Portland Brachial Plexus Injury: What is Klumpke’s Palsy?

klumpke's palsy portland brachial plexus injury lawyer

Understanding Klumpke’s Palsy: Portland Brachial Plexus Injury Lawyer Explains

Your body has two sets of nervous systems.  One is the central nervous system which is comprised of the brain and spinal cord.  These work in combination as a processing and control center, and a messenger superhighway.  The second is the peripheral nervous system which is the set of nerves that originate from the spinal cord at the spinal column, and extend distally or outwards to the fingertips and toes.  These nerves are responsible for sensation, motor movement, feelings, and other related functions.  There are many critical parts of the peripheral nervous system, but one of the most important parts is the brachial plexus.  And more specifically, when there is an injury, our Portland brachial plexus injury lawyers knows that Klumpke’s Palsy could be a serious and debilitating injury for victims and their families.

This is a very specific type of injury within another very specific type of damage to a set of nerves.  Victims who are seriously injured and have been diagnosed with a brachial plexus injury or Klumpke’s Palsy will understand what these could mean after a doctor explains it to them.  However, most people who have not been diagnosed with either condition probably have never heard of this condition.  But a large percentage of people may have suffered this type of injury and just never were diagnosed or told.  This is because many negligent healthcare provider will lie and even hide their mistakes, some will not even acknowledge an injury being present.  This is a serious problem which our Portland brachial plexus injury lawyer can help you with.

What is a Brachial Plexus Injury?

Let’s first talk about the brachial plexus.  This is a bundle of nerves which come off of your cervical spine.  The individual nerves branch off and head to your shoulder.  Their end destination is the fingertips.  The individuals nerves combine at the base of the neck in the area known as the interscalene groove.  This is the area between your collarbone and your trap muscle.  The nerves continue to the shoulder girdle where they meet other structures like blood vessels which also need to go down the arm.  The nerves then travel down the arm and down into the fingers, splitting and separating numerous times on the way down.

Therefore, a brachial plexus injury is damage to these nerves at the base of the neck and until they get to the shoulder girdle.  The injury here is what could cause damage to the rest of the arm.  But the type of injury, extent of the injury, and location of the injury could depend what is affected in the arm.  This is where Klumpke’s Palsy comes in.

What is Klumpke’s Palsy?

When the damage to the brachial plexus nerves are the lower cervical spine, the damage is going to be affecting the lower part of the.  This is opposite of when the damage is to the top of the cervical spine which damages the upper arm.  

The damage to the lower cervical affecting the lower arm is known as Klumpke’s Palsy.  This is damage that affects the hand, wrist, and fingers.  Some victims may have a decreased function or a decreased sensation.  Other victims maybe have severe deformities including a “claw hand” which is due to the nerve damage.  

Victims very commonly have serious damage and disability due to these types of injuries to the brachial plexus.  Some individuals may not be able to write, type, or otherwise use that hand for normal function like eating, using a phone, driving, and other related actions.  Very little treatment can help restore function, but physical therapy and occupational therapy can help an individual mitigate their injury.

Causes of Klumpke’s Palsy

There are many different causes of this type of brachial plexus injury, including the negligence and Oregon medical malpractice of a healthcare provider.  This includes some of the following serious and catastrophic personal injuries:

  • Pulling or yanking on an infant in the birth canal
  • Twisting a baby’s arm
  • Stretching or extending a baby’s arm while the head is stuck in the womb
  • Improper use of forceps 
  • Improper use of vacuum extractor
  • Manipulating an infant improperly 
  • Mishandling a baby
  • Dropping a baby
  • Delays in a c-section
  • Post-birth injuries, including cuts, lacerations, or physical injury to the arm or hand, and
  • Other serious personal injuries.

Ask Our Portland Brachial Plexus Injury Lawyers for Help

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of medical malpractice contact the Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.  

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Sisters, Madras, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, La Grande, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton,  Cottage Grove, Florence, Oregon City, Springfield, Keizer, Grants Pass, McMinnville, Tualatin, West Linn, Forest Grove, Wilsonville, Newberg, Roseburg, Lake Oswego, Klamath Falls, Happy Valley, Tigard, Ashland, Milwakie, Coos Bay, The Dalles,  St. Helens, Sherwood, Central Point, Canby, Troutdale, Hermiston, Silverton, Hood River, Newport, Prineville, Astoria, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Hillsboro, and Vancouver, Washington.  

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take medical malpractice cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.  

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law.

For a free case evaluation

Call

(541) 385-1999 in Bend, Oregon
(503) 479-3646 in Portland, Oregon
(612) 444-3374 in Minnesota

– or fill out the form below –

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