Erbs Palsy Cases

The birth of a child should always be a joyous occasion, one marked by hope for the future. Unfortunately, the reality does not always match the ideal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in every 33 babies is born with a birth defect. Some of these are impossible to predict or avoid. However, too many of them are the tragic result of medical malpractice.

One of the most common and potentially debilitating of all birth diseases is Erbs palsy, a condition that compromises a childs ability to use the shoulders, arms, and hands. Erbs palsy is caused by the stretching of the brachial plexus, the collection of nerve roots in the spine to which the nerves of the arm are connected. The severity of Erbs palsy varies wildly, with symptoms ranging from reduced sensation in the shoulders, arms, and hands to extremely limited range of motion in these areas. Many cases of Erbs palsy resolve on their own; however, others require medical therapy or even surgery. In some cases, children grow up without full use of their shoulders, arms, and hands.

When a newborn child suffers from Erbs palsy, we encourage parents or guardians to get in touch with the Brooklyn personal injury attorneys of Gary A. Zucker & Associates, P.C., today. There is a chance that the babys condition could have been prevented if the delivery room personnel had acted differently to potential signs of complications. We can carefully evaluate Erbs palsy cases to identify any possible acts of negligence on the part of the obstetrician and support team. It is possible that the childs condition is the result of medical malpractice and that, therefore, compensation may be awarded for the losses and expenses sustained as a result.

Erbs palsy cases should be evaluated by our Brooklyn Erbs palsy attorneys in a timely manner, as time is of the essence in medical malpractice cases. Please contact our Brooklyn personal injury law firm, Gary A. Zucker & Associates, P.C., today.

Causes of Erbs Palsy

The babys brachial plexus can easily be stretched if it gets caught on the mothers pelvic bone during the birthing process. This is hardly a rare occurrence, and any obstetrician should be well-versed in responding to this potential complication. The delivery room personnel must, however, act swiftly and decisively in order to avoid damage.

How to Avoid Erbs Palsy

There are three common ways to respond to the potential stretching of the brachial nerves; our Brooklyn medical malpractice attorneys can determine if the birthing team employed the proper measures at the proper time to minimize the risk of Erbs palsy. The most common responses to the potential stretching of the brachial plexus are:

• Emergency C-section


• Use of forceps to extract the baby


• Use of a vacuum device to extract the baby

In some cases, the failure to respond properly to the stretching of the brachial plexus can lead not only to Erbs palsy, but also to brain injuries such as cerebral palsy.

For further information about Erbs palsy or to schedule a case evaluation, please contact our personal injury lawyers in Brooklyn today.