The effects of medical malpractice can range from mild to severe. In the case of birth injuries, the result is often devastating. Children with birth injuries often suffer from permanent disabilities, preventing them from leading a normal childhood and enjoying a productive adulthood. Caring for a child with birth injuries can also take its toll on the entire family, causing financial problems and relationship strain. If your child has suffered birth injuries, a medical malpractice lawyer can help you obtain compensation from negligent doctors to help with the costs of medical care and other damages.

Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy is also frequently referred to as a brachial plexus injury. The brachial plexus is a group of nerves in the neck area. These nerves are responsible for enabling the shoulder, arm, hand, and fingers to move and to have sensation. During a difficult delivery, the infant’s head and neck may be pulled or thrusted, which can lead to damage to these nerves. This causes temporary or permanent paralysis .

Clavicle Fractures
Clavicle fractures are among the most common types of birth injuries. They typically arise from birth trauma or a difficult delivery. For example, sometimes the newborn’s shoulder becomes stuck. Although in many cases, clavicle fractures in newborns heal very quickly, they can sometimes lead to complications. Since the brachial plexus is quite close to the collarbone, the child can suffer from damage to this important cluster of nerves. The resultant paralysis may be temporary or permanent.

Femur Fractures
Femur fractures aren’t quite as common as clavicle fractures. An infant’s thigh bone may break if the leg is twisted improperly during the delivery. This causes pain, particularly when the child is being changed or otherwise moved. Often these fractures heal but sometimes there can be serious complications resulting in permanent injury to the leg.

At Pegalis & Erickson, our medical malpractice team aggressively pursues the rights of families who have been affected by birth injuries. All case reviews are free of charge,. If medical negligence is identified in Long Island, New York, we can then file a medical malpractice lawsuit on your behalf to seek damages for all injuries that were a result of medical errors. If your child has been diagnosed with birth injuries, call us at (516) 684-2900.

There is nothing more painful for a parent than an infant injured or killed during childbirth. Unfortunately, the wrongful actions of physicians and other medical professionals are too often the cause of these injuries. Here are some of the most frequent ways that medical malpractice can cause a birth injury:

Failure to Anticipate Complications
Modern diagnostics equipment like ultrasounds have made it possible for hospitals to dramatically reduce birth injuries over the past century. Nevertheless, the failure of medical professionals to use this equipment properly still leads to a great number of injuries. Potential complications that should be detected ahead of time include Cephalopelvic Disproportion and pre-natal infants that are abnormally small or large. The failure to anticipate these complications can often result in medical malpractice lawsuits.

Failure to Respond to Complications
While many complications can be anticipated, many more develop unexpectedly during childbirth. In these situations, a medical professional needs to respond quickly and decisively. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. When a physician or medical professional fails to respond to complications like bleeding, umbilical cord entrapment, and heartbeat irregularities, birth injuries can result. Another common source of injury is the failure of a physician to order a cesarean section when it is medically necessary to do so.

Misuse of Medication and Equipment
Today’s medical professionals rely on a range of equipment and medications to assist and ease childbirth. The misuse of these tools is one of the most common causes of birth injuries. The misuse of a forceps or vacuum extractor can lead to many complications, as can the improper use of Pitocin, a synthetic hormone used to induce labor.

If your infant has suffered injury or death due to the wrongful actions of medical professionals, Pegalis & Erickson can help you defend your right to fair compensation. Call us today at (516) 684-2900 and schedule a consultation with an experienced medical malpractice attorney.

Erb’s palsy is a form of paralysis centered in the brachial plexus, a nerve stream between the neck and shoulders that powers movement through the arms and hands. Named after German neurologist Wilhelm Erb (1840-1921)—one of the first medical professionals to diagnose the condition—Erb’s palsy affects between one and two baby births per 1,000 due to medical malpractice during delivery.

The Cause of Erb’s Palsy
Erb’s palsy is caused during complicated or poorly handled childbirths. When a newborn’s head emerges from its mother’s birth canal, a brachial plexus stretch can occur if the baby’s head is pulled with excessive force by the doctor. While it may take years for the permanent effects of this stretch injury to become fully apparent, it is nonetheless a grievous form of medical malpractice resulting in the inability to have full use of the arm and hand.

Physical Treatment
If the effects of a brachial plexus stretch are readily apparent, daily range-of-motion exercises can begin within three weeks of a baby’s birth. With the help of a physical therapist, the joint-stiffening effects of Erb’s palsy can be countered with regular, supervised movements of the elbow, hand, shoulder, and wrist.

Nerve Treatment
If a child’s movements don’t improve after six months of physical therapy, there’s also the option of surgical treatment. Depending on the locality of the injured nerve, it might be possible to transfer a nerve from another muscle in the body. Performed with microsurgery, nerve treatments can help restore partial function in small infants, but aren’t known to work on older children.

If your child has a physical problem that you suspect was caused by medical malpractice in the delivery room, contact Pegalis & Erickson at (516) 684-2900. Serving clients throughout Long Island, we take on medical malpractice cases stemming from cerebral palsy, Erb’s palsy, birth injuries, cancer misdiagnosis, infectious disease, neurosurgical related injuries, and hospital liability.