Brachial Plexus Palsy

Florida Brachial Plexus Palsy, Birth Injury Lawyers – Medical Malpractice Attorneys

What Is Brachial Plexus

Brachial Plexus Palsy is a network of nerves, called the brachial plexus, that emerges from the spinal cord is damaged. The brachial plexus conducts signals from the spine, through the neck, across the shoulders, along the arms, into the hand and ultimately, to the finger tips, when it is damaged a limp arm can result. The Florida medical malpractice attorneys at Gilman Law LLP are experienced in handling brachial plexus injuries.

Brachial plexus injuries often occur during birth when excessive lateral traction is applied to the fetal neck region. Brachial plexus palsy involves the upper part of the brachial plexus. Traumatic stretching of the plexus during birth can often result in Brachial plexus injuries. Many newborn babies with brachial plexus injuries are larger than average at birth, though any newborn can have this birth injury. The size of the baby alone does not determine if it will be born with brachial plexus palsy since newborns of any size can have these injures. About 1 or 2 babies out of every one thousand deliveries suffer a brachial plexus injuries at birth.

Adult Brachial Plexus Injury

The mechanism for brachial plexus palsy in adults is much the same as in children. An adult will suffer this type of injury when excessive force is placed upon the brachial plexus network for an excessive amount of time. A patient being left on their back during surgery with their arm dangling off the operating table for a prolonged period is an example of how an adult can suffer a brachial plexus injury.

Types of Brachial Plexus Injuries

There are four major types of brachial plexus injuries which can occur to the nerves in the brachial plexus network resulting in some form of palsy. These injuries are:

  • Avulsion: The brachial plexus is torn from its attachment to the spine. Shoulder trauma during motor vehicle accidents is another common cause. Detachment of the nerves causes pain and loss of function in the arms, shoulders, and hands. Neuropathic pain can be treated with medication, but function can only be restored through surgical reattachment or nerve grafts. For intractable pain, a procedure called dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) lesioning is effective.
  • Rupture: The nerve is torn but not at the spinal cord. Usually results from excessive stretching.
  • Traumatic Neuroma: Often as a result of surgery and occur at the end of injured nerve fibres as a form of ineffective, unregulated nerve regeneration and most commonly is found near a scar. Often painful, also know as “pseudoneuroma”.
  • Neuropraxia: The mildest form of nerve injury involving an interruption of the nerve conduction without loss of contininuity of the axon, which a long, slender projection of a nerve cell.

How To Get Help For Brachial Plexus Injuries

If your child or a loved one is a victim of a brachial plexus injury in Florida and feel it was the result of medical malpractice, Gilman Law LLP can assist you in bringing legal action to receive adequate compensation for any emotional and physical damages, medical expenses incurred and possibly list earnings. Please contact us by completing our free legal consultation form or call us at (888) 252-0048.

With offices in Ft. Myers, Naples and Bonita Springs Florida our experienced Florida medical malpractice attorneys are experienced in handling injuries across the entire state of Florida.