Trustworthy Legal Representation for Shoulder Dystocia Victims
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Numerous complications can occur during the labor and delivery process, and one of the most common is shoulder dystocia. When this condition occurs, the actions of the physician are vitally important to prevent permanent neurologic injury to the infant’s brachial plexus. If your baby experienced shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injury (Erb’s Palsy), contact the attorneys of Schochor, Staton, Goldberg and Cardea, P.A. for trustworthy assistance with your medical malpractice claim.
What is shoulder dystocia?
Shoulder dystocia occurs when a newborn’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. In order to complete delivery of the infant without causing permanent nerve damage, the physician must work to carefully free the baby’s shoulder. Failure to do so in a timely manner can cause serious injury to the mother and the child.
While there are numerous potential causes for shoulder dystocia, the extent of resulting injuries largely depends on the actions of the treating physician. Some common mistakes the physician may make in this circumstance include:
- Failure to perform a timely cesarean section
- Using undue force to complete the vaginal delivery
- Improperly employing or failing to use proper maneuvers to complete delivery
As a result of these actions, the infant may experience extensive nerve damage that ranges from permanent paralysis to loss of mobility within the arm. If allowed to remain inside of the birth canal for too long, the infant may also suffer irreversible brain damage.
In the following case of shoulder dystocia, Senior Partner Kerry D. Staton discusses what can happen when health care professionals fail to follow standard protocol during childbirth. In this case, a large baby being born to a diabetic mother is forced out through the vaginal canal, resulting in shoulder dystocia and the loss of function in one arm. Because the health care professionals failed to discuss the option of Caesarian section with the mother, and failed to follow other standard protocols for delivering large babies, it is a clear case of medical malpractice.
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