We understand the shock of learning that your newborn’s arm hangs limp or curls into the classic “waiter’s tip” position. Lead trial attorney Jonathan Schochor and seasoned litigator Kerry Staton have helped Maryland families face that same moment for more than 35 years. Our Annapolis Erb’s palsy legal team offers a free, no-risk case review. Call (410) 234-1000 today so we can start protecting your child’s future.
How Does Erb’s Palsy Affect Newborns?
Erb’s palsy is a brachial plexus injury that weakens or paralyzes a baby’s shoulder and upper arm.
The brachial plexus nerves control movement from the neck to the fingers; stretching or tearing them during delivery can leave the arm limp, rotated inward, and lacking sensation. Although some infants regain strength within two years, severe ruptures or avulsions may cause lifelong disability.
Parents across Anne Arundel County, from Eastport to Severna Park, often notice the condition immediately after birth. We know how frightening that discovery feels, and we are ready to stand beside you.
What Causes Erb’s Palsy in Birth?
Most cases arise from avoidable delivery complications. Shoulder dystocia, forceful traction on the baby’s head or neck, vacuum or forceps assistance, breech presentation, maternal diabetes, and macrosomia are classic red flags. Competent obstetricians should anticipate these dangers and adjust delivery plans, ordering a timely C-section, repositioning the mother, or seeking help, before nerves are damaged.
When they fail to act, the resulting injury is preventable. Our Annapolis birth injury attorneys investigate whether the standard of care was breached and whether that breach caused your child’s condition.
Can Erb’s Palsy Occur Outside Childbirth?
Yes, but it is rare. Motor-vehicle crashes, high-speed sports collisions, and severe falls can stretch the brachial plexus in older children or adults, producing the same weakness seen in infants. Injection errors and wrestling injuries appear occasionally in medical literature. The Erb’s palsy attorneys serving Anne Arundel County pursue compensation regardless of a client’s age or the incident that caused the nerve damage.
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Typical signs include arm paralysis, inability to lift the shoulder, limited elbow flexion, and that distinctive inward-turned wrist. Some babies show numbness or lack a Moro reflex on the affected side.
Pediatricians at Anne Arundel Medical Center usually recognize the injury in the delivery room. Electromyography, ultrasound, or MRI can clarify nerve integrity. Early diagnosis allows physical therapists to begin passive-range-of-motion exercises within days, critical for future function.
Treatment and Prognosis
Most infants start with intensive physical and occupational therapy. Therapists teach parents gentle stretches to prevent joint contractures while nerves heal. If no meaningful improvement appears by four to six months, surgeons at Johns Hopkins Bayview or other regional centers may perform nerve grafts or transfers. Recovery can take years. Mild neurapraxia often resolves, but avulsions may never regain full strength.
Therapy, adaptive equipment, and potential surgeries create heavy financial burdens. Our Annapolis Erb’s palsy attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg & Cardea fight to shift those costs to the negligent providers who caused them.
