A birth injury is one of those incidents that is awful for everyone involved. To see a small child suffering is something that touches everyone, not just immediate family members.
When it comes to birth injuries, the effects often vary. Some infants are able to recover completely on their own. Others may take a few months to heal. Some may require surgery and rehabilitation to make them well again. While dealing with a birth injury is in itself very traumatic, it is important to understand who is responsible for the injury.
The Wrong Hands?
People are often upset to find that their child’s injuries could have been avoided altogether. In the case of cerebral palsy, many cases are due to medical negligence where the attending doctors or nurses fail to recognize that the infant is in fetal distress. When it comes to brachial plexus injuries, the circumstances are a bit different. But that does not mean that many incidents are not the result of medical negligence. The unfortunate truth is that many cases of brachial plexus injury in children can be traced to medical incompetence.
Before understanding what is responsible for a brachial plexus injury, it is important to understand what this is. Also known as Erb’s palsy or Klumpke’s Palsy, a brachial plexus injury occurs when the infant’s nerves are stretched or torn during birth. This usually occurs in the neck, shoulder, and arm regions. The effects of this can range to absolutely no feeling in the arm to being capable of movement but having little control over the hand. It is true that in many instances, these injuries are the result of a difficult birth or certain special factors. But as with many cases of cerebral palsy, many brachial plexus injuries are the result of medical malpractice.
The Responsibility
A brachial plexus injury is often caused by medical malpractice. But it’s also important to know exactly where the medical staff failed in their duties. In many cases, the staff fails to diagnose or treat the mother for gestational diabetes, which often causes brachial plexus injuries in children. Sometimes, the medical staff may not estimate the baby’s weight prior to delivery. If the baby is large, they may fail to inform the parents of the risks involved in a traditional delivery.
In many instances, brachial plexus injuries could have been avoided altogether if the medical team had performed a C-section instead. In others, excessive force may have caused the injuries in the child. No matter what the cause of this kind of injury, it is important to be clear about who is responsible and to hold them accountable with the help of an experienced lawyer if your baby has suffered from any type of birth injury.