 If your child has suffered a birth injury that caused Erb’s palsy, you know that your child may be permanently disabled. Erb’s palsy is a condition caused by injury to nerves in the brachial plexus. This is essentially a network of nerves near the neck, which provide movement and sensation to the shoulder, arm, hand and fingers. The word “palsy” means weakness. Erb’s palsy causes arm weakness and loss of motion. One or two of every 1,000 babies in the United States have this condition.
Risks and Challenges
Erb’s palsy occurs in difficult births when the baby becomes stuck in the birth canal. The child’s neck may be stretched as a doctor or medical professional attempts to extricate the baby from the birth canal. There are risk factors that doctors or obstetricians should be able to identify prior to the delivery such as when a baby’s size is larger than average, when the child is in breech position (feet-first instead of head-first) and when the mother is obese, to mention a few. It may also be necessary for a doctor to do a C-section instead of a natural birth if any of these risk factors is present.
Living with Erb’s palsy can be a significant challenge. In some children, the affected arm is noticeably smaller than the arm that is not affected. Although the affected arm will continue to grow with the child, it does so at a slower pace. This size difference will become more noticeable as the child gets older. In such cases it often takes a tremendous amount of support and resources to help them cope.
Coping with Erb’s Palsy: What You Need to Know
Here are four things that are important to know when it comes to individuals living with Erb’s palsy, whether that is your child, a family member, friend or neighbor:
1. Children and families with children who have Erb’s palsy need all the support they can get to understand this condition and cope with it. If your child has Erb’s palsy, it may be worthwhile to look into support groups in your area. These types of support groups serve an important function because they give you the assurance that you are not alone and connect you with resources to help with treatments and therapy.
2. It is important that kids with brachial plexus injuries meet others who have the same condition and are dealing with it. Children can learn from each other and be inspired by one another. They might find lifelong friends or simply compare notes about coping with their disabilities and limitations. These interactions can be extremely valuable. More than anything else, no matter how supportive family and friends are, only those who have the injury can truly understand how it is to actually live with it.
3. Whether you are the parent of a child with Erb’s palsy or an individual who is living with Erb’s palsy, it is important that you speak up and tell your story. If someone stares at a disability, don’t be afraid to educate people. Creating awareness in the community about Erb’s palsy and what causes it is important. More awareness may help prevent birth injuries and empower parents-to-be about their options. Coach your children about how to explain it to others, whether they are classmates or teachers. In fact, speaking up about it may open doors for you. Above all, you are your own best advocate.
4. The costs of coping with Erb’s palsy can add up very quickly. If your child has suffered a birth injury or has been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury as a result of medical negligence, you may be able to file a birth injury lawsuit seeking compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, loss of livelihood, hospital and rehabilitation costs, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
The experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. One of our clients secured a $2,850,000 verdict that was reduced by the appeals court to $1,850,000 because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate courts for many, many years. In addition we recovered $1,400,000 for a newborn who lost motion in the arm during birth due to doctors applying incorrect force on the baby’s head.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
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