Babies sometimes suffer from a birth injury referred to as Erb's palsy. Such an injury can leave the child's arm limp. An Erb's palsy injury may happen in the course of childbirth if excessive pressure is used, in so doing damaging the nerves in the shoulder. If your infant is affected with Erb’s palsy you should contact a lawyer immediately to find out if you and your newborn have a malpractice lawsuit against the responsible doctor. Erb's palsy describes damage to the system of nerve fibers that send signals from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm, wrist, hand and fingers, and hence affects the infant's ability to manipulate the affected areas and sensation in those areas.

It is an injury that usually during a difficult natural delivery on account of too much pressure applied to the head, neck or shoulders. The types of deliveries in which a baby is most likely to be damaged in this manner include those with a big baby, breeched position or extented labor. If one of the conditions arises, the physician or other health care professional may use maneuvers (sometimes involving the use of forceps or a vacuum) that might result in excessive pulling on the shoulders in the course of a headfirst delivery or put excessive pressure on the arm and shoulder during a breech delivery.

Depending on the nature and extent of the harm, potential symptoms of Erb’s palsy may consist of the following. (1) a lack of muscle control and of feeling in the arm or hand, (2) an inability to use the shoulder or elbow, (3) low grip strength, or (4) a paralysis of the arm, hand and fingers. In general terms, the child tends to exhibit what can best be referred to as a limp arm. Basically, the arm dangles limp and is rotated internally. Because of the lack of use, the arm can seem underdeveloped in comparison to the unaffected extremity. Newborns suffering from Erb’s palsy might display a number of other symptoms related to problems with circulation, such as skin rashes, slow healing, as well as a tendency for infections.

The majority of children with Erb’s palsy recover within 6 months, usually after physical therapy. In instances with an actual rupturing or tearing of the nerves, surgery may be necessary, perhaps including tendon transfers to compensate for nerves that have lost functionality. In the event that surgery fails to eliminate the damage, the child could be left with irreversible, partial, or total loss of functionality of the impacted nerves, leading to paralysis of the arm or arm weakness.

Should your suffers from Erb’s Palsy immediately consult with a medical malpractice lawyer to check if you and your infant might be able to pursue a medical malpractice case against the physician or other medical care professional responsible for your child’s injury. Remember that the law restricts the time a plaintiff has to pursue a claim. Consult with an attorney concerning how much time may be left.