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[D744]Dystocia And Birth Injury

by Michael Grossman, Mic

Brachial Plexus Palsy (BPP) is a devastating condition that infants and some newborns can develop. The Brachial Plexus is a group of nerves on the spine that controls the feeling, control and the movement of the hands, arms and wrists. While this is not a well-discussed injury, interestingly it is more common than other birth injuries, even Cerebral Palsy and Downs Syndrome. Look at the statistics taken from the Brachial Plexus Palsy Foundation's Website.

* One in 1000, births suffer Down syndrome.
* Two or three per 1000 births suffer Cerebral Palsy.
* One per 3500, boys suffer Muscular Dystrophy.
* 1 in 1000 births suffer from Spina Bifida.
* 3 in 1000 births suffer Brachial Plexus Palsy.

There are three types of this condition reported by the BPP foundation. They are: (in order of severity) Stretch: The least severe of BPP injuries, are caused by swelling in the region of the Brachial Plexus, often spontaneously heals to restore 90 to 100% of the hand(s)/arm(s) use. Rupture: Nerves are completely severed from the plexus (Shoulder region bones and muscles) and require surgery for any possibility of healing. Even with surgery, though it cannot be guaranteed all patients will regain arm, hand and wrist use. Avulsion is the total tearing of the nerves from the spine and the Plexus. This is the most severe form of BPP. Avulsion requires surgery and often muscle transfer for any hope of recovery.

Here are the affects of Brachial Plexus Palsy:

Some individuals may have no control of hand, arms, and wrist. Some may have little control of arm and hand but no control of wrist. In the more acute cases, there may be no use of the affected arm(s) at all, so it will just hang limp. There are sometimes facial "sagging" on the affected side of the body. Other affects are numbness or lack of sensation in the affected arm/hand/shoulder.

Causes of Brachial Plexus Palsy:

Most injuries occur during birth if babies' shoulders are spread widely apart. This will cause the severance or tearing of the nerves as described above. The condition can be caused by forceps or other birthing processes that may involve moving a babies' shoulder head and neck region enough to cause tearing of the brachial nerves.

It is also possible for infants to be harmed to a degree where they develop Brachial Plexus Palsy if they are abused by caretakers.

If you or someone you know has a child that either has been diagnosed with BPP, or has signs of BPP, you may be entitled to damages. Only a qualified attorney can help you find the underlying cause of your baby's condition and only an attorney can get you the compensation you and your baby deserve.

While most people in this country enjoy a high standard of care from both the NHS and private healthcare services, there are occasions when things go wrong. The medical profession is bound by a "duty of care" towards all their patients - if they fail to carry out medical procedures, misdiagnose conditions or offer day to day care at the expected level then they may be liable.

While the results of such accidents can be hugely traumatic, whether you are the victim yourself or the victim is a relation, you should be aware that if injury or death has been caused then you might be entitled to bring a claim for clinical negligence compensation.

Nowhere is this more true than in the case of birth injury; if you are the parent of a child who has been injured at birth through suspected clinical negligence you may think that the last thing you want to deal with is the stress of a legal case.

However, it is important to realise that your child may need lifelong care, medical attention and specialist facilities. While these pragmatic considerations may not be uppermost in your mind in the aftermath of a difficult birth, the implications on your life as a parent, and for the life of your new child, are huge.

The definition of a birth injury is 'any injury sustained before, during or shortly after birth' and can be anything from skin irritation through to more serious injuries such as broken bones, nerve damage and conditions related to brain injury such as cerebral palsy.

Birth injuries can also include injuries to the mother including damage nerve damage (e.g due to problems with epidural) and other tissue damage. While death in childbirth (for both child and mother) is far more rare these days, this tragic occurrence could also be covered by a claim for clinical negligence compensation, if the deaths were shown to be due to negligence by the healthcare provider.

Birth injury cases are extremely complex, not least because of the stress they can place on new parents, already struggling to deal with a newborn. In addition, injury must be shown to be avoidable and that the healthcare provider gave an insufficient level of care to deal with the situation. This can involve testimony from a number of experts and specialist knowledge of the claims procedure.

If you believe that you, your child or your partner was injured during birth then it is important to have a solicitor or specialist claims company than has the experience and expertise to deal with a claim of this kind.

By employing such a specialist not only will you be able to reduce the stress involved in making a claim but you also stand to get a better deal for you and your child.

For a no obligation free enquiry please visit our website at http://www.1stclaims.co.uk/accident-at-work/claim.php or ring us on 0800 2888 693.

Article Source : Gifts for a Baby Shower

About Author

Both Michael Grossman & Nick Jervis are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Michael Grossman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Health, Babies and Work From Home. E. Michael Grossman is an accomplished personal injury attorney representing cases.. Michael Grossman's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.

Nick Jervis has sinced written about articles on various topics from Legal Matters, Auto Insurance and Motorola Cell Phone. For more information about please visit our website.. Nick Jervis's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.