Illinois Trial Attorneys Protect Birth Injury Victims
Holding doctors accountable for mistakes leading to Erb's palsy and shoulder dystocia
Erb's palsy is a form of paralysis that affects movement in the upper arm and rotation of the lower arm. It is commonly caused by a severe brachial plexus injury such as shoulder dystocia during birth.
The brachial plexus is a group of nerves near the neck which control feeling and motion in the hand, fingers and arm. In shoulder dystocia, the child's head is delivered normally but one shoulder becomes stuck or hung up by the bones in the mother's pelvis. The doctor typically tries to manipulate the baby's position to resolve it, but when that does not work doctors sometimes use forceps or vacuum extractors. These methods are not recommended because they commonly cause injury to the child's brachial plexus.
If your child's birth injury was caused by negligent use of forceps or a vacuum extractor, we will aggressively hold the delivery room doctors accountable. For 30 years, Carter Law Offices, we have vigorously protected victims of medical malpractice and birthing errors.
We are trial lawyers with the knowledge and experience to determine if your doctor failed to follow the generally accepted standard of care when delivering your baby. Put our experience to work for you. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Protecting medical malpractice victims
Obstetricians are trained to quickly respond to emergencies in delivery rooms, because lack of preparation or a delayed reaction could result in serious birth injuries or even loss of life. When shoulder dystocia or other threats to the brachial plexus arise during the birthing process, delivery room doctors must waste no time in performing a C-section to avoid Erb's palsy and other birth injuries.
Delivery room doctors and nursing staff must also follow preventative measures to avoid birth injuries, such as:
- Monitoring the baby's position
- Recording the baby's vital signs
- Looking for signs of shoulder dystocia
We have tried more than 40 cases to verdict, including three to progress to the Illinois Supreme Court. We often work closely with experts from Yale, Stanford, John Hopkins and the University of Michigan to determine whether a particular instance of Erb's palsy stemmed from unavoidable complications or from preventable medical malpractice.
If your child is suffering from Erb's palsy caused by medical malpractice, we will work vigorously to prove it — and to hold the health care professionals involved accountable for their negligence.
Contact us for help finding the answers
Call our law offices in Peoria, Illinois, at 866.361.7674 or e-mail us today to schedule a free initial consultation. We will discuss your options for seeking financial compensation for existing and future costs associated with delivery room errors. We charge no up-front fees — you will owe nothing unless we obtain a financial settlement or award for damages.
For more information about preventable birth injuries, please review our Birth Injuries Information Center.
