Birth Injury: Erb's Palsy / Brachial Plexus From Medical Malpractice

Having a baby should be a joyous occasion. In some cases, though, a baby’s birth is instead traumatic. Many things can go wrong during pregnancy, labor and/or delivery; but in some cases medical neglect and unreasonable, inexcusable mistakes occur. 

Problems with a child’s birth can take many forms. One type of birth injury is injury to the “brachial plexus” of the baby. In a nutshell, the brachial plexus is a grouping of nerves. This kind of injury may have been caused by what is commonly called “shoulder dystocia.” Simply put, Should Dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulder, during delivery, gets caught on the mother’s pelvis. This creates a difficult situation in terms of getting the baby out without injury, and can often lead to the delivering doctor, midwife or nurse using excessive traction to “pull” the baby out. If careful planning and preparation have not been done, Shoulder Dystocia can lead to panic and serious injury to the brachial plexus, which is a group of nerves that control various aspects of the baby’s arm and hands. The injury to the brachial plexus can cause several different types of “palsy” including “Erb’s Palsy.” In many cases, brachial plexus injuries resolve themselves early and the child has no permanent or serious injury. In some cases, though, the actions of the doctor or others on the labor and delivery team are careless, and the resulting injury is permanent and serious; making a legal claim for negligent medical mistakes a possibility.

If your baby’s arm appears to have been hurt during delivery at a hospital, there is help. Although all medical mistakes do not rise to the level of “medical malpractice,” I can help you evaluate whether the injury or death of your baby resulted from medical malpractice.

The families of children injured at birth have to deal with huge hardships: financial, physical, and emotional. Some children, as a result of their birth injuries, need intensive care, even for a lifetime, in some cases. If your child was injured during labor or delivery in a North Carolina hospital, contact The Law Offices of Thomas Waitt Pleasant, Toll Free at 888-HELP-156 for a free consultation. There is no risk or obligation, and we can assist you in determining the appropriate course of action. We are able to talk with clients by phone, and also are able to meet with clients in our Raleigh, Wilmington and Fayetteville North Carolina offices.