Parents in Bowie facing an Erb’s palsy diagnosis need experienced legal guidance. Jonathan Schochor and Kerry Staton have protected Maryland families for more than 35 years and have secured record-setting verdicts for birth injury victims.
As Bowie Erb’s palsy lawyers at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A., we review medical files, consult leading pediatric experts, and build the strongest possible malpractice claim. We shoulder the legal burden so you can concentrate on your child’s health.
Our Bowie birth-injury attorneys serve neighborhoods from Belair to Fairwood and know the delivery practices at nearby hospitals such as UM Capital Region Medical Center and Anne Arundel Medical Center. We offer free, no-obligation consultations and collect no fee unless we win compensation for your family.
Because every story is unique, we take time to listen, answer questions, and craft a strategy tailored to your goals. From the first phone call to the final resolution, Bowie Erb’s palsy lawyer Jonathan Schochor keeps you informed while Bowie medical malpractice attorney Kerry Staton negotiates or litigates for full justice.
Need answers now? Call our Bowie Erb’s palsy lawyers, Jonathan Schochor and Kerry Staton of Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A., at (410) 234-1000 for a free, no-risk consultation, and let us start fighting for your child’s future today.
What Is Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy is a brachial-plexus nerve injury that weakens or paralyzes a newborn’s shoulder and arm. The condition occurs in roughly 1 to 2 of every 1,000 births and may range from temporary weakness to permanent disability.
Common signs include a limp upper arm, limited shoulder movement, an inward-turned “waiter’s-tip” wrist, and a weak grip. Early physical therapy restores function in many mild cases, while severe tears may require nerve-graft surgery and lifelong care.
Parents often ask whether their child will ever move the arm normally again. Although many infants regain partial strength within the first year, timely therapy, electrical stimulation, and, when needed, microsurgery offer the best chance for full recovery. Our Bowie birth-injury legal team works with life-care planners to quantify these therapy costs for your claim.
What Causes Erb’s Palsy, and Could It Have Been Prevented?
Most Erb’s palsy injuries result from excessive stretching of a baby’s neck or shoulder during delivery. Skilled obstetric teams can avoid that trauma by following proven safety protocols.
Delivery scenarios that often lead to preventable nerve damage include:
- Shoulder dystocia — the shoulder is stuck behind the pelvic bone and the provider pulls too hard instead of using accepted maneuvers.
- Breech delivery errors — traction on a feet- or bottom-first baby stretches the nerves.
- Forceps or vacuum misuse — excessive pressure or the wrong angle with assistive tools injures fragile tissue.
- Large baby (macrosomia) — failing to schedule a C-section despite clear ultrasound warnings of high birth weight.
- Prolonged labor or delayed C-section — ignoring fetal distress and substituting force for surgery.
- Twin or multiple births — complex positioning raises risk unless managed cautiously.
- Maternal gestational-diabetes cases — larger babies demand proactive planning.
- Nurse fundal-pressure errors — pushing on the uterus at the wrong time forces the shoulder downward.
Erb’s palsy is the result, while shoulder dystocia is the obstetric emergency that precedes it. Experienced Bowie providers know these dangers and can prevent nerve damage through gentle technique and timely C-section. When they fail, our Bowie Erb’s palsy legal advocates investigate every negligent party.
Can You Sue for an Erb’s Palsy Birth Injury in Maryland?
Yes. Maryland law lets parents file a malpractice claim when a preventable birth injury harms their child. A successful case must show that a healthcare professional deviated from accepted standards and that negligence directly caused the brachial-plexus damage.
Liable parties may include the delivering obstetrician, assisting nurses, anesthesiologists who delayed surgery, and the hospital itself. Our Bowie Erb’s palsy attorney team secures delivery records, interviews staff, and works with neonatology experts to reconstruct what went wrong. Suing not only funds your child’s care. It also pushes hospitals to improve safety for future families.