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.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious brachial plexus injury due to someone else’s actions or negligence
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or expert advice on bringing a compensation claim.
Types of brachial plexus injury claim
Brachial plexus injury during childbirth
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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