Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy

Library Articles | October 19, 2017

If this article sounds similar to a recent experience that you or a loved one have suffered from, please don’t hesitate to contact us online or call 859-578-4444 to schedule a free consultation!

Affects of Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy on Northern Kentucky Infants

Erbs palsy is a birth injury that is serious, affecting the upper nerves of an infant. This Northern Kentucky birth injury may affect a baby’s shoulder, arm, and fingers, causing the infant to not be able to move the injured limb. Although this condition is severe, there is another birth injury that is more serious, which is called total or global brachial plexus birth palsy.

Total brachial plexus birth palsy affects the upper and lower nerves in an infant, and happens when the baby’s neck and nerves are stretched at birth. There are four types of nerve injuries that can take place at birth and can cause different injuries to infants. However, all four of these nerve injuries can occur to an infant at the same time, causing total brachial plexus birth palsy.

The four nerve birth injuries in Kentucky include:

  1. Neurapraxia – this nerve injury does not tear the nerve, but it stretches and shocks the nerve. This birth injury typically heals on its own in approximately three months.
  2. Neuroma – this is a stretch injury that damages some nerve fibers, causing scar tissue. When this happens, the scar tissue can press on the healthy nerves, causing injury. Typically, partial recovery happens, but not total recovery.
  3. Rupture – this injury happens when the nerve is torn apart, and when the nerve itself is torn. This injury will not heal on its own. A rupture is one of the most significant nerve injuries that can occur, but sometimes it can be repaired through surgery by a donor nerve graft.
  4. Avulsion – this is when the nerve is torn from the spinal cord. An avulsion is the most serious type of nerve injury to happen at birth, and is an injury that is not repairable.

Infants with this serious Kentucky birth injury will display symptoms including loss of feeling in the arm, weakness in the affected arm, and partial or complete paralysis of the injured limb. The severity of the birth injury will determine if recovery is possible and if treatment is an option. Sometimes, infants will recover on their own, which could take up to two years. This may require a doctor to perform many tests and re-examine the injured child frequently. The child may also need daily physical therapy.

Sometimes, a child will not get better by himself and will need surgery. A doctor will review those cases and discuss nerve surgery to restore normal function or improve some function.

If your child suffered total brachial plexus birth palsy in Kentucky, please call the law office of Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery to find out if you have rights to financial compensation. Our skilled Louisville birth injury attorneys can be reached at (859) 578-4444 or (888) 606-5297 for a free legal consultation.

Contact the Louisville Personal Injury Law Firm of Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery for Help Today

For more information, don’t hesitate to contact Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery to schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer in Louisville today. We have two convenient locations in Louisville and Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

We proudly serve Jefferson County, Kenton County, and its surrounding areas:

Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery – Louisville, KY Office
600 W Main St Ste 100
Louisville, KY, 40202
(502) 540-5700

Hendy Johnson Vaughn Emery – Fort Mitchell, KY Office
2380 Grandview Dr
Fort Mitchell, KY, 41017
(859) 578-4444

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