Brachial plexus nerve injury is one of the more common types of birth injury, and it can cause permanent damage with lifelong effects. Thankfully, brachial plexus injuries are relatively uncommon overall: they occur in approximately one to three out of a thousand births. But if your child is one of the few children affected, you probably have a lot of questions. We have answers.
The bundle of nerves around the spinal cord in the area between the neck and shoulders is called the “brachial plexus.” This nerve bundle is what provides sensation in, and the ability to move, one’s shoulders, arms, hands, and chest. Compressing, stretching, or tearing these nerves results in a brachial plexus injury.
Not all brachial plexus nerve injuries are the same. A milder injury may resolve with minimal treatment within a few months after birth. A more severe injury may result in:
“Brachial plexus nerve injury” is an umbrella term for all injuries to this nerve bundle. A “total brachial plexus injury” involves the whole arm. Erb’s Palsy is an injury to the upper brachial plexus; Klumpke’s Palsy, which affects the hand and wrist, is a lower brachial plexus injury.
If your newborn infant seems to have weakness or lack of movement in their arm or hand, it could be a sign that they have a brachial plexus injury. Another red flag is if they have a difference in response to touch in one arm, or a noticeable difference in reflexes in the affected arm.
While adults can suffer these injuries due to accidents or other trauma, brachial plexus nerve injuries are most often associated with the birth process. During birth, a baby’s shoulder can become stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone (shoulder dystocia), and the force required to dislodge the baby can cause stretching of the nerves. Brachial plexus injuries are also more common during breech deliveries, in prolonged and difficult labor, or when forceps or vacuum extractors are used.
Risk factors for brachial plexus nerve injuries include
In general, planned caesarian sections are less likely to result in a brachial plexus injury than vaginal births.
Mild injuries to the brachial plexus may heal on their own without intervention, though healing may take weeks or months. More serious injuries may require physical therapy or occupational therapy, and in some cases, surgery may be needed. Physical therapists often teach parents exercises to do with their children to help them heal.
Often, brachial plexus nerve injury can be prevented with proper monitoring of a pregnancy. For example, if a woman has risk factors, her healthcare provider might want to monitor her more carefully for complications during pregnancy and recommend a caesarian birth. It is medical malpractice if a doctor does not act as a reasonable physician in a similar situation would, and an injury results.
Even if a brachial plexus injury cannot be prevented, a doctor may be liable for brachial plexus malpractice if they fail to promptly diagnose and treat the condition. A delay in diagnosis can lead to:
In short, failure to diagnose and treat this type of injury can be the difference between a mild disability or even a complete recovery, and permanent injury.
Brachial plexus injury in newborns is not always due to medical malpractice. For instance, a baby’s shoulder may become stuck during delivery and lead to nerve injury even with excellent medical management. Similarly, complications like a breech presentation can cause brachial plexus injury without negligence on the doctor’s part.
Often, however, these injuries are caused or made worse by a medical provider’s failure of judgment. The result, in the worst cases, can be a lifetime of disability for the child and expense for the family.
If your baby has Erb’s Palsy, Klumpke’s Palsy, or other brachial nerve injury, you should consider speaking to a medical malpractice attorney. If your child’s injury was caused or worsened by a doctor’s negligence, they may be entitled to compensation that will help to pay for their care and therapy made necessary by the injury.
If you speak with an attorney and it appears you do not have a claim, you’ve lost nothing; these consultations are offered at no charge. However if you don’t speak with an attorney, you could lose your chance to make a claim and provide your child with the resources they need and deserve. To learn more about medical malpractice for brachial plexus injuries, contact the Fraser Law Firm to schedule a complimentary consultation.
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