If you are the parent of a child who has brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) caused by a birth injury, you know that he or she may have to live with permanent and lifelong disabilities. This palsy is a condition that is caused by injuries to the nerves of the brachial plexus, which is a network of nerves near the neck that provides movement and sensation to the shoulder, arm, hands and fingers.
Many brachial plexus injuries that occur during birth are typically caused by medical negligence (carelessness) during the labor and delivery process. Shoulder dystocia — when the infant’s shoulder or shoulders get stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bones preventing the baby’s movement through the birth canal — is one of the most common causes of brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy).
Living with Brachial Plexus Palsy (Erb’s Palsy)
The restrictions on daily activities for a child with brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s
palsy) may depend on the extent of the nerve injury or whether or not the affected limb is in his or her dominant arm. Having severe brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) may significantly impair routine activities such as dressing, bathing, washing hair or participating in sports or hobbies.
For many children in particular, it may be upsetting not to be able to participate in sports or other activities in school. Riding a bike is also difficult with one arm. Coping physically and emotionally with these injuries and disabilities can be a challenge. Here are three tips to help you and your child through what can be a challenging and ongoing process:
Talk to your child. It’s very important that children have answers to their questions. This doesn’t mean you need to sugarcoat facts or talk down to them. The best approach is to explain the facts in a straightforward manner. Children need to know why things are the way they are. So, one way to do it can be to explain what the brachial plexus is, how the injury occurred and how it will affect him or her. Your child may ask for more detailed explanations as he or she gets older. It is also a good idea to see a family counselor who can help you and your child cope with this emotional time.
Create a support system. When you have a child with brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy), the entire family feels the impact and the anxiety. Having a solid support system in place is absolutely essential. You may be able to find support groups in your area for children with brachial plexus injuries or disabilities.
Work with an occupational therapist. Occupational therapists provide practical help and advice on carrying out everyday tasks that people who have brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) will find to be a struggle. The goal is to make sure that your child can have as much independence as possible whether at home or in the community. An occupational therapist can examine your home and daily routines and advise on how everyone can adapt. They can also teach your child special techniques that can improve his or her performance of everyday tasks including self-care tasks such as eating, washing, dressing, etc. Therapists can also help in school settings by advocating for your child to promote access and inclusion.
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 $1,846,000 because the verdict was so large. This was the highest amount upheld by the appellate (appeals) 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. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
We have seen many cases where New York City Health and Hospital Corporation facilities deliver babies who are born with cerebral palsy or brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) stemming from negligence (carelessness), and/or medical malpractice in the labor and delivery etc. of the children.
The following list identifies some of these hospitals (operated by New York City Health and Hospital Corporation):
• Jacobi Hospital aka Bronx Municipal 1400 Pelham Parkway South Bronx, New York 10461 718-918-5000
• Lincoln Hospital 234 East 149th Street Bronx, New York 10451 718-579-5000
• North Central Bronx Hospital 3424 Kossuth Avenue Bronx, New York 10467 718-519-5000
• Coney Island Hospital 2601 Ocean Parkway Brooklyn, New York 11235 718-616-3000
• Kings County Hospital 451 Clarkson Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11203 718-245-3131
• Woodhull Hospital 760 Broadway Brooklyn, New York 11206 718-963-8000
• Bellevue Hospital 462 First Avenue New York, New York 10016 212-562-5555
• Harlem Hospital 506 Lenox Avenue New York, New York 10037 212-939-1000
• Metropolitan Hospital 1901 First Avenue New York, New York 10029 212-423-6262
• Elmhurst Hospital 79-01 Broadway Elmhurst, New York 11373 718-334-4000
• Queens Hospital Center 82-68 164th Street Jamaica, New York 11432 718-883-3000
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 and/or medical malpractice 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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