The Law Offices of Anastopoulo & Clore, LLC

49 Immigration Street
Suite 100
Charleston, South Carolina 29403

Brachial Plexus Palsy

Brachial Plexus Injury (Erb's Palsy)

The brachial plexus is a packet of nerves vital to communications between the spinal cord and a person's shoulders, arms, wrists, and hands. While the majority of brachial plexus injuries—also referred to as Erb's palsy—are able to heal and do not require extensive treatment, badly tearing or stretching the brachial plexus can result in potentially irreparable damage. Careful monitoring of your baby's condition is critical.

Brachial plexus palsy occurs in anywhere from two to five out of every 1,000 births.* It can be caused by a number of dangerous birth situations, including—

The lodging of an infant's shoulder against a mother's pelvic bone (shoulder dystocia)

Prolonged labors
Breech births

Short mothers, mothers with pelvic abnormalities, and mothers with gestational diabetes are at a greater risk for shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus. Babies are also at an increased risk if they are larger than the average birth weight.

Types of brachial plexus injuries

A brachial plexus injury can be divided into four categories—

Avulsion, where nerves are torn away from the spinal cord
Ruptures, where the nerve is torn but not directly from where it attached to the spinal cord
Neuroma, where a torn nerve heals but is prevented from communicating with the spinal cord due to scar tissue
Neuropraxia, where the nerve is stretched but not actually torn

Symptoms of a Brachial Plexus Injury and Erb's palsy

Diagnosing brachial plexus palsy in infants and young children is more difficult because they cannot actively voice a pain or sensation when it is felt. As such, it is important for parents to watch out for signs of a brachial plexus injury in babies, such as—

Limpness in the hand
Arm paralysis or weakness
Loss of muscle control in the shoulder, arm, wrist, or fingers
Facial paralysis on the damaged side

Inability to control movement
Inability to sit up without assistance
Inability to crawl without assistance

What to do if your child has brachial plexus

It is essential to take immediate action if your child has suffered a severe brachial plexus injury. Treatment options for Erb's palsy and brachial plexus injuries requiring professional care include—

Surgery
Neurolysis (the process to clear scar tissue)
Nerve grafts
Nerve transfers
Tendon transfers

Other microsurgical techniques
Joint fusion
Exercise
Physical therapy

The birth injury attorneys of The Law Offices of Anastopoulo & Clore, LLC work with doctors and neurological specialists to determine whether your baby's injury was preventable. Our team provides seasoned legal counsel and does everything possible to ensure your family is appropriately compensated for pain and suffering, past medical bills, and anticipated treatment expenses.

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Birth injury legal assistance

The Law Offices of Anastopoulo & Clore, LLC provides exceptional legal representation from a team of experienced brachial plexus lawyers and medical professionals. Contact our office for a free initial consultation to discuss whether your child's birth injury is valid grounds for a medical malpractice lawsuit. We frequently assist clients in a variety of birth injury claims, including cerebral palsy and wrongful death.