Lilly, O'Toole & Brown Blog

When a Baby Suffers a Brachial Plexus Injury

One of the most frightening things as a new parent is to discover that your infant has suffered a serious birth injury.  Some babies have been known to sustain brachial plexus injuries, also referred to as brachial palsy, Erb’s palsy and Klumpke’s palsy.

Brachial palsy occurs during birth, when the head is delivered, but there is difficulty delivering the shoulders.  The infant can be injured if his or her head and neck are pulled to one side as the shoulders are delivered.  The majority of children born with brachial plexus injuries will recover in six months, but there are some cases that will require surgery or physical therapy.

The first question you need to ask as a parent of an injured child is – what caused the birth injury?  You may be unsure at this point, which is why you should contact an Orlando medical malpractice lawyer for advice.  Sometimes birth injuries are caused by medical negligence, such as a situation where forceps were misused, there was a delayed C-section or the medical staff failed to provide the adequate care and monitoring.

For more information, contact the Law Offices of Lilly, O’Toole & Brown, LLP at (863) 683-1111 and read the article, What Parents Need to Know About Brachial Palsy.