Queens Paralysis Injury

Paralysis is a devastating condition because it affects a person physically and emotionally. Paralysis is defined as the inability to move a part of the body or a loss of feeling in a part of a body. Paralysis is typically associated with a serious accident such as a car accident, construction accident or a sports accident. It is not a condition that people usually expect babies to have. However, paralysis can be a type of birth injury. For example, a spinal cord injury could lead to the child’s suffering some type of paralysis. If the nerves or muscles in the baby’s face are damaged during delivery, the baby could suffer facial paralysis. Whether the paralysis is in the face or another part of the body, paralysis could have a profound effect on the child’s life. While some complications during labor and delivery are unavoidable, whether the baby must live with permanent injuries may depend on how the medical staff responds to such complication. An improper or untimely response may amount to medical malpractice. If your baby suffered an injury during birth that left him or her paralyzed, it is important that you contact a Queens paralysis injury lawyer who will explain to you your legal rights to pursue compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

There are several different conditions in newborn babies that involve paralysis including facial palsy, Erb’s palsy, and Klumpke’s palsy.

• Facial palsy. If excessive pressure is put on the baby’s face during delivery, the baby could suffer temporary or permanent facial paralysis. For example, the negligent use of forceps during a vaginal delivery can lead to facial paralysis.
• Erb’s palsy. If the nerves adjacent to the baby’s shoulders are damaged during birth, the baby may end up with Erb’s palsy. Erb’s palsy is a condition where the baby suffers weakness or paralysis in the arms and hands. It is caused due to excessive pressure being placed on the nerves in the baby’s shoulder during the delivery process. Nerve damage can also occur during a deliver where either forceps or a vacuum extractor is used.
• Klumpke’s Palsy. Klumpke’s Palsy is a form of paralysis involving the muscles in the forearms and hands. Typically it occurs in traumatic vaginal deliveries where the doctor pulls the baby out by an arm that is extended above the baby’s head. As a result there is damage to the C8 and T1 nerves affecting sensations in the forearms and hands.

The treatment required for a baby who suffers paralysis depends on the type of injury and the extent of the damage. For example, in cases of facial paralysis surgery may be necessary to decompress the nerve or to repair muscle damage. However, if the doctor fails to diagnose and treat the condition immediately , it could worsen. When the paralysis is permanent, the child may need life-long therapy to help cope with daily living.

If your baby suffers an injury that results in paralysis, he or she is likely to need immediate treatment such as surgery, or the child may need lifelong treatment and assistance for the rest of his or her life. Compensation from a medical malpractice lawsuit will help ensure that your child has the resource for his or her medical needs, as well as other expenses and losses related to the medical mistake.

If you suspect that you or your baby was injured because of the negligence of your obstetrician, delivery room nurse, or other healthcare professional do not hesitate to immediately contact an experienced birth injury attorney. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by labor and delivery medical professionals, as well as those injured due to medical misdiagnosis, improper treatment, or failure to warn. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.