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Kentucky Klumpke’s Palsy Lawyers
Strong advocacy for parents and newborns when birth injuries occur
Klumpke’s palsy is a birth injury that affects your newborn’s lower brachial plexus nerves – which, in turn, affects your child’s ability to move or experience sensation in their wrist, hand, and fingers. At Crandall & Pera Law, our medical malpractice lawyers hold hospitals and obstetricians accountable when they fail to take medically reasonable steps to anticipate Klumpke’s palsy and take preventive steps to avoid this severe birth injury. Our Kentucky Klumpke’s palsy attorneys demand that responsible healthcare providers pay your child’s medical bills, compensate your child for their pain and suffering, and pay other financial and personal damages. Call us now to protect your newborn’s future.
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Table of Contents
- What is Klumpke’s palsy?
- What are the signs and symptoms of Klumpke’s palsy in Kentucky?
- What are the causes of Klumpke’s palsy in babies?
- How do Kentucky doctors diagnose Klumpke’s palsy?
- How do Kentucky doctors treat Klumpke’s palsy?
- How do you hold delivery doctors accountable for Klumpke’s palsy?
- Do you have a Kentucky Klumpke’s palsy lawyer near me?
What is Klumpke’s palsy?
According to Physiopedia, Klumpke’s palsy is often due to a birth injury where damage occurs to a baby’s brachial plexus nerves. Klumpke’s palsy restricts movement and sensation in the hand, wrist, and arm. The condition can cause a permanent disability in severe cases.
Klumpke’s palsy is also known as Dejerine-Klumpke’s palsy. Palsy essentially means paralysis.
What are the signs and symptoms of Klumpke’s palsy in Kentucky?
Our Kentucky Klumpke’s palsy lawyers work with physicians who understand the symptoms of Klumpke’s palsy, which may be immediately obvious or may take a while to become noticeable. You should seek immediate medical and legal help if you suspect your newborn has Klumpke’s palsy.
The symptoms of Klumpke’s palsy include:
- A claw hand – where the forearm and palm are supinated (face upward) and the wrist and fingers are flexed.
- The hand and arm and/or there is loss of movement in the hand and arm. The condition is also known as Horner's syndrome.
- Reduced sensation “along the medial aspect of the distal upper extremity along the C8 and T1 dermatome.”
- Muscular atrophy and a reduction in muscular strength
- Related injuries, including “clavicular and humerus fractures, torticollis, cephalohematoma, and facial nerve palsy.”
- Poor reflexes
- Loss of sensation
What are the causes of Klumpke’s palsy in babies?
At Crandall & Pera Law, we have more than 50 years of combined experience handling birth injury claims. We work with medical professionals and through the discovery process to determine how babies develop Klumpke’s palsy.
Generally, the lower brachial nerves suffer injuries due to stretching, scarring, rupture (tearing of the spinal nerves), and avulsion (tearing of the nerves away from the spine). Nerve injuries usually occur when an obstetrician is positioning the head so the shoulder can be delivered.
The risk of Klumpke’s palsy increases if any of the following conditions are present:
- A baby is in a breech position or another abnormal position in the birth canal
- A vaginal birth is difficult
- The baby has a large birth weight
- The mother has a large maternal weight gain
- Labor induction or abnormalities
- Forceps or vacuum extractors tools are used during a vaginal delivery
- The mother has diabetes
- The mother has had prior deliveries with this type of complication
- Shoulder dystocia
- The second stage of labor is an hour or longer
- A breech position
Car accidents and other types of traumatic events can also cause Klumpke’s palsy.
How do Kentucky doctors diagnose Klumpke’s palsy?
Many doctors, such as pediatricians, can determine if your child has Klumpke’s palsy by observing your child’s symptoms. Diagnostic tests that may help determine the type, location, and severity of the damage include X-rays and MRIs.
A physician may also conduct nerve conduction tests and electrical activity to confirm whether there is nerve damage and where the damage is.
How do Kentucky doctors treat Klumkpe’s palsy?
Physiopedia states that physical therapy can help restore function in the hand, wrist, and arm. Common exercises for Klumpke’s palsy include exercises to help with flexibility, strength, range of motion, dexterity, and pain control. Other physical therapies, such as electrotherapy, may help.
Another treatment is immobilization of your baby’s arm for seven to ten days.
Surgical options for Klumpke’s palsy include:
- Surgery on the nerves. These include nerve grafts and neuroma excision.
- Tendon transfers. This surgery helps “the muscles that are affected by nerve damage work better.”
- Muscle transfer. This procedure removes a less necessary important muscle or tendon from another body part and attaches the muscle/tendon to an injured arm.
How do you hold delivery doctors accountable for Klumpke’s palsy?
Our Kentucky Klumpke’s palsy lawyers work with obstetricians, neurologists, and other physicians – and we use the discovery process to formally question everyone in the delivery team – to show what happened to cause your child’s birth injuries and who is responsible. The healthcare providers may be liable if they:
- Failed to understand the risks of Klumpke’s palsy during the delivery.
- Failed to take precautions to prevent Klumpke’s palsy, such as discussing the use of a C-section, reviewing the risk of forceps and vacuum extractors, taking steps to ensure the shoulder of your baby could easily pass through the birth canal and other precautions.
- Failed to recommend immediate treatment if your child does develop Klumpke’s palsy – and to recognize the symptoms of Klumpke’s palsy.
- Failed to comply with acceptable medical standards for obstetricians in Kentucky.
At Crandall & Pera Law, we demand compensation for all your child’s damages, including:
- All medical expenses. These costs include surgeries, hospital stays, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological counseling, medications, and assistive devices.
- Your child’s pain and suffering
- Your child’s loss of use of their fingers, hand, wrist, elbow, or arm
- Your child’s inability to enjoy life’s pleasure
- Your expenses to care for your child
- All other financial and personal damages
Get help from our seasoned Kentucky birth injury attorneys now.
We understand how devastating it is to learn your child has Klumpke’s palsy. At Crandall & Pera Law, we have a strong record of jury verdicts and settlements in medical malpractice cases. Our Kentucky Klumpke’s palsy lawyers are ready now to hold your obstetrician and other responsible medical providers accountable for your newborn’s daily pain and struggles. Please phone us or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We handle birth injury cases on a contingency fee basis.