Brachial Plexus Palsy

Atlanta Brachial Plexus Palsy Attorneys

A type of birth injury, brachial plexus palsy typically develops as a result of shoulder dystocia. A child is said to be suffering from shoulder dystocia when their head has been delivered, but their shoulders remain lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone and cannot be freed. Because shoulder dystocia can result in a serious birth injury, obstetricians have been trained to identify risk factors for this type of birth trauma and respond appropriately to avoid any subsequent birth injury to the child. 

Was your child born with brachial plexus palsy, erb’s palsy or Klumpke’s palsy? If your doctor failed to properly respond to signs of shoulder dystocia, you may have legal recourse. Contact our Atlanta birth injury lawyers for a free case review to find out if you are eligible for a medical malpractice lawsuit. 

Causes of Brachial Plexus Palsy in Atlanta 

When preparing to deliver a child, obstetricians are required to identify signs which may make a child more susceptible to shoulder dystocia. Some of these risk factors include:

If any of these risk factors are present, the obstetrician can avoid shoulder dystocia, brachial plexus palsy and other birth injuries by delivering the child through a C-section. 

Should the doctor continue with a normal delivery, and the child becomes lodged behind the pelvic bone, one of 16 maneuvers should be used to free the child. At this point, the doctor must avoid placing pressure on the child’s shoulder; he or she should support the infant’s head and administer a small amount of traction to dislodge the child. If he or she uses excessive force on the child’s head while the shoulders remain lodged, the child may suffer, depending on the location of the Atlanta birth injury, one of the four types of brachial plexus palsy. 

Atlanta Brachial Plexus Palsy Lawyers   

Children who have sustained this type of birth injury may have to undergo physical therapy and surgery, depending on the severity of the condition. Parents who elect to participate in a lawsuit, however, may be able to recover the cost of medical bills and other damages resulting from their child’s brachial plexus palsy. To find out if you have legal recourse, contact our brachial plexus palsy attorneys today for a no cost review of your claim.