Birth Injuries Caused by Improper Delivery Technique

Helping Families Throughout Ohio

The actions of obstetrical caregivers during childbirth are critical to delivering a healthy baby. The wrong delivery technique, an error in medical judgment, or the failure to respond to fetal distress can result in severe and lifelong disabilities for the baby – or, in the worst of cases, death.

The Becker Law Firm has extensive experience representing families in cases involving improper delivery technique. Together, we have more than 70 years of experience. We have the skills and experience required to achieve positive outcomes in challenging birth injury claims.

Our lawyers understand how improper delivery techniques can lead to serious injuries. Contact our Cleveland birth injury attorneys today at (440) 252-4399 to discuss your options in a free, no-obligation consultation.

Examples of Improper Delivery Technique

Doctors are entrusted with the safety of their patients, and there is no time that this is truer than during the delivery of a child. Expectant parents must rely on the education and experience of their medical team, whether it is a standard delivery or one besieged by complications. Every family has a right to expect that their medical team will follow appropriate guidelines.

Improper delivery technique can mean many things, including:

• Improper use of forceps
• Improper use of a vacuum extractor
• Failure to perform a C-section to avoid shoulder dystocia
• Failure to correctly perform maneuvers to relieve shoulder dystocia
• Applying too much force to the baby’s head, neck or shoulders
• Mismanagement of infections

Cases of improper delivery technique often involve inexperienced midwives or family doctors who are in over their heads and do not seek the assistance of an experienced obstetrician in a difficult birth situation. Although obstetricians have more experience and training in correctly handling high-risk deliveries and responding to emergency situations, they make mistakes, too.

Only a careful review of the circumstances can determine if negligence was responsible for a child’s birth injuries. In investigating a possible birth injury lawsuit, our attorneys will consider all possible causes and identify the practitioners who should be held accountable.

Injuries Caused By Delivery Trauma

Mistakes made by obstetrical caregivers and medical staff in the delivery process can cause serious birth injuries such as developmental disabilities, motor impairment, nerve damage, spinal cord damage, loss of vision, loss of hearing, and more. Childbirth errors can also lead to fetal death or permanent injury to the mother, including the inability to bear more children.

Other common injuries caused by improper delivery techniques include:

• Developmental delays
• Cerebral palsy
• Stillbirth/death of the baby
• Brachial plexus injuries

Complications during labor and delivery are to be expected, and it is exactly what obstetricians and obstetrical nurses train for. They must be able to react competently and quickly to ordinary events and problems during delivery with the goal of delivering a healthy baby. If you believe your child’s birth injury or death could have been prevented, contact The Becker Law Firm today.

If you or your baby was seriously injured because the attending physician, nurse, or midwife used an improper birthing technique, contact The Becker Law Firm. When you call us at (440) 252-4399, we will review your case for free.