Brachial Plexus Injuries at Birth

There are unfortunately many ways that a child or expectant mother can be injured at birth. Brachial plexus injuries are a relatively common injury to a newborn baby, but most brachial plexus injuries are temporary and will resolve over time. In rare cases, however, a brachial plexus injury can cause permanent physical impairment to the child and emotional suffering for both the child and their family.

Brachial plexus injuries typically occur when a baby’s shoulder is stretched excessively away from the neck during delivery. Healthcare professionals are trained to avoid excessive stretching of the baby’s neck because of the risk of a brachial plexus injury. When healthcare providers encounter a difficult labor or delivery, they should consider the risk that a vaginal delivery will require excessive stretching such that it would be safer to move towards a C-section. If at any of these points a medical provider’s treatment falls below a reasonable standard of care, the injured baby may be a victim of medical malpractice. In cases of medical malpractice, a victim is entitled to compensation for the financial, physical, and emotional harm that they suffer.

An experienced medical malpractice lawyer can help families who are victims of a brachial plexus injury to get answers to the questions that hospital systems often avoid, and to obtain fair compensation for their suffering. The medical malpractice team at Morris James routinely handles birth injury claims, including brachial plexus injury cases. We understand the legal and practical obstacles that must be overcome to ensure that your voice is heard and that you are properly compensated for your family’s mounting medical costs and ongoing struggles.

At Morris James, our attorneys have been standing up for victims since we opened our doors in 1932. If you have questions about a brachial plexus injury, you may find answers in our Brachial Plexus Injuries FAQs, or you can contact our of our medical malpractice team online or by calling at 302.655.2599.

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