Chicago Nerve Damage Attorney
Nerve damage can permanently affect a newborn when it occurs as a result of a birth injury during labor and delivery. You should be able to trust that your doctor will not make a mistake that will result in your newborn sustaining severe nerve damage during childbirth, but these types of injuries occur more often than parents may realize. When a healthcare provider’s negligence results in newborn nerve damage, it is essential to learn more about filing a birth injury claim by speaking with a Chicago nerve damage attorney.
Common Types of Nerve Damage Injuries in Chicago
Many different types of birth injuries can result in nerve damage to your newborn, and some forms of nerve damage can result in permanent disabilities. When nerve damage occurs during labor and delivery, it frequently happens because of a healthcare provider’s negligence. Whether a healthcare provider uses excessive force to pull on your newborn during delivery or is negligent in his or her use of forceps or another delivery device, your baby can experience nerve damage that can range from mild to severe. The following are among the most common types of birth injuries that result from nerve damage during childbirth:
- Facial nerve palsy or paralysis: When forceps are used during delivery, a baby can suffer nerve damage to the face if the forceps are not used appropriately.
- Brachial palsy: Brachial palsy is a broad term that refers to a weakness or nerve damage of the brachial plexus, which is the “nerve network that provides feeling and muscle control in the shoulder, arm, forearm, hand, and fingers,” according to KidsHealth. Depending upon where and how the brachial plexus is damaged, different types of injuries may occur.
- Erb’s palsy: Erb’s palsy is one type of brachial plexus palsy, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). It involves nerve damage to the upper part of the brachial plexus, limiting the baby’s feeling in the shoulder but typically not affecting the fingers.
- Klumpke palsy: Klumpke palsy is another type of brachial plexus palsy, according to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), which affects the lower part of the brachial plexus.
Liability for Nerve Damage Caused by a Chicago Birth Injury
Many different parties may be responsible for nerve damage that occurs during childbirth. Depending upon the particular facts of your case, it may be possible to hold more than one healthcare provider accountable. It will be critical to have a Chicago birth injury attorney assess your case to determine which doctors, nurses, or other healthcare providers may be responsible for your baby’s injury. Examples of healthcare providers who are commonly sued in birth injury nerve damage cases include but are not limited to the following:
- Obstetrician who delivered the newborn;
- Nurse practitioner delivering the baby;
- Nurse or nurses in the delivery room, including obstetric nurses; or
- Hospital or medical facility where the birth injury occurred.
Contact a Nerve Damage Lawyer in Chicago
If your newborn suffered nerve damage during childbirth, you should seek counsel from an experienced Chicago birth injury attorney as soon as possible to find out more about filing a claim. Many babies that experience nerve damage will require medical care and will have a life-long disability. It is important to take steps to ensure that the healthcare provider who is responsible for your newborn’s injury is held accountable. Contact Wais, Vogelstein, Forman, Koch & Norman, LLC today for more information.
