Carol L. Forte, partner at the New Jersey personal injury law firm Blume Forte, successfully settled a birth injury case for $700,000 on behalf of a child who suffers from Erb’s Palsy as the result of improperly resolved shoulder dystocia.
Shoulder dystocia occurs when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone during the delivery process. Doctors should be well aware of the specific maneuvers that should be used to free the trapped shoulder. A failure to effectively and efficiently free the shoulder could result in damage to the brachial plexus nerves, which could then lead to Erb’s or Klumpke’s Palsy. These conditions manifest in an inability to use the muscles in the shoulder, hand, wrist, and/or arm.
In this specific case, the attending and resident doctors had used excessive force in their attempts to free the stuck shoulder. This force caused injury to the brachial plexus nerves, which resulted in the child’s limited function of her hand, arm, and shoulder.
If your child suffers from Erb’s or Klumpke’s Palsy as the result of a physician’s failure to properly resolve shoulder dystocia, you may be entitled to pursue compensation through a personal injury claim. Contact the knowledgeable Erb’s Palsy attorneys in New Jersey at Blume Forte to determine whether your claim may have merit. Call 973-845-4421 for a no-cost consultation.