A currently pending birth injury lawsuit underscores the dangers of "shoulder dystocia" and the need for doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to act with the requisite standard of care during the labor and delivery process. This is especially true when complications arise. Shoulder dystocia is a type of birth injury that occurs when a babies shoulder gets stuck behind a mother's pelvic bone and if not taken care of correctly, can lead to a brachial plexus injury or other developmental delays.
If you believe you child has suffered shoulder dystocia or any type of birth injury, it is important to consult with an experienced Los Angeles birth injury law firm. An experienced birth injury lawyer can provide crucial guidance concerning your next steps and answer your birth injury questions.
According to testimony presented at trial, in this instance the doctor allegedly applied excessive downward traction or excessive tilting of the infant's head during birth, a practice that doctors are taught never to do. Where excessive force is used - whether with a vacuum, forceps, or by hand – the baby may suffer injury. Brachial plexus injuries can be mild, such as a minor stretching or bruising, or severe. In severe cases, the nerves are damaged and become separated from the spine. Many birth injuries are unavoidable, but some are the result of medical malpractice or negligence.
Unfortunately, shoulder dystocia is permanent and may lead to serious life long difficulties including having an arm with little functional use, living with the deformity of one arm being longer that the other and delayed development of fine motor skills. Here, the young girl is unable to use her left arm.
When medical malpractice causes a birth injury, it may be possible to obtain compensation including damages for past and future medical bills, potential lost wages and pain and suffering.
For more information about shoulder dystocia or if you believe your infant suffered a birth injury caused by medical malpractice, contact a Los Angeles birth injury lawyer at Bostwick & Peterson for a free, confidential consultation.
