Specialist medical negligence compensation solicitors can deal with a wide range of personal injury compensation claims. Medical negligence compensation solicitors will focus entirely on your needs by providing vigorous expert representation to ensure that you receive maximum damages for your medical negligence claim. It is important that a qualified solicitor is involved from the very start of your claim to ensure that you obtain fair and reasonable compensation. A layer can help you to preserve your legal right to compensation. Most UK solicitors offer free initial consultations for advice to find out whether you have a good case, how to go about claiming and how much your compensation might be worth. You will receive clear unequivocal advice about your chances of success and the anticipated value of your claim. If after initially talking to a lawyer you decide not to take your medical negligence claim further you are usually under no obligation to do so and you will not normally be charged anything at all.

Erbs Palsy

Erbs Palsy can cause severe disability and is an injury to the brachial plexus which is a network of nerves that runs from the spine, across the chest to the fingers. There are four different types of injury that may occur:

• avulsion – the nerve is torn from the spine
• rupture – the nerve is torn but not where it attaches to the spine
• neuroma – occurs where scar tissue puts pressure on the nerve reducing transmission of impulses to the muscles
• praxis – usually has minor consequences where the nerve has been damaged but not torn

Damage to the brachial plexus nerves usually occurs as a result of the use of excessive physical force during birth. Failure to recognize the risk factors of a potentially difficult birth may be medical negligence. Existence of the risk factors may dictate that a caesarian section is necessary to preclude the possibility of a dangerous traumatic natural birth. Risk factors include:

• failure to diagnose and treat maternal diabetes
• failure to properly manage shoulder dystocia
• failure to estimate the baby’s weight before delivery
• applying excessive traction during the delivery

Nerve Damage

This condition may be associated with other problems which also result from damage to the brachial plexus nerves :

• Klumpke’s Palsy – Usually includes a limp hand and immobile fingers often associated with Horners syndrome.
• Complete Brachial Plexus Palsy – Occurs when the entire arm is paralysed. There may also be Horner’s Syndrome and Torticollis caused as a result of nerve damage.
• Horner’s Syndrome – Caused by damage to the sympathetic nervous system.
• Torticollis caused as a result of nerve damage.

Shoulder Dystocia

Shoulder dystocia, which is a medical emergency, occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pelvis during labour. Excessive traction used in the delivery of the child can damage the ‘brachial plexus’ network of nerves which runs from the spine, across the shoulders to the tips of the fingers. Failing to remedy this problem can result in asphyxiation and death. Doctors and midwives attending a birth should be familiar with the well-established protocols which if applied appropriately will relieve the problem. The methods of dealing with this serious problem include:

• repositioning the mother
• manoeuvring and changing the baby’s position
• carrying out the McRobert’s manoeuvre
• breaking the mother’s pelvic bone
• applying pressure to the pubic area
• emergency caesarean section
• breaking the baby’s clavicle bone on purpose
• deep episiotomy cut
• applying traction in a horizontal plane

Damage to the brachial plexus nerves can manifest itself in a number of different ways ranging from mild to severe and from temporary to permanent.