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Every parent hopes for a safe delivery and a healthy newborn. When complications arise during labor, it is the responsibility of doctors, nurses, and hospitals to follow established medical standards to protect both mother and child. Unfortunately, when these standards are ignored or errors are made, newborns can suffer preventable birth injuries—one of the most common being Erb’s palsy, a form of brachial plexus injury.
At Snyder & Wenner, P.C., we have been representing families across Arizona—including Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Scottsdale, Mesa, and beyond—for more than 40 years. We are nationally recognized for handling complex medical malpractice cases, and we are committed to securing justice and financial recovery for children and families affected by Erb’s palsy.
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Erb’s palsy is a type of brachial plexus injury that occurs when the network of nerves in a baby’s shoulder is stretched, torn, or otherwise damaged during birth. These nerves control movement and sensation in the shoulder, arm, and hand.
When injured, a baby may experience:
While some children recover fully with therapy, others suffer permanent disability, requiring lifelong care and adaptive support.
Erb’s palsy is a type of brachial plexus injury that occurs when the network of nerves in a baby’s shoulder is stretched, torn, or otherwise damaged during birth. These nerves control movement and sensation in the shoulder, arm, and hand.
When injured, a baby may experience:
While some children recover fully with therapy, others suffer permanent disability, requiring lifelong care and adaptive support.
Erb’s palsy is almost always the result of birth trauma—a preventable injury caused by excessive force or improper medical management during delivery. The most common scenario is shoulder dystocia, when the baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone after the head has been delivered.
In rare cases, Erb’s palsy can also occur during C-sections if the baby is improperly maneuvered. Regardless of delivery method, when the injury is the result of medical negligence, families may have grounds for a malpractice claim.
The impact of Erb’s palsy depends on the severity of the nerve injury:
Children with permanent Erb’s palsy may face lifelong challenges, including:
The financial costs of treating Erb’s palsy can be overwhelming, with lifetime expenses exceeding millions of dollars.
The treatment plan depends on the severity of the nerve damage:
Gentle massage and range-of-motion exercises to maintain flexibility and prevent joint stiffness.
Helps children develop skills to adapt and function despite limitations.
In severe cases, nerve grafts, nerve transfers, or tendon transfers may be required.
Braces or splints may assist with positioning and mobility.
Early intervention is key. If improvement is not seen within 3–6 months, surgical options may be considered.
Most cases of Erb’s palsy are preventable with proper medical care. Doctors must:
When these steps are not taken, and a child suffers an injury, it is often the result of negligence.
To prove liability in an Erb’s palsy case, it must be shown that the medical provider deviated from the accepted standard of care and that this negligence directly caused the injury. Examples include:
At Snyder & Wenner, P.C., we investigate every detail of your child’s delivery, working with top medical experts to establish liability and build a compelling case.
For more than four decades, Snyder & Wenner has stood beside Arizona families facing the devastating consequences of birth injuries. We are proud to be nationally recognized for our work in medical malpractice law and birth trauma cases.
Families choose us because:
We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you.
If your child has been diagnosed with Erb’s palsy and you believe it was caused by medical negligence, you deserve answers and justice. At Snyder & Wenner, P.C., we will fight to hold negligent providers accountable and secure the resources your child needs for long-term care.
Call us today at (602) 224-0005 to schedule a free, confidential consultation with an experienced Arizona birth injury lawyer.
Erb’s Palsy is a type of brachial plexus birth injury that causes paralysis of the baby’s arm. An Erb’s Palsy injury typically occurs when the nerves at C5-C6 are severed. As a birth injury, Erb’s Palsy is often caused by the doctor or nurse putting too much downward force on the upper arm and shoulder. This excessive force damages the brachial plexus (a group of nerves). Since these particular nerves control the movement of the arm, when they are damaged it results in paralysis of that arm.
Many times Erb’s Palsy injuries resolve in the first year of the baby’s life. Unfortunately, if after the first year the injury has not resolved, it is likely going to be permanent. To give the baby the best chance at recovering, the doctor will usually order extensive physical therapy. Since the injury causes the baby to not be able to move his or her arm by him/herself, the physical therapist works with the baby to help move and strengthen the arm. Parents also are involved with doing the exercises at home. If the injury does not improve it is devastating, so every measure must be taken to rehabilitate the nerves.
Erb’s Palsy injuries are often caused by medical malpractice. The nurse or doctor uses too much force in trying to deliver the baby, which results in damage to the nerves. Because of this, an experienced birth injury lawyer must be retained to fully investigate what happened to determine if there was, in fact, negligence.
An experienced birth injury and Erb’s Palsy lawyer will review the prenatal and birth records to see if the chosen delivery method (vaginal delivery) was appropriate. If the baby is too large or the woman is too small, the doctor may unnecessarily increase the risk of an Erb’s Palsy injury by proceeding with vaginal delivery. The birth injury lawyer will then contact experts to review the records to determine if there was negligence. If the doctor and/or nurse were negligent, and if the negligence was a cause of the birth injury, then you have a cause. Erb’s Palsy injuries are life-changing for a baby and for the parents. The medical bills are very large and the child may not ever be able to use his or her arm in any functional way. Because of this, the lawyer can work up the case to try to ensure the child and the family have the financial resources they will need to take care of the injury for the rest of the child’s life.
