Understanding Oregon Medical Malpractice: What is a Narakas Injury to a Baby?
There are many different types of birth injuries which could cause serious personal injuries that are life-long, debilitating, and even permanently disabling. Many types of injuries are caused before, during, or after the labor and delivery process. Many types of injuries are related to oxygen deprivation such a condition known as hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (known as HIE), which is when there is a decrease in oxygenated blood flow that results in brain damage. This condition could cause injuries such as cerebral palsy, a lifetime of disability. When it appears that a baby may suffer a hypoxic injury, an OBGYN may act quickly and immediately try to get the baby out of the birth canal. This may lead a doctor to pull on a baby’s arm or neck to get the baby out, and that may subsequently lead to a parent asking what is a Narakas injury to a baby.
In fact, this is a common scenario where a doctor may pretend to be the hearing to prevent a baby from suffering from HIE, cerebral palsy, or some other horrible condition due to birth injuries from hypoxia. Thus, a doctor may say that a Narakas injury is the least of the familiy’s worry because of avoiding the serious brain injury. But most of the time hypoxic conditions could have been completely avoidable with proper pre-labor screening and evaluation. Thus, the Narakas injury really is not unavoidable but it actually should never have occurred. Our Oregon medical malpractice lawyer explains what this type of injury.
What is a Narakas Injury?
A Narakas injury is a type of brachial plexus injury. The brachial plexus is a bundle of nerves that comes off of the cervical spine in the neck and branches down the neck, into the top of the shoulders, and to the arm. Eventually the nerves split and extend down the arm and go to the fingertips. These nerves govern movement and sensation, including sensing pain.
While a brachial plexus injury is a well-known and specific type of injury, a Narakas injury is the classification scale for all types of brachial plexus injuries. They are one in the same, but the Narakas injury just classifies it better. The type of injury depends on the specific nerves that were hurt.
There are four groups of Narakas injuries, which are the following:
- Duchenne-Erb’s Palsy – This is paralysis to the top of the arm (also known as an Erb’s Palsy injury)
- Intermediate Paralysis – This is paralysis of most of the arm, including down to the wrist and fingers, but there is still some flexion and weakness—not total loss
- Total Brachial Plexus Palsy – complete damage that results in complete or near complete paralysis
- Total brachial plexus palsy with Horner’s Syndrome – this is a total brachial plexus palsy, but also some deformities or issues with the eyelid, pupil, or even an inability to sweat on one side of the body.
Did Your Loved One Suffer an Arm Nerve Injury? Ask Our Oregon Medical Malpractice Lawyer 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.
