subject: Doctors Agree Settlement After Parents Claim Doctors To Blame For Baby's Erb's Palsy Injury [print this page] One of the more common kinds of birth injuries is an Erb's palsy injury that affects the infant's shoulder and arm. This can be a significant injury that in the most severe circumstances may leave the child with inadequate use of the arm even subsequent to surgery. In a number of instances the injury is preventable. If this occurs because of an error by a doctor while in the delivery procedure the parents may be able to follow this with a medical malpractice claim for themselves and their infant.
For instance, look at a reported case regarding a woman pregnant with her third baby. The woman was either borderline for or actually had gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain throughout the pregnancy and had in the past delivered two large babies. About 4 months into the pregnancy her doctor documented that the unborn child was bigger than predicted by the gestational age. 3 months later the pregnant woman was borderline on her blood sugar test for gestational diabetes.
An ultrasound done a brief time after that consultation put the baby's weight in the 90th percentile. On the woman's final prenatal consultation the day before the doctors planned to induce her labor the physician noted the a large fundal height at forty weeks.
The next day she reported to the hospital as scheduled. Once she was admitted, a second physician took over her care. The hospital chart documented the expectant mother's past borderline glucose test and that she was at high risk given earlier babies. This physician failed to, nevertheless, test her glucose level or try to determine the unborn child's weight prior to inducing her.
Almost several hours after her admission towards the hospital the woman's membranes spontaneously ruptured. When this happened a significant volume of meconium was seen. This is frequently an indication that the baby is in danger and generally calls for an emergency C-section. Roughly forty minutes after the doctor conducted a vaginal examination. The doctor noted that the expectant mother was four centimeters dilated. The physician placed a fetal scalp electrode which revealed early decelerations. Even though it was not noted in the case report, particular types of decelerations might be an indication of fetal distress. A little more than one hour afterward the expectant mother was fully dilated. The nurse's records included the occurrence of shoulder dystocia, the delivery of the infant's head, and also the application of pressure to facilitate delivery.
The child weighed ten pounds 10 ounces ounces at birth. The infant had a head circumference in the 90th percentile. She had an Erb's palsy injury. When she grew her arm atrophied due to her incapacity to use it. She has developmental delays and has cerebral palsy.
The doctors failed to monitor the mother for gestational diabetes yet had sufficient knowledge that the baby was large preceding birth. Still, they did not plan on a C-section and failed to attempt a common procedure before applying traction to the baby's head. These steps might have prevented the child's injury. The parents pursued a medical malpractice claim against the doctors. The law firm that handled the case announced that the claim settled for $900,000.
by: Joseph Hernandez
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