Texas Erb's Palsy Lawyer & Texas Brachial Plexus Palsy Lawyer Handles Texas Erb's Palsy Medical Malpractice Lawsuits and Texas Brachial Plexus Palsy Medical Negligence Lawsuits by Texas Erb's Palsy Lawyer and Texas Brachial Plexus Palsy Lawyer

Medical Malpractice during the birthing process can result in Erb's Palsy & Brachial Plexus injuries that can cause life long disabilities.  These medical mistake birth injuries can affect the muscle coordination and body movement in a child's arms and shoulders that can require physical therapy, medical treatment, and life care plans. 

If you believe that your child has suffered Erb's palsy or Brachial Plexus Palsy as a result of medical mistake, please feel free to contact Austin Texas Brachial Plexus Palsy and Texas Erb's Palsy Medical Mistake Birth Injury Lawyer Jason Coomer for a free review of your Texas Medical Malpractice Birth Injury Claim or use our online submission form.

Erb's Palsy aka Brachial Plexus Paralysis

The terms "erb's palsy" and "brachial plexus paralysis" are names for a condition which mainly due to birth trauma can affect 1 or all of the 5 primary nerves that supply the movement and feeling to an arm. The paralysis can be partial or complete and cause mild impairment to severe impairment. The neurological disorder appears in infancy and severe cases are obvious because the infant cannot control their hand or arm. 

Brachial Plexus Injuries occur when the brachial plexus, a network of nerves between the neck and shoulder, is damaged. Because the brachial plexus conducts nerve signals from the spinal cord to the arm and hand, when it is damaged impairment of the arm and hand can occur causing a limp arm. The brachial plexus is a network of nerves formed by fibers located between the shoulder and the neck. Most brachial plexus injuries happen during birth when excessive lateral traction is applied to the fetal neck region during a vaginal birth and a traumatic stretching of the brachial plexus occurs causing damages to the nerves.  Brachial plexus injuries are more common in infants that are larger than average in size as they have more trouble moving through the birth canal.

Types, Symptoms, and Treatment of Brachial Plexus Injuries

There are different types of brachial plexus injuries that range in severity of impairment and limitations. Children severe limitations have a limp arm that is not controllable.  These infants will be readily apparent at an early age as they will not be able to control their arm and will have trouble turning over and crawling.  An avulsion where the nerve is torn from the spine are the most severe cases.  A bit less severe is a rupture where the nerve is torn but not where it attaches to the spine allowing some nerve impulses.  A neuroma occurs when the damaged nerve has tried to heal but scar tissue has grown around the injury placing pressure on the injured nerve praxis. While the nerve has been damaged, it has not been torn and improvement is possible. 

Symptoms of Brachial Plexus Injuries are usually obvious. A baby suffering from a Brachial Plexus Injury or Erb's Palsy can be determined by the lack of ability to use the affected arm.  Infants with Erb's Palsy have no muscle control and no feeling in the affected arm or hand.  In less severe cases, the child may have little control of shoulder and arm movements, but may have some use of their hands.  In more severe cases the entire arm may be paralyzed with the hand and fingers hanging limp.  The infant may also have facial paralysis on the affected side as well as may not able to sit up without assistance or be able to crawl without the use of therapeutic devices.

Treatment for Erbs Palsy generally consists of physical therapy to improve functionality of joints and muscles. In some cases, babies born with Erb’s Palsy will greatly benefit from surgery and surgical procedures can increase their arm functions. Since most children with Erb’s Palsy have damage to multiple nerves of the brachial plexus, more than one procedure may need to be preformed.  

Erb's Palsy and Other Birth Injuries  Can Be Caused by Medical Malpractice, Medical Negligence, and Doctor Mistakes

Medical mistakes during the labor and delivery process are to blame for thousands of children with nerve damage. Unfortunately, many parents don't realize that their healthcare provider might be to blame for their child's neurological problems. If your child suffers from a brachial plexus injury or other neurological problem you may want to determine if:

1.  The fetal heart pattern of the your infant was strong and a vaginal birth     was         in both the child's and mother's best interest.

2.  Was there a hyperstimulation of the uterus and if so were the correct drugs administered at the correct levels and were other drugs including the use of oxytocin discontinued at the correct time.

3.  Were there abnormal pressure readings and if so was an intrauterine pressure catheter used

4.  Was this a diabetic pregnancy and was there abnormal post glucola test.  If so, was it properly acted upon.

5.  Was reasonable care taken to avoid placing too much pressure on the fetus including avoiding lateral traction on the head of the fetus at the time of delivery?  Were proper techniques such as the McRobert's maneuver or the corkscrew maneuver used, instead of simply applying supapubic pressure during delivery?

Federal and Texas Medical Malpractice Claims

Federal Tort Claims and Texas Medical Malpractice Claims are some of the most complicated types of cases in the practice of law. As a Texas medical malpractice birth injury lawyer that has handled medical malpractice claims, I have worked with other Federal Medical Malpractice Brachial Plexus Lawyers, Texas Medical Malpractice Birth Injury Lawyers, and Texas Brachial Plexus Palsy Lawyers to seek compensation from negligent doctors and negligent health care providers that have severely injured or killed infants or mother through medical mistakes and medical carelessness during prenatal care or the birthing process.

If you have a medical negligence claim regarding a brachial plexus injury, Cerebral Palsy, wrongful death, shoulder dystocia, or other serious injuries against a Federal Hospital, Texas Hospital, medical doctor, or other health care provider, feel free to contact Texas Medical Negligence Birth Injury Lawyer Jason Coomer. 

To have a successful claim, you have to have another doctor state that medical malpractice occurred and it resulted in damages.  This negligence has to be more than just a bad result or judgment call, it has to deviate from the standard of care in the medical community.  If you need a Federal Medical Malpractice Birth Injury Lawyer or a Texas Medical Malpractice Birth Injury Lawyer, feel free to contact Austin Birth Injury Attorney, Jason S. Coomer.