Atlanta Erb’s Palsy Lawyer
Helping Families in Georgia & Nationwide
Erb’s palsy is a type of brachial plexus palsy affecting the nerves that serve the upper arm and shoulder. This birth injury often results from trauma during a difficult delivery. If a doctor or another healthcare provider made a mistake that caused your child’s condition, you may be entitled to take legal action. We can investigate what happened and explain your rights and options.
Call (404) 609-1081 to speak with our Erb’s palsy lawyers in Atlanta, GA. We offer free initial consultations.
Causes & Risk Factors of Erb’s Palsy
The brachial plexus is a cluster of nerves near the neck and shoulder that transmits signals from the brain to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Damage to these nerves can weaken or paralyze the arm and shoulder.
Erb’s palsy isn’t a congenital condition. It results from damage to the brachial plexus during birth, including trauma caused when a baby becomes stuck or a healthcare provider uses excessive force.
Some of the most common causes of Erb’s palsy include:
- Shoulder dystocia - when the baby’s shoulder gets wedged behind the mother’s pelvic bone.
- Excessive pulling on the shoulders
- Excessive pulling on the head and neck
- Improper use of birth-assisting tools, such as forceps and vacuum extractors
- Failure to perform a C-section when necessary
The exact cause may not be immediately clear. We can investigate the circumstances of your child’s birth to determine whether medical malpractice was a factor.
Risk Factors for Neonatal Brachial Plexus Injury
Risk factors for this condition include a breech delivery, maternal obesity, and a larger-than-average newborn, including an infant born to a mother with diabetes. A cesarean delivery is used more often when a difficult birth is anticipated. Although a cesarean delivery reduces the risk of damage to the brachial plexus, it doesn’t eliminate that risk and carries its own medical risks.
What Are the Symptoms of Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy is characterized by weakness or paralysis of the arm or shoulder. The baby may be unable to move the affected arm and may lack a Moro reflex on one side. This involuntary reflex causes newborns to open their arms wide and close them again, often in response to a loud noise or sudden movement.
Other symptoms of Erb’s palsy may include:
- Arm and shoulder pain
- Numbness or lack of sensation in the arm
- Arm bent at the elbow and held against the body
- Arm bent at the wrist and held to the side of the head
- Arm that’s limp and can’t be moved
If you notice any of these symptoms, seek medical attention right away.
Over time, some children develop differences in muscle growth or arm length on the affected side because the nerves aren’t sending normal signals to the muscles. Parents may notice that sleeves fit differently, the child avoids using one arm during play, or fine motor tasks such as grasping toys and holding a pencil are more difficult. Early recognition allows the medical team to adjust therapy and provides important evidence of how the original injury has affected the child’s development.
How Is Erb’s Palsy Diagnosed?
A doctor can diagnose Erb’s palsy through a physical examination and a review of the baby’s medical history. Additional testing may include electromyography (EMG), imaging, and nerve conduction studies to determine the extent of the damage.
In many Atlanta-area hospitals, the initial diagnosis occurs shortly after birth when nurses or physicians notice that a newborn isn’t moving one arm normally. The care team may compare movement and reflexes on both sides, look for swelling or bruising around the shoulder, and review what occurred during labor and delivery. As the child grows, pediatric orthopedists or neurologists may refine the diagnosis and identify which parts of the brachial plexus were affected.
It can take months to understand the full scope of an Erb’s palsy injury. Some nerve damage partially improves, while other effects become clearer as a child misses developmental milestones. When our Erb’s palsy attorneys in Atlanta review a case, we obtain and organize diagnostic records to document when concerns arose, how doctors responded, and whether delays in recognizing the injury affected treatment options.
Types of Neonatal Brachial Plexus Palsy
The type of paralysis depends on its location and extent. Erb’s palsy, also called Duchenne-Erb or Erb-Duchenne paralysis, most often affects the upper arm. Klumpke paralysis is less common and affects the lower arm and hand, while total palsy affects the entire arm.
Pseudoparalysis can resemble nerve damage because an infant avoids moving an arm due to pain from a fractured collarbone, despite having no nerve injury. Most affected babies fully recover within three to four months. Those who don’t recover during that period have a poorer outlook for full recovery, sometimes because of nerve-root avulsion, which occurs when a nerve root is torn away from the spinal cord.
What Is the Treatment for Erb’s Palsy?
Recovery depends on the location and severity of the nerve injury. Some infants recover fully, while others need ongoing care to address movement, pain, and functional limitations. Continued medical evaluation helps determine the appropriate treatment as the child grows.
Some of the most common treatments for Erb’s palsy include:
- Physical therapy
- Range-of-motion exercises
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) therapy
- Medication for pain and inflammation
- Surgery (in severe cases)
Since 1958, we have represented injured clients and recovered more than $26 billion for clients. Past results don’t guarantee a similar outcome, but our history reflects our ability to investigate and litigate complex injury claims.
Call (404) 609-1081 or contact us online today for a free consultation with our Atlanta Erb’s Palsy lawyer.
