Erb's Palsy Lawyers
The legal process is complicated however an experienced attorney can help make it simpler. Erb's lawyers are also able to help clients receive financial reimbursement for future medical expenses.
Parents should have the peace of mind that their children are taken seriously even if they are involved in an event that will change their life. This isn't easy to attain when medical malpractice is involved.
Prevention of Birth Injuries
Although there are birth injuries that occur because of factors beyond the doctor's control such as the size and position of a pelvis fetus or birth canal, many others are easily prevented. Doctors must accurately assess 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 via vaginally. This helps protect to both the mother and fetus and can often prevent the need for medically necessary interventions.
If a doctor doesn't adhere to this rule, it may lead to injuries such as Erb's Palsy or brachial plexus injuries. These injuries result from nerve damage to the shoulder or arm during the birth. Often, they result in limited movement or weakness in that body part for the rest of the life of the child. Treatments for these ailments can be extremely expensive.
Families struggling with these injuries usually require financial compensation to pay their expenses. A lawyer from the Erb's Palsy Association will fight to ensure that a family receives as much compensation as is possible. This can reduce their financial burden and aid in securing proper treatment for their children. A reputable attorney will be honest and steadfast in their efforts to aid you.
Erb's Palsy Causes
Erb's Palsy is caused by the upper grouping of nerves in your arm, also known as the brachialplexus, is injured. These nerves send messages to muscles in order to allow them to move. If these nerves are damaged, they won't be able to conduct signals properly and the arm cannot move as well or at all. In most cases, the injury will heal over time. However some infants are permanently disabled.
Many cases of erb's palsy occur when a baby's shoulder becomes stuck behind the pubic bone of the mother during birth, a condition known as shoulder dystocia. The medical professionals who deliver the child must exert force to free the shoulder, and this may cause tearing or stretching of the healthy nerves of the brachial complex.
These nerves damaged by injury may be avulsed, which means that they completely break away from the spinal cord, neuroma, which means 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 a damaged nerve remains in its damaged state, the more difficult it is to heal.
To avoid shoulder dystocia, the mother and Obstetrician must be in agreement about the best position to deliver the baby and how to react in the event of a complication during birth. Unfortunately many cases of Erb's palsy result from medical inattention on the part of doctors and nurses that use excessive force during the delivery process.
Erb's Palsy Treatment
For children with Erb's Palsy the physical therapy they receive will be focused on regaining the range of motion in their fingers and arms. Physical therapy is often paired with other treatments, such as hydrotherapy. Hydrotherapy is helpful because it allows a baby to exercise in an anti-gravity mode that helps ease the pain caused by muscle spasms.
Other treatments include medications that help reduce swelling and pain. A doctor could also employ healthy nerves from different parts of the body to replace damaged nerves. This can improve flexibility, feeling and support to the arm.
A ruptured brachial-plexus may be required to treat Erb's Palsy in newborns. A ruptured nerve is the most serious type of Erb's palsy, resulting from one or more nerves being cut from their spine. Doctors can perform surgery to reconnect the injured nerves so that they heal. This procedure is generally successful and allows children to resume full range of movement in their arms. Certain patients may be permanently disabilities due to the injury.
Erb's Palsy Settlements
While some children who suffer from Erb's Palsy are able to overcome the limitations caused by the condition with daily physical therapy, a majority will require surgery to repair nerve damage. Medical malpractice lawsuits can help families receive an appropriate amount of compensation for their child's injuries.
Your lawyer will confer with experts in order to determine the likely cost of treatment. This is referred to as value of the case. The value of your case will depend on how serious the injury is and the impact it has on your child's future. Your attorney will seek to recover the cost of life-care as well as future medical expenses, and other damages.
erb's palsy attorney chicago will send an official demand letter to the hospital or doctor responsible for your child's injuries. The letter will outline the injuries suffered by your child and explain the way they resulted of medical negligence. The letter will also list the amount of compensation you are seeking.
The at-fault doctor will then be able to negotiate a settlement. This is a less expensive alternative to going to trial. If your attorney can make an effective case that the medical professional who is at fault may be willing settle out of court to avoid the negative publicity that comes with an appeal. If a settlement agreement is reached, the funds are put into a trust to pay for your child's medical care and other necessities.