Erb’s Palsy
Brooklyn Erb’s Palsy Lawyers
Having a baby with Erb’s Palsy is a frightening and saddening experience. This birth injury is often the result of trauma to the upper arm or shoulder, especially if the mother’s delivery is long or difficult. The condition is often caused during difficult deliveries, breech presentations, and prolonged labors. It also happens during complicated births when medical professionals must quickly deliver a baby and exert force to pull the baby from the birth canal, stretching the nerves in the baby’s neck.
When negligence from the medical professionals or institution is involved, Erb’s Palsy lawsuits can help families cope with this unfortunate circumstance. The Brooklyn Erb’s Palsy lawyers at Peters Berger Koshel & Goldberg, P.C. have the legal expertise and medical background to understand the intricacies of Erb’s Palsy cases, and the tenacity to defeat the insurance companies’ lawyers that try to deny victims the compensation they deserve.
What Is Erb’s Palsy?
What is Erb’s Palsy? Erb’s Palsy is a birth injury of an infant’s brachial plexus that typically causes either weakness or paralysis of one arm. This is a painful condition that can be temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the injury. The condition was named after Wilhelm Erb, who first described this condition to the medical and scientific community.
The good news is that the rate of complete recovery is 80% to 96% if improvement begins in the first two weeks of a child’s life. Hydrotherapy and occupational therapy are often used to treat this condition. However, the first few weeks and months of life for a child with Erb’s Palsy can be very painful, traumatic, and costly ones. However, some infants never recover from the condition and face multiple surgeries and impaired quality of life. Erb’s Palsy is known to affect children’s self-esteem and ability to participate in daily activities and athletic pursuits.
Erb’s Palsy Statistics
According to a publication in the journal, Paediatrics & Child Health, Erb’s Palsy occurs in approximately every 0.9 to 2.6 per 1,000 live births. Statistics from the 2002 Annual Report of National Practitioner Data Bank (US DHHS) reveal the following information about obstetrics malpractice in the United States:
- 1,129 medical malpractice payments were made due to obstetrics related malpractice in 2002
- $497,121 was the mean medical malpractice payments made due to obstetrics related malpractice in 2002
- $265,000 was the median medical malpractice payments made due to obstetrics related malpractice in 2002
- 15,516 medical malpractice payments were made due to obstetrics related malpractice between1990-2002
- $369,543 was the mean medical malpractice payments made due to obstetrics related malpractice between 1990-2002
- $200,000 was the median medical malpractice payments made due to obstetrics related malpractice between 1990-2002
Why Hire an Erb’s Palsy Attorney Near You
Unfortunately, Erb’s palsy is often caused by injuries sustained from the negligence of a doctor, midwife, nurse, or other healthcare professional or institution. These entities can be found liable if during a caesarian section, a medical professional did not plan adequate for the delivery or abnormally pulled the child to cause injury.
If he or she is found guilty of negligent medical behavior, you may be entitled to compensation for damages for past and present medical expenses, estimated future medical costs, rehabilitation costs, physical pain, specialized medical equipment, and lost wages.
Do You Have a Erb’s Palsy Case?
To understand your family’s situation from a legal perspective, consider consulting a local Erbs Palsy attorney near you to go over the details of your potential case. Every Erb’s Palsy case is different because some conditions heal on their own over time, while others result in permanent paralysis.
Although some Erb’s Palsy cases go to trial, most of them are settled out of court. When our Erb’s Palsy attorneys uncover overwhelming medical malpractice evidence that birth injuries could have been prevented, healthcare providers typically choose to compensate victims rather than get involved in a costly, time-consuming, and publicized trial.
What to Look for in a Local Erb’s Palsy Lawyer
Due to the sensitive and emotional nature of Erb’s Palsy cases, it’s important to find an Erbs Palsy lawyer who is compassionate, dedicated, and experienced. Complex birth injury lawsuits like these take a tremendous amount of research and discovery, and they can take months, if not years, to resolve.
If someone you love has suffered from Erb’s Palsy, contact us today because you may be entitled to compensation to help pay for medical bills and improve the child’s quality of life. At Peters Berger Koshel & Goldberg, P.C., we are passionate about holding medical professionals and institutions responsible for their actions to ensure the very best outcomes for parents and infants. Protect your child’s rights and call us at 718-596-7800 for a free consultation.