If your newborn was diagnosed with Erb’s palsy after delivery at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center or another Montgomery County facility, you do not have to face the future alone. Olney Erb’s Palsy Lawyer Jonathan Schochor and Olney Erb’s Palsy Lawyer Kerry Staton at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. devote their practice to helping children harmed by medical negligence.
Call (443) 909-2792 today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We advance every cost, and you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for your child.
What Is Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy, also called Erb-Duchenne palsy, is a birth injury that weakens or paralyzes the upper arm because nerves in the brachial plexus are stretched or torn during delivery. Typical signs include a limp arm held against the body, limited shoulder movement, and decreased sensation on one side. Most infants improve with early physical therapy, yet severe cases may require nerve-graft surgery and can leave permanent disability.
How Does Erb’s Palsy Occur?
Erb’s palsy often occurs when a baby’s shoulder becomes lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone (shoulder dystocia) and the clinician applies excessive traction to the head or neck. Forceps, vacuum extractors, prolonged labor, and large birth weight increase risk. Proper obstetric care, such as repositioning maneuvers or timely Caesarean delivery, usually prevents nerve damage, so avoidable medical errors frequently underlie the injury.
Who Can Be Held Responsible?
Any medical professional involved in the birth owes a duty of care. Obstetricians who pull forcefully, nurses who miss warning signs of fetal distress, or hospitals that lack protocols or adequate staff can all share liability when their negligence causes Erb’s palsy. Maryland law allows parents to pursue claims against doctors, nurses, midwives, or the hospital system itself to secure justice for their child.
Types of Birth Injury Cases We Handle
- Erb’s palsy / upper brachial plexus injuries – arm paralysis and sensory loss.
- Cerebral palsy and brain injuries – oxygen deprivation leading to lifelong mobility and cognitive challenges.
- Birth asphyxia / hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy – lack of oxygen during labor, often producing developmental delays.
- Shoulder dystocia complications – fractures, nerve damage, or emergency C-section injuries.
- Fractured clavicle or humerus – bone trauma from difficult extractions.
Parents turn to Montgomery County birth injury attorney Jonathan Schochor and birth injury advocate Kerry Staton because we coordinate cutting-edge medical evaluations and fight for every resource a child needs.
Uncommon Birth Injuries We Also Investigate
- Klumpke’s palsy – lower brachial plexus damage producing hand weakness.
- Cephalohematoma or skull fractures – pressure-related bleeding beneath the scalp.
- Facial nerve paralysis – forceps or positional injury causing one-sided droop.
- Phrenic nerve damage – diaphragm paralysis leading to breathing difficulty.
- Spinal cord trauma or neonatal stroke – exceptionally rare but devastating events.
Even these unusual outcomes may stem from preventable delivery mistakes. Olney brachial plexus lawyer Jonathan Schochor investigates each case to expose systemic failures.
Compensation Available to Your Family
- Past and future medical expenses, therapy, and surgery
- Adaptive equipment and home or vehicle modifications
- Lost income for parents who must leave work to provide care
- Non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and loss of life’s pleasures
Our Olney Erb’s palsy attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. build comprehensive life-care plans so insurers cannot undervalue the lifelong cost of the injury.
Maryland Deadlines and Procedure
In Maryland, parents have five years from the date of a birth injury or three years from the discovery of the injury, whichever comes first, to file a lawsuit. Additionally, the time limit for a child to file a claim is extended until their 11th birthday.
All medical malpractice claims must be submitted to the Health Care Alternative Dispute Resolution Office, and a medical expert certificate needs to be filed within 90 days. It is crucial to meet these strict deadlines, as failing to do so can prevent recovery. Therefore, it is advisable to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
Evidence That Proves Negligence
- Labor-and-delivery records and fetal monitoring strips
- Physician and nursing notes identifying shoulder dystocia or prolonged labor
- Independent reviews by obstetric and neonatal experts
- Photos, videos, and therapy logs documenting the child’s functional limits
Early investigation preserves records and memories, allowing Olney birth-injury lawyer Kerry Staton to demonstrate how specific departures from accepted standards caused your child’s harm.
Why Hire Our Team for Your Erb’s Palsy Claim?
With more than three decades dedicated to medical malpractice litigation, our attorneys have secured multiple seven- and eight-figure verdicts for injured infants. We maintain on-staff physicians and nurses who dissect delivery errors, and we limit our caseload so every family speaks directly with lead counsel.
Olney Erb’s palsy lawyer Jonathan Schochor and our team combine courtroom tenacity with bedside compassion, guiding parents through each legal and medical hurdle.
Familiar With Olney Hospitals and Communities
Erb’s palsy cases we handle often involve deliveries at MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney, Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Shady Grove Medical Center in Rockville, or suburban birthing centers in Brookeville, Sandy Spring, and Cloverly. Our attorneys regularly drive Georgia Avenue (MD-97) and Olney-Sandy Spring Road to meet families, review records on-site, and photograph delivery-room layouts when needed. Local familiarity speeds investigation and strengthens trial presentations.
Next Steps: Free Case Review
Every moment matters when your child needs therapy and your family needs answers. Call (443) 909-2792 or complete our secure online form to speak with an Olney Erb’s Palsy Attorney at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. We return calls the same day, arrange home or hospital visits, and charge no fee unless we win.