Brachial Plexus Birth Injuries

A brachial plexus injury commonly occurs during birth when a medical professional improperly handles an infant’s shoulder causing either temporary or permanent damage. The brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves which communicates from the spinal cord to the shoulder, arm, wrist and hand, is torn or over-stretched.  The birth injury attorneys at The Donahey Law Firm LLP represent clients who believe their children have suffered an injury of this type. For more than 30 years we have used our knowledge and experience to help parents or family members cope with the sensitive topic of birth injuries.

How to Recognize Brachial Plexus Injuries

Indications of this type of injury may include limpness in the hand or a paralyzed arm. There could be a loss of muscle control in the shoulder, arm or wrist, or perhaps the arm has little feeling in it. Four kinds of brachial plexus injuries, all different in their severity and remedy, are:

• Avulsion - The nerve is torn away from the spinal cord. This is the worst form of brachial plexus injury.  Chances for recovery are extremely slim unless doctors quickly reconnect the nerves.
• Ruptures - The nerve is torn in an area different from the spinal cord. Again, recovery rates are dismal unless reconnections occur rapidly.
• Neuroma - The nerve is torn, healed, and compromised by scar tissue. The scar tissue prevents communication between the nerves to the shoulder, arm and hand muscles.
• Neuropraxia - The nerve is stretched to the extreme, but not torn. Neuropraxia is the most common form of brachial plexus birth injuries. Recovery can occur on its own or through physical therapy.

We have the Experience

For more than three decades, the birth injury attorneys at The Donahey Law Firm have investigated medical negligence and healthcare worker error involving improperly handled infants at birth. If you need legal advice on this topic, schedule a free consultation by e-mail at help@donaheylaw.com, or call us at 800.686.1699. We can meet with you at one of our four locations throughout central Ohio, or we will come to you in our mobile office.