Health Law

What is Erbs Palsy?

It's a term you may have heard, but what exactly is Erbs palsy?  Put simply, it is a birth injury that causes damage to an infant's brachial plexus, the group of nerves that influence the fingers, hands and arms.  It affects one in every 1,000 to 2,000 babies, and given the number of babies born every day in the U.S. alone, those odds are disturbing to say the least.  But perhaps even more upsetting is the fact that this condition is often caused by medical negligence.

Erbs palsy develops as a result of trauma during birth.  Some of the most common causes of the condition include:

• Prolonged labor
• Size of the baby
• Labor inducing medication
• Breech birth (buttocks first)
• Delivery using vacuum or forceps

Another common scenario that results in Erbs palsy is when an infant gets wedged in the birth canal during the delivery.  If a doctor pulls or applies too much force when attempting to extract the baby, it can cause the brachial plexus nerves to stretch or tear, resulting in irreversible damage.  It is from these types of situations that many birth injury negligence cases develop.

A lucky few babies who suffer from Erbs palsy at birth will eventually recover to lead normal lives; however most will not be so lucky.  The condition can manifest itself with symptoms such as:

• Decrease in mobility of the limbs
• Decrease of sensation in the limbs
• Complete elimination of sensation and/or mobility of the limbs
• Limb asymmetry
• Paralysis

The severity of the condition can differ greatly in each birth injury victim, and any or all of these symptoms may be present.  In many cases, they will also be permanent.

Erbs palsy can forever alter the lives of the children it affects as well as the families left to care for them.  If your child suffered a birth injury due to a doctor's negligence, you have the right to seek compensation for your losses.  Contact a medical attorney today. 



 

Full post as published by Cerebral Palsy Law Blog on March 11, 2009 (boomark / email).