Understanding Erb’s Palsy Cases in Chattanooga

For new parents in Chattanooga, understanding Erb’s Palsy cases could help you increase your odds of a favorable outcome in court. While no parents wish for their children to suffer from such a condition, accidents during delivery do happen. When they do, they are often preventable. If you suspect that your child’s injuries were in part because of a doctor’s inability to give you and your child the standard of care owed, you need to reach out to one of our experienced medical malpractice attorneys for legal help.

Treating and Understanding Erb’s Palsy

Erb’s Palsy is treatable and may be treated with surgery. Sometimes, it is treated with physical therapy and massage therapy with the hopes of the nerves regenerating.

It is extremely important for medical professionals to inform the parents of any signs of Erb’s Palsy because treatment is critical. Damaged nerves could sometimes regenerate, but the child needs treatment to spur that recovery. The longer a nerve remains damaged, the less likely it is that the nerve tissue repairs. If victims need treatment, the treatment must be administered as quickly as possible.

The health care professional should notify the parents as soon as symptoms are seen. The parents should be told immediately. There is no specific timeframe, but any delay in notification that results in a delay in treatment could result in a decrease in recovery. That is wrong and potentially illegal on behalf of the medical professionals.

Negligence on Behalf of Medical Providers

A doctor could be found at fault for Erb’s Palsy if he or she mishandled the child during delivery. If treating medical professionals put too much pressure on the head, shoulders, or neck area and that caused the damage, that is negligence. The doctor could be found at fault for that. However, these injuries could happen and not be the fault of attending doctors. Doctors cannot always avoid the potential for such injuries. Erb’s Palsy could happen without a doctor making a mistake, but he or she should be able to avoid most cases of Erb’s palsy.

One example where the doctor may not be able to prevent Erb’s palsy from happening is when the baby is born in a breech position through no fault of the doctor. Another example is when the birth canal is not large enough and there is a certain pressure put on the shoulder or arm or the arm is in the wrong position when the baby enters the birth canal that the doctor could not have foreseen or prevented. The lawyer must look at the type of pressure applied, and the type of instruments used in the delivery process to better understand the Erb’s palsy case in Chattanooga.

Steps Doctors Could Take to Help Avoid Erb’s Palsy

Doctors must be careful about how and where they put pressure on the child’s body when using extraction tools like vacuums or forceps during delivery. They have to be cautious when a child is especially large or a mother is particularly small. They also have to be careful of the breech and make sure that the child does not stay in the second stage for too long. Doctors are able to do many things to help decrease the risk of this type of injury.

Further Your Understanding of Erb’s Palsy by Speaking to an Attorney in Chattanooga

If you suspect that a doctor’s negligence was responsible for the subsequent injuries your child suffered, you need to speak to an attorney to better understand your legal options. If your child exhibits symptoms of Erb’s Palsy, understanding your Chattanooga case options is critical if you wish to effectively plan for your child’s future. Reach out to one of our lawyers today to review your case.