A baby in Vancouver was at risk of additional serious medical problems when the government allegedly attempted to take her off of life support without her parents’ consent in August. The infant faces a number of severe birth injuries, including cerebral palsy; she is quickly recovering, however, and is now capable of breathing without a ventilator.

The parents claim that the Ministry of Children and Family Development tried to remove their daughter from the necessary life support system keeping her alive after birth. The child was born 25 weeks premature at just above one pound in weight. She now weighs 11 pounds and has not required life support for two weeks.

A court case was originally filed against the government for medical negligence. Since the original filing, the lawsuit has been amended to include a custody battle against the ministry which is keeping the child from being removed from the premises. The parents are also petitioning to use alternative methods for caring for their daughter, including the use of cannabis oil to help seizures.

Medical negligence is not uncommon when untrained or incompetent medical staff treat a pregnant woman and her baby. If your child suffered birth injuries or developed cerebral palsy, contact the Driscoll Firm by calling (800) 900-7704 today to speak with an experienced attorney about your legal options.

David Mulligan, a cerebral palsy sufferer, requested to fly with his assistance dog, Willow, but his request was denied by the management of Virgin Australia. When making this request, Mulligan provided paperwork and accreditations from his doctor and a dog training association to further support his request and demonstrate his need for assistance. Unfortunately, Virgin Airlines denied and then approved his request, only to deny it once again in the end.

This forced Mulligan to take buses and trains in order to visit relatives living a long distance away, which could result in 22 total hours of travel. Eventually, his doctor reported that Mulligan was “no longer able to cope” with such long distance road and rail travel.

As a result, Mulligan brought the case to Federal Circuit Court in 2013. Now, after 5 years, Virgin has been ordered to pay him $10,000 in compensation after an appeal overturned the decisions of another judge who ruled in favor of Virgin.

Brachial plexus injury refers to any damage to the brachial plexus, or the bundle of nerves running from the neck to the shoulder. The brachial plexus is responsible for supplying the muscles in the upper extremities with the nervous energy that they need, also known as innervation. When the brachial plexus is damaged, innervation might be compromised.

Individuals who suffer from compromised innervation could find that they suffer from one or more of these complications:

• Decreased stamina and strength
• Compromised body movement
• Uneven growth (i.e., the arm with an injured brachial plexus could be smaller and shorter than the other one)
• Impaired bone growth

Some cases of severe and life-long brachial plexus injury have been a result of either negligent medical care or incompetent medical staff during a child’s birth. If you think your child’s brachial plexus injury is a result of another party’s recklessness in the delivery room, learn about the possibility of obtaining financial compensation through a lawsuit. Consult with our team at the Driscoll Firm by calling (800) 900-7704 today.

Erb’s Palsy is a birth disorder that happens when there is an injury to a network of spinal nerves located between the neck and the arm called the brachial plexus. It can affect all or a portion of the arms, shoulder, and hands, and is characterized by muscle weakness of the upper limbs, sometimes even partial or complete paralysis.

With proper treatment, a majority of Erb’s palsy cases are resolved within three to six months after birth. In fact, 70% to 80% of Erb’s palsy cases resolve in the baby’s first year of life. However, severe Erb’s palsy may cause long-term, sometimes even life-long complications. Complications include:

• Complete or partial paralysis
• Muscle atrophy, or the shrinking of muscle tissue due to absent or compromised nerve stimulation. Individuals with severe Erb’s palsy may have an affected arm that is thinner and shorter than the other one
• Impaired bone growth due to a decreased or absent motion
• Joint disorders

At the Driscoll Firm, we help families whose children have suffered from Erb’s Palsy due to medical negligence recover damages from the party responsible. Call us at (800) 900-7704 and have your case assessed for free.