Difficulties in delivery may lead to birth injuries such as a brachial plexus injury or Erb's palsy. These injuries typically occur when a baby's shoulder is injured during the delivery – sometimes as the result of force being applied through the pulling of a newborn's arm or head during birth.
The result can be serious nerve damage, leading to loss of movement of an infant's arm or hand. Many times it is a health care professional's negligent and improper delivery technique that leads to the harm. In these instances, the doctor, nurse or other hospital staff involved may be held liable for medical malpractice.
If you have questions about brachial plexus injuries or Erb's palsy, or believe that your infant has sustained one of these birth injuries as the result of medical malpractice, consulting with an experienced California birth injury lawyer is important to begin an investigation into all the factors that may have harmed your child.
The severity of Erb's palsy or a brachial plexus injury varies and may affect your child for just a few months or it's entire life, requiring extensive surgeries and a lifetime of physical and emotional care. In these instances, it is important to seek compensation from the medical health professionals who's negligence caused or contributed to the injury and caused your family hardship.
For more information or if you believe that medical negligence could have been the cause of your child's brachial plexus injury, please contact a California birth injury attorney at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.