• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Birth Injury Lawyers Alliance

Just another WordPress site

Contact a Birth Injury Lawyer
For a Free Consultation
TOLL FREE: 1-800-300-BILA (2452)
  • Home
  • Birth Injuries
    • Birth Asphyxia
    • Canada Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
      • Types of Cerebral Palsy
      • Early Signs
      • Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis
      • Lawsuits & Settlements
      • Cerebral Palsy Treatment
      • Causes of Cerebral Palsy
    • Developmental Delays
      • Causes
      • Signs and Examples
      • Testing and Diagnosis
      • Treatment and Therapy
    • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
      • Causes of HIE
      • Signs and Symptoms
      • Therapy and Treatment
      • Lawsuits
      • Long-Term Effects
    • Jaundice, Kernicterus & Hyperbilirubinemia
    • Hypoglycemia in Babies
    • Shoulder Dystocia
    • Failure to Progress During Labour and Delivery
    • Negligence in Antenatal (Prenatal) Care
    • Neonatal Resuscitation
    • Other Birth Injuries
  • Legal Team
    • Alliance Lawyers
    • In the Community
    • How to Become Involved
    • Office Locations
      • British Columbia
      • Edmonton
      • Manitoba
      • Ontario
      • Nova Scotia
  • Lawsuits
  • Case Results
  • FAQ
  • Support
    • CP Financial Support
    • Support for Parents
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Birth Injuries
    • Birth Asphyxia
    • Canada Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
      • Types of Cerebral Palsy
      • Early Signs
      • Cerebral Palsy Diagnosis
      • Lawsuits & Settlements
      • Cerebral Palsy Treatment
      • Causes of Cerebral Palsy
    • Developmental Delays
      • Causes
      • Signs and Examples
      • Testing and Diagnosis
      • Treatment and Therapy
    • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
      • Causes of HIE
      • Signs and Symptoms
      • Therapy and Treatment
      • Lawsuits
      • Long-Term Effects
    • Jaundice, Kernicterus & Hyperbilirubinemia
    • Hypoglycemia in Babies
    • Shoulder Dystocia
    • Failure to Progress During Labour and Delivery
    • Negligence in Antenatal (Prenatal) Care
    • Neonatal Resuscitation
    • Other Birth Injuries
  • Legal Team
    • Alliance Lawyers
    • In the Community
    • How to Become Involved
    • Office Locations
      • British Columbia
      • Edmonton
      • Manitoba
      • Ontario
      • Nova Scotia
  • Lawsuits
  • Case Results
  • FAQ
  • Support
    • CP Financial Support
    • Support for Parents
  • Blog
  • Contact
Call
Contact
Blog
Home / Types of Birth Injuries / Erb’s Palsy Injury

Erb’s Palsy Injury

Erb’s Palsy Injuries

Erb’s palsy is a type of nerve injury that causes paralysis in the shoulder and arm. It is sometimes referred to as Brachial plexus palsy.

There is a network of nerves, called the brachial plexus that runs from your neck, into your shoulders and arms. If your baby’s brachial plexus nerves are injured by stretching, tearing, or other trauma it can cause serious, sometimes permanent injury.

Most of Erb’s palsy injuries happen when your baby gets stuck in the birth canal during delivery. This is referred to by doctors as shoulder dystocia and it is a medical emergency. A brachial plexus injury can happen if your doctor or nurse applies too much force to your baby when trying to pull your baby out of the birth canal.

Types of Brachial Plexus Injuries

There are 3 different types of brachial plexus injuries that are dependent on the amount of force applied to your baby’s shoulder.

  • Neuropraxia: This type of injury is caused when scar tissue builds up around a nerve after it has been pulled, stretched, or torn. The scar tissue interferes with the ability of the nerve to transmit nerve signals. Surgery can remove the scar tissue and restore nerve function;
  • Rupture: This happens when the brachial plexus nerve is torn. In order to correct a ruptured nerve a surgeon will have to do a nerve graft which links the gap created by the torn nerve;
  • Avulsion:This is the most serious form of brachial plexus injury and it is the only injury that is properly described as Erb’s Palsy. An avulsion injury happens when the root of the nerve is completely torn away from the spinal cord. This type of injury typically requires a complete nerve graft in order to create a new nerve path.

