Erb's Palsy Attorneys in Maryland

Erb’s palsy, commonly referred to as a brachial plexus palsy, in which the function of the baby’s arm and even the hand can be severely impaired or even paralyzed.

You count the days until you come face to face with your precious, beautiful, perfect baby.

You never even imagined the delivery going wrong, but what if it does? Erb’s palsy otherwise known as shoulder dystocia is the term used to describe when a baby’s head delivers during a delivery, but the shoulder then becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. The failure to recognize the signs of this and to handle the situation properly can be devastating for the baby.

There are maneuvers specifically designed to deliver the baby safely when shoulder dystocia occurs. None of these maneuvers involve moving the baby’s head at all. If, however, the obstetrician pushes the baby’s head downward (towards the floor), the spinal cord nerve roots in the neck can be stretched to the point of rupturing them. The result is Erb’s palsy, commonly referred to as a brachial plexus palsy, in which the function of the baby’s arm and even the hand can be severely impaired or even paralyzed.