Los Angeles Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Lawyer
What is a Brachial Plexus Birth Injury?
Brachial Plexus, also known as Erb's Palsy, describes a type of birth injury in which the nerves which connect the spinal cord to the infant's shoulder, arm and hand are injured or damaged. Brachial Plexus most often occurs during child birth if the baby's shoulder is stretched as the baby is in the birth canal of his mother. Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries may also occur if the doctor, nurse, or caregiver attempts to pull on the child's arms - where the nerves may be torn or damaged. Additionally, this type of birth injury generally occurs when the infant's shoulder becomes impacted during delivery.
The most severe type of Brachial Plexus Birth Injury is avulsion in which the child's nerves are literally torn from his or her spine. A Brachial Plexus Birth Injury may also be a "rupture" where the same nerves are torn during the birth injury, but they are still connected to the spinal cord. A less severe type of birth injury is where the nerve has torn but then heals with scar tissue. This type of birth injury prevents the nerve from communicating nerve signals to the infant's muscles, thus the infant either cannot move certain muscles or is very limited in muscle movement.
Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries generally occur during a prolonged and intense labor where the baby is in a breech delivery or is a very large baby for the mother's birth canal. Nerve damage will occur where the baby's neck is intensely stretched. It is therefore the responsibility of the Los Angeles doctors and the healthcare providers to determine whether an alternative form of birth should be conducted, such as a c-section, to protect both the mother and her newborn from birth injuries which might occur in San Jose, California.
How Can I Determine If My Newborn Is Suffering From A Brachial Plexus Birth Injury?
A risk of Brachial Plexus most often occurs in children who are larger than 9 lbs., pregnant mothers who have developed diabetes, pregnant mothers who have gained significant weight during pregnancy, pregnancies which have exceeded forty (40) weeks, and / or if the second stage of the labor has either shortened or been extended.
Some symptoms that your newborn child may exhibit which may indicate that they are suffering from a Brachial Plexus Birth Injury may include a limp arm, a paralyzed arm, failure or lack of muscle control of the arm, failure or lack of muscle control of the hand, failure or lack of muscle control of the wrist, lack of feeling or sensation in the arm, or lack of feeling or sensation in the hand.
Contact Our Los Angeles Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Lawyers
If your infant has suffered a Brachial Plexus Birth Injury, please contact one of our Los Angeles Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Attorneys for a free confidential consultation. Our experienced Los Angeles Brachial Plexus Birth Injury Lawyers are able to review birth records and identify any indications or signs that the healthcare provider failed to provide an adequate standard of care. Our Birth Injury Attorneys will review all of your records, including prenatal records, ultrasounds, ongoing medical records, delivery room records, speak with experts in the field, and any other additional information which may be required to determine whether there was medical malpractice on the part of the healthcare provider in causing your child's Los Angeles Birth Injury.
Our Los Angeles Birth Injury Lawyers look forward to speaking with you, and we can be reached toll-free at (800) 715-4489.