New York Shoulder Dystocia

It can be heartbreaking when things do not go as planned during labor and delivery, and as a result the baby is born with a birth injury. There are numerous complications that can arise during labor and deliver, including shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia is a complication that occurs when during a vaginal delivery the baby’s head is delivered, but the shoulders get stuck. When this happens there is a risk that baby will be seriously injured. It is expected that the doctor will use his or her skill to manage shoulder dystocia so that the baby is delivered with little or no injury. In cases where the doctor does not properly manage the situation and as a result the baby is injured, the doctor could be held accountable through a medical malpractice lawsuit. If your child was seriously hurt because your doctor failed to properly manage shoulder dystocia, it is important that you immediately contact an experienced New York shoulder dystocia lawyer who will review your medical records and explain to you your legal rights to pursue compensation through a medical malpractice lawsuit.

While should dystocia cannot always be predicted, there are several risk factors. These risk factors are primarily related to the baby being large.

• Large baby. A baby is more likely to be large, 9 pounds or more, if the mother has diabetes, if the other is obese, if the baby is post term, or if the other has had a large baby in the past.
• Labor is induced
• Forceps or vacuum extractor used
• Multiple babies

If risk factors are present, the doctor must determine how to manage the delivery in a way that minimizes risk to the baby and mother.

Shoulder dystocia can lead to oxygen deprivation, which can cause brain damage. Another common complication is nerve damage in the shoulder, arm and hand. This can lead to permanent paralysis. If the doctor chooses to use vacuum extraction or forceps to guide the baby through the birth canal, there is a risk of lacerations to the face and head, spinal cord injury, or a skull fracture. Shoulder dystocia also puts the mother at risk. The mother may experience heavy bleeding, and she may sustain injury to her uterus, cervix, rectum, or vagina.

Medical malpractice occurs when a medical professional fails to provide the patient with the care that a competent doctor would provide in similar circumstances. Thus, if your doctor failed to properly assess risks and as a result your baby suffered should dystocia, then you may have a medical malpractice case. As a New York shoulder dystocia attorney will explain, even where medical negligence was not involved in causing the shoulder dystocia, if the doctor mismanages the shoulder dystocia and as a result the mother or baby is seriously hurt, the doctor still may have committed medical malpractice.

Through a medical malpractice lawsuit, you can demand that the negligent doctor pay your damages for medical expenses, and other related losses.

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 shoulder dystocia attorney serving New York. The staff at the Law Offices of Stephen Bilkis & Associates has decades of experience successfully representing clients who have suffered injuries due to mistakes made by obstetricians, gynecologists, pediatricians, and other medical professionals. Contact us a shoulder dystocia attorney at our New York office 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.