The families we serve deserve relentless advocacy. Our Owings Mills Erb’s Palsy lawyer Jonathan Schochor has spent more than four decades holding negligent medical providers accountable. Together with birth-injury attorney Kerry Staton, we have built a team that has recovered record verdicts for Maryland children.
Our office on St Paul Street is less than twenty miles from Owings Mills, yet our reach extends across Baltimore County, from Randallstown to Reisterstown, because no child should lose future potential to preventable nerve damage.
Brachial plexus injuries require resources families rarely have on their own. The Owings Mills birth-injury attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg & Cardea marshal medical experts, economists, and pediatric rehabilitation specialists so parents can focus on their child, not paperwork.
Our compassion is matched only by our results. Judges and opposing insurers know we prepare every case for trial, and our willingness to try a case often drives substantial settlements.
Reach out to Owings Mills Erb’s Palsy attorney Jonathan Schochor for a free, no-obligation consultation at (443) 909-2792. Let’s secure the resources your child deserves today.
What Is Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s Palsy is a brachial plexus nerve injury that limits movement in a newborn’s shoulder and arm. The condition, also called Erb-Duchenne palsy, affects roughly one to two babies out of every thousand births.
Classic signs include a limp upper arm, decreased Moro reflex on the injured side, and a weak grip. Some children regain full function after months of therapy, while others face lifelong weakness or paralysis.
Because the injury strikes at birth, parents often feel powerless. Knowing the medical facts empowers families to demand accountability and obtain the therapy a baby needs to maximize recovery.
What Causes Erb’s Palsy During Delivery?
Most Erb’s Palsy injuries occur when a baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind a mother’s pelvic bone, a complication called shoulder dystocia. Excessive downward traction on the infant’s head stretches delicate nerves and compromises function.
Other preventable scenarios include breech deliveries where arms are hyper-extended, vacuum or forceps misuse, and delayed C-section decisions for large babies (macrosomia). Each scenario is avoidable with proper obstetric technique and timely intervention.
When these safeguards fail, the responsible provider must answer for the harm done, and Baltimore County Erb’s Palsy attorney Jonathan Schochor is prepared to demand that answer.
What Risk Factors or Warning Signs Increase Erb’s Palsy?
Certain pregnancies require heightened vigilance. Gestational diabetes can cause fetal over-growth, raising the likelihood of shoulder dystocia. Prolonged labor, breech presentation, and assisted deliveries using forceps or vacuum extractors compound risk.
Warning signs after birth include limited arm movement, absent startle reflex on the affected side, and asymmetric muscle tone. Prompt recognition leads to earlier therapy and better outcomes.
Can Erb’s Palsy Be Prevented, and Who Is Liable If It Isn’t?
Proper obstetric practice prevents most brachial plexus injuries. McRoberts maneuvers, suprapubic pressure, and timely Caesarean sections relieve dystocia without forceful traction.
When preventable harm occurs, multiple parties may share responsibility:
- Delivering physician – applies excessive force or delays emergent C-section.
- Labor-and-delivery nurses – miss fetal distress or fail to call for surgical backup.
- Hospital systems – lack policies, staffing, or equipment for high-risk deliveries.
Negligence is the breach of accepted medical standards. Brachial plexus injury lawyer Kerry Staton obtains expert testimony to prove that breach and win justice for your child.
How Is Erb’s Palsy Diagnosed, and What Treatments Help?
Doctors diagnose Erb’s Palsy through physical examination and imaging such as EMG or MRI. Early confirmation guides therapy and sets realistic expectations.
Most infants start daily physical and occupational therapy within weeks to maintain range of motion and strengthen muscles. Severe nerve ruptures may need microsurgical grafts or transfers in the first year of life.
Ongoing therapy equipment, home modifications, and adaptive devices carry significant costs, costs our lawsuits aim to cover.
What Compensation Can You Recover for Your Child’s Erb’s Palsy?
Our goal is to obtain every resource your child will ever need. Recoverable damages include:
- Economic: past and future medical bills, therapy, surgical costs, mobility aids, special education, and lost parental income.
- Non-economic: pain, suffering, emotional distress, and loss of life’s pleasures.
- Punitive (rare): awarded when conduct shows reckless disregard for safety.
Maryland caps non-economic damages in medical malpractice, so precise economic projections from life-care planners are vital. The Owings Mills Erb’s Palsy attorneys at our firm excel at presenting those projections to juries and insurers.
How Long Do I Have to File an Erb’s Palsy Claim in Maryland?
Maryland law generally requires claims within five years of the injury or three years from discovery, whichever is earlier. For minors, the clock is tolled, but a lawsuit must usually be filed before the child’s eighth birthday.
Evidence fades and medical records can be lost, so contacting counsel quickly protects your rights.
Why Trust Our Owings Mills Erb’s Palsy Lawyers?
We combine courtroom firepower with bedside compassion. Over 35 years, Maryland Erb’s Palsy attorneys Jonathan Schochor and Kerry Staton have secured multi-million-dollar results for injured children.
Our strengths include:
- Decades of exclusive birth-injury focus
- Personal attention from senior counsel, not case managers
- National network of neonatologists, obstetric experts, and economists
- No fee unless we win – families keep resources for care
What Should You Expect in Your Free Consultation?
You will speak directly with an Owings Mills Erb’s Palsy lawyer who listens, reviews medical records, and explains next steps. If we accept the case, we advance all costs and charge nothing unless we recover compensation. Call (443) 909-2792 or complete our secure form any time. Help is one conversation away.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I know if my child’s Erb’s Palsy was due to negligence?
If proper delivery techniques were not used and nerves were stretched, malpractice may have occurred. We review records with expert obstetricians to confirm.
Do I pay anything to speak with an attorney?
No. Consultations are free, and we only collect a fee if we secure compensation.
Will I be able to see my child’s medical records?
Yes. We obtain and explain every relevant record, so you fully understand what happened.
What if the doctor says Erb’s Palsy is unavoidable?
While some injuries are unpreventable, many result from excessive force or delayed interventions. We investigate to distinguish honest complications from negligence.