Brachial Plexus Injury Attorneys in Louisville

Experienced, Compassionate Trial Attorneys in Kentucky

Your child’s birth should be a happy, exciting experience, not one of fear, anger, and confusion. Unfortunately, for parents of children injured during the birth process, it’s hard to look back on childbirth without at least a bit of frustration. One of the most common types of birth injuries has to do with a bundle of nerves near the neck and shoulder—the brachial plexus.

These nerves are vital to the operation of our fingers, hands, all the way to our upper arm. If these nerves are damaged in any way, it can cause temporary or permanent paralysis, pain, and other issues. And, in many cases, these brachial plexus injuries are caused by medical negligence. No parent wants to see their child in pain, especially if that pain was preventable. If you believe your child suffered a brachial plexus injury due to someone else’s mistake or negligence, we want to help you take action.

Our team of Louisville brachial plexus lawyers at Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC know how challenging it is to deal with a birth injury, and we have more than 50 years of experience handling cases just like yours. We also have an in-house medical staff to help gather information to support your case, and we have a proven track record of success. However complex your case may seem, our team is prepared to provide the legal representation your child needs and deserves.

Identifying a Brachial Plexus Injury

Brachial plexus injuries will affect your child’s arm, hand, fingers, shoulder, or neck. Depending on the severity of the injury, the nerves may become compressed, stretched, or torn, resulting in paralysis, pain, and loss of mobility. If the damage applies to the upper portion of the brachial plexus nerves, the injury may be referred to as Erb’s Palsy. In any case, parents may notice that their child misses developmental milestones, such as pushing up with both arms, rolling over, or sitting up. Your child might also experience a weakened grip in the affected hand. If you notice any symptoms of a brachial plexus injury, see your pediatrician right away.

Treatment options for brachial plexus often include physical therapy and stretching exercises. In rare cases, your child may require surgery to repair the nerves and affected tissues. However, in most cases, brachial plexus injuries heal on their own.

The following issues may cause a brachial plexus injury:

• Breech birth
• Incorrect use of birth instruments, like forceps and a vacuum
• Failure to perform a C-section
• Maternal diabetes
• Infant is overlarge
• The mother’s pelvic area is too small to support a natural birth

If anyone is negligent before, during, or after the birth, the baby may sustain serious injuries to the neck or arm, harming the brachial plexus nerves. In the event that the mother cannot deliver naturally without endangering the baby, the doctor must order a C-section, otherwise, he or she may be liable for any resulting injuries. The doctor may also be liable for the incorrect use of birth instruments, rough handling with the birth that twists or pulls the brachial plexus nerves, or other harmful actions.

Who Could Be Liable for My Child’s Injury?

Determining liability in a birth injury case can be tricky, which is why we work side by side with an in-house medical staff. Our valued team members can look into the circumstances of your baby’s injury to determine who may be at-fault. In many cases, the doctor was negligent or failed to provide a standard level of care. In other cases, the hospital may be liable for hiring an ill-qualified nurse, or for using defective machines and birth instruments. Liability can vary on a case-by-case basis, which is why we make it a point to put in the legwork on your family’s behalf while you focus on caring for your child.

Choose Our Firm

We have been defending the rights of injured individuals throughout Kentucky since 1986, and we’ve recovered more than $500 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients. If your child was injured due to a doctor or hospital’s negligence, we want to help ensure you receive maximum compensation to help recover the losses from your child’s injury and provide for their future.

Contact Dolt, Thompson, Shepherd & Conway, PSC today to get schedule a free consultation with our Kentucky brachial plexus injury attorneys.