Effects of Erb’s Palsy

Some of Erb’s Palsy injuries may heal on their own or they may require surgery to repair. Some children can be left with significant life-long disabilities due to Erb’s Palsy.

Erb’s palsy can cause weakness and disability in your baby’s shoulder, arm and hand. Many Erb’s palsy injuries can cause permanent paralysis of the arm and shoulder.

Can Erb’s Palsy Be Prevented?

In order to prevent Erb’s Palsy, it is important to know what risk factors make it more likely for shoulder dystocia to happen. Then your doctor can take steps to expedite your labour to decrease the risk of shoulder dystocia. Some of the risk factors that can lead to shoulder dystocia and Erb’s palsy:

  • A prior delivery where your baby had shoulder dystocia;
  • There is an increased risk of shoulder dystocia when drugs like pitocen or syntocin are used to speed up your labour;
  • Moms who have diabetes are at greater risk of shoulder dystocia;
  • Larger babies (greater than 3.8 kilos) have an increased risk of getting stuck and encountering shoulder dystocia;
  • Some mothers have an unusually small pelvic opening (this is called cephalopelvic disproportion) and it means your baby may be more likely to get stuck during delivery;
  • Longer labour tends to increase the risk of shoulder dystocia;
  • The is an increased risk of shoulder dystocia when your baby is in breech (feet first) position;
  • Finally, if your baby’s head is turned the wrong way during delivery this can lead to dystocia.

What Can You Do to Reduce the Risk of Erb’s Palsy?

The most important thing you can do to prevent the chances that your baby will suffer shoulder dystocia leading to Erb’s Palsy is to have a discussion about your risk factors with your obstetrician.

You may want to discuss whether your baby can be delivered a few days early.

If your baby gets stuck because of shoulder dystocia there are a number of techniques or maneuvers your doctor can use to safely deliver your baby. Doctors who have proper training are less likely to injure your baby during delivery.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Charles Gluckstein
Charles Gluckstein
Toronto birth injury lawyer Charles Gluckstein was appointed President of the Ontario Trial Lawyers’ Association from 2013-2014. Since 2014, Best Lawyers® International has consistently recognized him as a leader in the personal injury field. In 2014 he was awarded the LEXPERT Zenith Award for Leading Personal Injury Lawyer in Practice Excellence, in recognition of thought leadership and the setting of new standards for the Personal Injury Bar. In its annual publication, the Canadian Legal LEXPERT® Directory has listed Charles as being repeatedly recommended by his peers in the area of personal injury for the Toronto region.

  • Twitter

Charles Gluckstein
Latest posts by Charles Gluckstein (see all)
  • Long Term Effects of a Nuchal Cord - May 6, 2022
  • Greatest Risks for Cerebral Palsy Occur Prior to Birth - August 28, 2020
  • Alberta to Begin Screening Newborns for Four New Conditions - September 27, 2019

Primary Sidebar

Take the First Steps Towards Peace of Mind

Talking with an experienced birth injury attorney about your child is a great first step in obtaining peace of mind. Consultations with our team of lawyers are always free and always confidential.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Practice Areas

  • Canada Cerebral Palsy Lawyers
  • Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
  • Jaundice, Kernicterus & Hyperbilirubinemia
  • Autism Caused by Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE)
  • Hypoglycemia in Babies
  • Brachial Plexus Injury Lawyer
  • Delayed Diagnosis of Heart Defects
  • Erb’s Palsy Injury
  • Failure to Diagnose or Treat Preeclampsia
  • Fetal & Neonatal Stroke
  • Negligent Resuscitation of a Newborn
  • Meconium Aspiration Syndrome Lawyer
  • Newborn Infections
  • Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL)
  • Forceps Delivery Complications
  • NICU Cooling Protocol
  • Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome
  • Signs of a Birth Injury

Footer

Quick Links

  • Types of Birth Injuries
  • Legal Team
  • Case Results
  • Lawsuits
  • FAQ
  • Cerebral Palsy Support and Resources in Canada
  • Blog
  • Contact a BILA Lawyer

Canada Birth Injury Lawyers

TOLL FREE: 1-800-300-BILA (2452)

Sign-up And Get Notified Every Time We Post!

Loading

Copyright © 2025. Birth Injury Lawyers Alliance of Canada. All Rights Reserved.

Site Map|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use