recovery and treatment options.
The most common neural injury, neurapraxia is the stretching (but not tearing) of the nerve. Symptoms often include burning or shocking sensations throughout the length of the nerve, with treatment typically effective within three months.
When the nerve is torn, this causes ruptures that require medical intervention. Nerves can be spliced from others in your child’s body, so they can be successfully grafted onto damaged areas. This type of injury doesn’t heal by itself.
Neuromas are stretch injuries in which the nerve fibres are damaged and heal up with scar tissue. The added weight of this tissue can apply pressure on healthy nerves, resulting in a partial recovery only through treatment.
The most severe types of neural damage are avulsions, which occur when your baby’s nerve is completely torn away from their spinal cord. Due to the severity of this injury, the nerve doesn’t heal by itself and it can’t be reattached to the spinal cord. Nerve grafting may restore some arm function is certain cases.
What Causes this Birth Injury?
When the baby is born feet first, Erb’s palsy can be caused when medical staff pull on your baby’s legs and feet. This causes your baby’s arms to be positioned over their head, leading to unnatural stressed on shoulder joints.
When the baby is born face first, pulling by the neck or face can cause Erb’s palsy. Incorrect medical procedures, such as improperly use of extraction tools can also cause this birth injury:
- Incorrect steps taken to move your baby out of their trapped position
- Failure to recognise signs that could lead to Erb’s palsy
- Failure to refer you to a caesarean birth when the probability of a problematic birth is apparent
- Failure to advise you of all potential risks of birth injuries
- Use of incorrect tools or too much force during birth
Left untreated due to failure of diagnose, Erb’s palsy can lead to permanent nerve damage with loss of movement on the affected arm. Most babies are able to recover from this injury, however, costs associated with recovery are often left to you.
Making a claim helps you to recover financial losses and cover further treatments, ensuring that your baby can have the best possible care. Get in touch with our team by giving us a call on 01772 562084 for expert advice on making a claim against birth injuries caused by medical negligence.