Brachial plexus claims

Specialist brachial plexus injury compensation solicitors

Many brachial plexus injuries heal without treatment or, in infants, improve with age. However, physiotherapy or surgery is often necessary, and in the most severe cases, there may be little or no chance of making a full recovery.

If you or your baby has suffered a brachial plexus injury through no fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation.

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If you or a loved one has suffered a serious brachial plexus injury due to someone else’s actions or negligence

Call 0800 316 8892 Send us an enquiry

or expert advice on bringing a compensation claim.

Types of brachial plexus injury claim

Brachial plexus injuries occur when the network of nerves which send signals from the spine to the shoulder, hand and arm is damaged by trauma, tumours or inflammation.

Common types of brachial plexus claims include:

Road collisions – for example, high-speed accidents involving motorcyclists or cyclists.
Work accidents – for example, heavy lifting and handling or being struck on the shoulder by a heavy weight.
Injury during childbirth – when the baby’s shoulder is stretched as it passes down the birth canal.
Falls – landing heavily on your shoulder and arm from a height.
Wounds – for example, nerves being cut or damaged from a knife wound.

Brachial plexus injury during childbirth

If your baby sustained a brachial plexus injury during childbirth that you believe could have been avoided, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

Erb’s palsy (also known as Shoulder Dystocia or Brachial Plexus Paralysis) is the full or partial paralysis of a baby’s arm caused by nerve damage to their neck, shoulder or upper arm during birth. The impact of this type of injury can be debilitating and lifelong, affecting not just your child, but the whole family.

Our medical negligence solicitors specialise in birth injuries and have extensive experience helping families claim compensation and get the answers they deserve.

Why choose Clarke Willmott for your brachial plexus claim?

Association of Personal Injury Lawyers accredited solicitors and members of The Law Society and AvMA’s medical negligence panels.
Proven experience of winning life-changing compensation amounts in the most complex medical negligence and serious injury claims.
Close relationships with leading medical specialists and other experts to ensure your claim is thoroughly investigated and you receive the compensation you deserve.
A senior partner overseeing your claim so you can relax knowing you’re in expert hands.
National law firm with solicitors available to advise you on legal matters beyond your claim.

Start your brachial plexus claim today

It might feel daunting to start a claim for brachial plexus injury compensation, but our expert solicitors are ready to guide you through the process as painlessly as possible. Call us on 0800 316 8892 or contact us online to book your free initial consultation and discuss your claim with us.

“A highly experienced and professional team who strike the perfect balance of professionalism with personal care and understanding.’ Legal 500 2025

They are very confident, experienced and pragmatic, and it translates throughout the team.’ Chambers 2025

“From the moment Kerry Fifield took on our case she demonstrated nothing but compassion, understanding and professionalism. As a family, we felt understood, listened to and supported which was imperative for us at the time.” RM

“The help and support given to me by Vanessa Harris could not have been better. She gave advice throughout but also listened to me when I made comments. She handled a very sensitive and painful time for me with kindness as well as being professional and efficient she became thought of as a friend I could depend on.” Catherine from Swansea

“Vanessa, many thanks for all your hard work and patience to achieve such a helpful result with our complaint…5 years ago, I was in shock from the whole experience and trying to understand what had happened, and more to the point, gone wrong. I really feel that the outcome will help me draw a line over the negative things that have been so present and look more positively on the next stage of living well.”

“I was very happy with my claim. The hard work that went into it was very clear and I was told everything that was happening all the time. I would recommend Clarke Willmott to anybody. Thank you once again.” Alan from Weymouth

Brachial plexus claims – your questions answered

What are serious injuries to the brachial plexus?

The brachial plexus consists of 5 nerves that are fused together to supply the upper limb with motor power and sensation. A recognised classification of obstetric brachial plexus injuries by Narakas categorises different levels of injury into four groups:

Group 1 is damage to C5 and C6 nerve roots. Recovery begins within a month and there’s likely to be a full recovery within 4-6 months.
Group 2 also includes C7 nerve root. Recovery will take more than one month, with steady improvement, although the patient may develop contractures that can limit motion.
Group 3 implies damage to all of the brachial plexus C5-T11. Slow partial recovery up to 15 months and the patient may have weak, limited function and secondary deformities.
Group 4 is the same as Group 3 except C8 and T1 are ripped out of the spinal cord. The patient is likely to have poor shoulder function, arm resting in abduction, internal rotation and absence of external rotation.

Nerve damage is graded into three levels of injury: neuropraxia, axonotmesis and neurotmesis. The mildest is neuropraxia, when a full recovery is likely to occur, and the most severe is neurotmesis, where there has been nerve rupture and surgery is required.

How are serious brachial plexus injuries treated?

While some brachial plexus injuries can heal on their own without treatment, for more serious injuries you may need a nerve graft, nerve transfer or muscle transfer surgery, which is more likely to be successful with early intervention. The general consensus is that the success rate falls after 3-6 months.

In these circumstances, your solicitor will seek to obtain interim payments to meet the cost of private surgical treatment as early as possible, as well as arranging appropriate rehabilitation after your discharge from hospital to help get the best possible outcome for you.

How can brachial plexus injury pain be managed?

If you’ve suffered a brachial plexus injury, the management of pain can be challenging.

Often described as a crushing, burning pain, it can be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, such as Tramadol, Gabapentin, Pregabalin, Amitriptyline and TENS. However, you and your doctor will find what suits you best.

You must tell the DVLA if you have a brachial plexus injury as the condition can affect your ability to drive.

Speak to our experts about your brachial plexus claim

If you think you may be entitled to brachial plexus injury compensation, call us now on 0800 316 8892 or contact us online to arrange a free and no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your claim.

Your key contacts

Marguarita Tyne

Head of Personal Injury & Medical Negligence

Bristol

Marguarita Tyne is a claimant clinical negligence solicitor who investigates and brings claims on behalf of patients who have been injured during the course of their medical treatment, acting mainly (but not exclusively) for brain injury claimants in high value and often complex litigation.

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Kerry Fifield

Partner and Clinical Negligence Team Manager

Bristol

Kerry’s primary focus is the needs of the client and their family when pursuing a claim, taking into account that each client is an individual with specific requirements who needs to be supported in addition to the legal investigation.

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Philip Edwards

Partner

Birmingham

Philip Edwards is a partner in Clarke Willmott solicitors’ Birmingham Serious Injury team specialising in amputation, spinal cord injury.

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Lee Hart

Personal Injury Team Manager

Taunton

Lee works closely with severely injured people and their families, leading them through the claims process and ensuring they get the best treatment, rehabilitation and care so that they can get their lives back on track as quickly as possible.

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