Shoulder dystocia
During delivery, the baby’s shoulder may become lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone, presenting an urgent life-or-death medical emergency.
With all of modern medicine’s advances in pregnancy care and childbirth, one might expect the rate of birth injury in Illinois to be next to nothing. Indeed, it should be. But it’s not.
In fact, birth injuries are surprisingly common all across the United States, including right here in Chicago. Many are very serious in nature and some even result in the heartbreaking loss of the mother or the child.
Gone are the days when childbirth was an inherently life-threatening process and every mother feared for her survival. Today’s advances in medical science have all but eliminated those threats. So why do birth injuries persist?
Sadly, most of today’s birth injuries are caused by medical malpractice. Doctors and nurses are crucial to society, but while most of them are very good people who try very hard to take great care of their patients, they do make mistakes.
Some birth injuries happen because doctors don’t spot warning signs during pregnancy, labor, or delivery. In other cases, doctors simply don’t have enough experience to handle a crisis when it arises.
Whatever the cause, birth injuries are heartbreaking, and victims deserve compensation. We all depend on the expertise of healthcare professionals, and we need them to exercise due care when bringing new life into this world.
After all, it isn’t your job to understand medical warning signs, make a diagnosis, write a prescription, or perform a life-saving procedure. Those are the healthcare professionals’ responsibilities, and if they breach their standards of care, they can be held liable for the damages.
The birth injury attorneys at Malman Law have helped countless families in the face of trauma during the last twenty years. We’ve recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients.
These are some of the most challenging and emotionally demanding cases we handle. We understand, though, that the victims of birth injury have a long and difficult road before them, and it is our mission to get them as much financial relief as possible for the journey ahead.
During delivery, the baby’s shoulder may become lodged behind the mother’s pelvic bone, presenting an urgent life-or-death medical emergency.
A nerve injury that impairs movement and sensation in the arm, Erb’s palsy is often caused by shoulder dystocia. It is the most common type of brachial plexus injury, meaning it involves the brachial plexus nerves in the neck and shoulder.
In most cases, a baby’s head should be delivered first. Feet-first deliveries constitute a “breech birth” and cause a wide range of medical problems.
Characterized by high blood pressure and bodily distress in the mother, preeclampsia threatens the life of both mother and child. Unchecked, it can lead to birth injuries, full-blown eclampsia, or even death.
Labor and delivery are sensitive, vulnerable procedures. Almost any error can threaten the baby’s oxygen supply. Even momentary oxygen deprivation can cause permanent brain damage or death. One common result is a dangerous brain condition called Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL).
Doctors sometimes use forceps to aid in delivery, but extreme diligence and caution are required. The slightest error can cause catastrophic injury to the baby. The same is true for vacuum extractor injuries.
Cesarean sections are dangerous procedures requiring a doctor’s expert skill and care. Any error could cause serious damage and may constitute medical malpractice.
Other conditions related to birth injury include:
Your healthcare professionals have a legal, medical, and ethical duty to prevent, detect, diagnose, and treat these conditions without error. When they make mistakes, even if they are accidental in nature, they can be held liable under the law. Proving negligence can be difficult, but our experienced professionals can help.
If you or your child have suffered from any adverse health conditions and you believe a doctor, hospital, midwife, or nurse’s negligence might have played a role, please contact our Chicago, IL birth injury lawyers right away.
Childbirth should be the most joyous moment of your life. If something has gone wrong, we can help.
Malman Law offers every victim of birth injuries in Illinois a Zero Fee Guarantee, which means you don’t have to pay for our services unless we are successful.
To aid in our pursuit of justice, our firm employs a full-time Registered Nurse with more than 30 years of experience. Our nurse consults with us on every birth injury and medical malpractice case we accept, offering invaluable insight and context for your claim.
Please call 888-307-2051 or fill out our online form to schedule a free consultation with our Chicago, IL birth injury attorneys as soon as possible. We are here to help.
"I'm very pleased to recommend Malman Law to my friends and relatives! I have to mention how efficient and professional in dealing with my case has been with everyone that I've been in contact with at Malman Law. Mrs. Sabo is outstanding as well as her secretary and assistant in responding quickly to any of my questions or concerns. This firm has gone above and beyond to keep me updated and get answers to my questions at any time, weekends included! Malman Law rules in my opinion! "
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