New York City Klumpke’s Palsy Lawyers
Aggressive Representation When Birth Injury Causes Newborn’s Paralysis
Expectant parents hope more than anything that their child will arrive
healthy. Unfortunately, this is far from guaranteed and a poor outcome
alone does not entitle the child or parents to be compensated. However,
when a medical professional makes a mistake during delivery that inflicts
harm on a newborn, the child is entitled to compensation. The personal
injury lawyers at Rubenstein & Rynecki strongly believe in holding
doctors accountable for medical malpractice. We work with qualified medical
experts to investigate questionable deliveries and assess the true extent
of your child’s injury. We work tirelessly to achieve the maximum
recovery possible so you can meet your child’s future needs.
Understanding Klumpke’s Palsy and How It Occurs
Dejerine-Klumpke palsy, also known as Klumpke’s paralysis or simply
Klumpke’s palsy, is a type of brachial palsy in newborn babies.
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves running from the neck region
to the shoulder. Damage to these nerves often occurs during childbirth,
producing a variety of injuries that include Erb’s palsy, cerebral
palsy and Klumpke’s, which affects the infant’s ability to lift
its arm or grip with its hand. This
birth injury can also produce what is called “claw hand,” where the muscles
of the wrist and fingers are unusually tightened. This condition can also
cause the newborn severe pain.
Klumpke’s palsy can occur during a difficult delivery when:
- A nerve is severed from the spine (avulsion)
- Tearing of the nerve occurs but not at the spine (rupture)
- An injured nerve heals but pressure from scar tissue prevents it from transmitting
signals to the arm or hand muscles (neuroma) - A nerve is damaged but not torn (neuropraxia)
Symptoms vary from mild to severe. Another possible complication of Klumpke’s
is Horner’s syndrome, a condition that affects the child’s
face, causing contracted pupil, drooping eyelid and the inability to sweat
on that side of the face.
Liability for Klumpke’s Palsy
Doctors should be able to detect if an expectant mother is in danger of
having the type of difficult labor that can result in Klumpke’s,
and take precautions against it. Mothers carrying an especially large
child, mothers with prior caesarian deliveries, who have gestational diabetes
or a small pelvis are at risk. A doctor who fails to notice these factors
or take steps to manage them may be liable when an infant suffers Klumpke’s.
Contact Our New York Klumpke’s Palsy Lawyers to Discuss Your Case
If your doctor failed to take routine precautions to protect your baby
from Klumpke’s palsy, Rubenstein & Rynecki is prepared to help.
Our multi-million dollar recoveries in medical malpractice cases include
various birth injuries.
To learn how our skilled lawyers can handle your case, schedule a free
consultation by calling us at
(718) 522-1020 or
contacting our office online.
