New Jersey Cerebral Palsy and Erb’s Palsy Attorneys
Cerebral palsy is a disorder that prevents a person from having normal posture, muscle tone or movement, according to Mayoclinic.com. It is caused by injury or abnormal development in the brain. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that one out of every 303 children suffers from this lifelong condition. Unfortunately, cerebral palsy often results from a preventable medical error causing a loss of oxygen to the baby that occurred during a child’s birth.
At the New Jersey personal injury law firm of Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., our New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers know the devastating emotional impact of a child suffering a birth defect. A personal injury lawsuit against the doctors or nurses responsible for the child’s harm can’t make up for a family’s pain and loss, but it may provide necessary medical treatment and financial security for the child’s future. That’s why we are committed to protecting the rights of those who suffer birth injuries and obtaining the compensation they deserve.
A brief lapse of judgment by a doctor, gynecologist, nurse or midwife can cause lifelong catastrophic injuries to a perfectly normal child. These injuries will require care for life and millions of dollars allocated for future medical care, specialized vans and equipment and home health aids.
Preventable Medical Errors Can Cause Cerebral Palsy
Symptoms of cerebral palsy can be observed at an early age. They include:
- Muscle stiffness, spasm or inability to control muscle movements;
- Unusual weakness;
- Speech or swallowing difficulties;
- Lack of balance or coordination;
- Impairment of IQ.
Not all cases of cerebral palsy are caused by medical malpractice. However, there may be a connection between the condition and medical errors committed by doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists and others during labor, delivery and the postpartum phase, such as:
- Not properly monitoring the mother’s oxygen flow during delivery;
- Failing to detect fetal distress during labor;
- Delaying performance of a C-section (especially when the child is of a heavy weight);
- Overlooking a mother’s adverse reaction to medication or anesthesia ;
- Failing to adequately monitor the child after delivery for breathing or bleeding problems;
- Not diagnosing and treating the child’s jaundice.
Erb’s Palsy is another type of birth trauma that can result when a newborn’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s cervix during delivery. If excessive force or torque is used by the attending physician to release the newborn’s stuck shoulder, damage to the nerves connecting the arm and shoulder can occur.
When the nerve tissue between the arm and shoulder, the “brachial plexus nerves,” is stretched, partially torn or completely ruptured, Erb’s Palsy can occur. The nerves travel from the spinal cord, across the shoulder and arms, down into the hand ending at the finger tips. Damage to these nerves can cause the injured newborn to suffer a permanent, partial or complete paralysis of the arm.
Contact Our New Jersey Cerebral Palsy or Erb’s Palsy Lawyers Today
If your child suffers from cerebral palsy or Erb’s Palsy as the result of medical negligence, the New Jersey medical malpractice lawyers of Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. have the experience, skills and resources to protect your rights and obtain the compensation you deserve.
Since 1981 we have secured more than $350 million in verdicts and settlements for our New Jersey personal injury clients, including injured children and their families throughout Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Paramus, Hoboken and other communities in Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth and Bergen counties.
Contact us today for a free initial consultation, including a home or hospital consultation, by calling us at (800) LAW-2000 or using our online contact form.
No Fee if No Recovery - Home and Hospital Consultations Available
If your child has suffered cerebral palsy as the result of a medical error, contact our New Jersey medical malpractice attorneys today for a free initial consultation by calling us at (800) LAW-2000 or using our online contact form. We represent medical negligence victims throughout New Jersey, including Newark, Jersey City, Paterson, Elizabeth, Edison, Toms River, Trenton, Clifton, Camden, Brick Township, Woodbridge Township, Bergen Co., Middlesex Co., Somerset Co., Warren Co., Sussex Co., Monmouth Co., Mercer Co., Ocean Co., Hudson Co., Passaic Co., Essex Co., Union Co., Morris Co., Teaneck, Fort Lee, Paramus, Hackensack, Hoboken, Secaucus, Englewood, Mahwah, Bergenfield, Union City, North Bergen, Ridgewood, Bayonne, Ridgefield, Belleville, Alpine, New Milford and Atlantic City.
