Queens Shoulder Dystocia Injury

Whether a baby is born through a cesarean delivery or vaginal delivery complications sometimes occur. Such complications could leave the baby with a serious birth injury such as cerebral palsy or another type of brain injury. Other complications can lead to a neck, back or spinal cord injury. One complication that sometimes occurs during a vaginal delivery is shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia occurs when the baby's shoulders get stuck inside the mother's body. When shoulder dystocia occurs both the mother and the baby are at risk for a serious injury. While it is not always possible to predict that shoulder dystocia may occur, when it does occur the medical staff must monitor the baby and take proper steps to prevent the mother or baby from suffering devastating injuries. If you or your baby suffered a serious injury due to the medical staff’s negligent management of shoulder dystocia, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced Queens shoulder dystocia injury lawyer who will explain to you your legal rights to pursue compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

While there are certain risk factors of shoulder dystocia, shoulder dystocia can also occur in cases where no risk factors are present. Shoulder dystocia is more likely to occur when any of the following risk factors are present:

• Large baby
• Mother has diabetes
• Mother is obese
• Mother is past her due date
• Mother had a very large baby in the past
• Labor is induced
• Forceps or vacuum extractor used

Understanding and identifying the risk factors for shoulder dystocia are important to preventing it. For example, if the medical staff knows that the baby is likely to have a high birth weight, then a medical staff is more likely to consider a cesarean delivery because of possible complications such as shoulder dystocia.

If shoulder dystocia occurs, the medical staff can take swift action to prevent the baby or mother from suffering a serious, permanent injury. For example, performing an immediate cesarean is a common response to shoulder dystocia. Other options are using techniques that will relieve the shoulder dystocia and allow the vaginal delivery to continue. Such techniques include: McRoberts maneuver, internal rotation, Zavanelli maneuver, and suprapubic pressure.

If shoulder dystocia does occur the baby is at risk for a number of serious injuries including contusions, lacerations, clavicle fracture, fetal asphyxia, and brachial plexus injury. Furthermore, the mother is at risk for uterine rupture, lacerations, and hemorrhaging. In order to minimize the possibility of serious injuries from shoulder dystocia, the doctor must manage the condition with skill and care.

While not all cases of shoulder dystocia are the result of negligence, when medical malpractice does occur and as a result you or your baby suffered injuries, New York law allows you to hold that medical professional legally and financially liable. The types of compensation that you may receive include medical expenses. The negligent party may be required to compensate you for your medical bills and your baby’s medical bills related to the injuries suffered because of the medical mistake. If as a result of your injury you end up missing a work, your damages could include compensation for the income you lost. The court may also award damages based on the physical and mental anguish you experienced from your injuries and recovery.

It is important to note that your obstetrician may not be the only negligent person. In cases of medical malpractice possible defendants also include: the hospital or facility where the delivery occurred, nurses, obstetrician, pediatrician, midwife, aides and technicians.

If you suspect that you or your baby was injured because a medical professional mismanaged your baby’s shoulder dystocia, do not hesitate to immediately contact an experienced birth injury attorney. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates is experienced in successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by obstetricians, gynecologists, pediatricians, and other medical professionals. Contact us at 800.696.9529 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation regarding your case. We represent clients in the following locations: the Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island, Manhattan, Nassau County, Queens, Staten Island, Suffolk County and Westchester County.