One of the most common types of birth injuries is a nerve injury during the birthing process. This type of birth injury can result in a range of damages from mild or temporary injury, to catastrophic debilitation. One of the most common nerves that are injured during the labor and delivery process are the arm nerves. This is medically known as a brachial plexus injury and can be incredibly damaging. This is because brachial plexus injuries could result in the complete loss of use and/or sensation of the arm. Our Oregon medical malpractice lawyer explains some of these dangers.
The arm nerves are known as the brachial plexus and originate out of your cervical spine, also known as your neck. Certain cervical vertebrae have a nerve extending out of it and going towards the shoulder. These individual nerves bundle together at the base of the nerve before extending down the arm. This bundle goes through the shoulder girdle and down the arm, wherein the split and re-combine several times as they travel down the arm, through the elbow groove, down the forearm, through the wrist, and ultimately to the fingertips.
The brachial plexus has two very important functions. First, it controls sensation. This means touch, temperature, moisture, pressure, and other palpable feelings. Second, it controls motor movement. This is the highway for sending signals through the brain to tell a finger to move, bend, wiggle, or otherwise function.
Just like in newborns, the brachial plexus is present in adults. However, as we grow the nerves become stronger and more resilient, as do our muscles which cover and protect the nerves. This is not true for babies, who have very tiny nerves and very weak muscles to support or cover the nerves.
As such, there are several ways that a newborn may suffer a brachial plexus injury due to Oregon medical malpractice or a birth injury. These include some of the following examples:
Brachial plexus injuries can be very debilitating. While mild cases may result in some pain or numbness, more severe cases can result in permanent pain, some loss of sensation, some loss of function, or a complete loss of sensation or function in part or the entire arm. If your newborn or young child is exhibiting the symptoms of, or has been diagnosed with, a brachial plexus injury please call Kuhlman Law, LLC to learn what rights you may have.
Our law office is located in Bend, Oregon, and we handle cases throughout Oregon including Portland, Eugene, Salem, Gresham, and throughout Central Oregon, Deschutes County, and more generally in Oregon. We also have an office in Minnesota. To receive a FREE consultation, please call our Oregon medical malpractice lawyer by dialing (541) 385-1999 or use our easy and convenient “contact us” box at the bottom of our website. If we accept your case, we will conduct a FREE investigation to get you the answers that you deserve regarding your birth injury case.