Receiving a diagnosis of Erb’s palsy at TidalHealth Peninsula Regional or another hospital on the Eastern Shore can be overwhelming for any parent. Our Salisbury Erb’s Palsy lawyer, Jonathan Schochor, leads a team dedicated to supporting families for over 35 years. We offer compassionate guidance along with robust legal representation, allowing parents to focus on their child’s recovery.
Salisbury sees about 2,000 births each year, and even a reported injury rate of “1–2 in 1,000” means that local families are faced with this life-altering condition regularly. If you reside in Salisbury, Delmar, Ocean City, or anywhere along US-13 or US-50, we are available to meet at the hospital, at your home, or via secure video at no cost unless we win your case.
Ready to take the next step? Call us at (410) 234-1000 or fill out our secure online form for a free, no-obligation consultation.
What Is Erb’s Palsy?
Erb’s palsy, also called Erb-Duchenne palsy, is a brachial-plexus nerve injury that weakens or paralyzes a newborn’s shoulder, arm, or hand. It affects 1–2 of every 1,000 births, meaning hundreds of Maryland families grapple with it each year. Parents may notice a limp arm, reduced reflexes, or an elbow locked against the body. Most babies improve with therapy, yet severe nerve tears can cause lifelong weakness or chronic pain.
How Does Erb’s Palsy Happen During Delivery?
Erb’s palsy usually stems from shoulder dystocia, a stalled childbirth in which a baby’s shoulder catches behind a pelvic bone. If a doctor pulls too hard or delays a safe maneuver, the neck-to-shoulder nerves can stretch or tear. Salisbury birth-injury attorney Kerry Staton often sees excessive traction, forceps or vacuum misuse, and delayed C-sections in these cases. Large babies, prolonged labor, breech positions, and maternal diabetes all increase risk, so obstetricians must anticipate danger and act decisively.
Can Medical Negligence Cause Erb’s Palsy?
Many cases are preventable. When clinicians ignore warning signs or use dangerous force, they violate the accepted standard of care. Under Maryland law, that failure is medical malpractice. Eastern Shore Erb’s Palsy lawyer Jonathan Schochor works with independent OB/GYN experts to certify negligence, reconstructing each minute of labor through records, monitor strips, and staff testimony. If safer choices, such as an earlier C-section, could have averted the damage, we pursue accountability.
Injuries and Treatments After Erb’s Palsy
Nerve damage ranges from temporary neuropraxia to devastating avulsion where nerves rip from the spinal cord. Infants begin physical therapy within weeks; minor cases often recover, while ruptures require nerve-graft surgery and long-term rehabilitation. Even with care, some children face limited motion, limb-length differences, or shoulder arthritis. Lifelong orthopedic follow-ups and adaptive equipment are common, adding significant financial and emotional strain.
Compensation Our Clients Can Seek
Erb’s palsy claims can recover every injury-related cost:
- Medical bills for surgeries, therapy, and assistive devices.
- Rehabilitation and care—from home nursing to specialized schooling.
- Adaptive modifications such as ramps or widened doorways.
- Lost income for parents who must reduce work hours.
- Future earnings losses if the child’s career options shrink.
- Pain and suffering for both child and family.
Our Salisbury Erb’s Palsy attorneys at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg & Cardea build detailed life-care plans projecting 70-plus years of needs. That diligence has produced birth injury recoveries of $7.0 million and $6.95 million, figures that fund essential care rather than strain family budgets.
