Doctors May be Held Liable for Birth Injuries Caused by Forceps

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May 03, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In the United States, approximately five in 1,000 newborns are injured during the birthing process. Though some of these birth injuries are unavoidable, some could have been prevented through proper use of birthing tools like forceps.

What is an Assisted Delivery?

An assisted delivery occurs when a doctor uses a birthing tool to help a baby through the birth canal during the pushing phase of labor. Birthing tools are used when labor is not progressing normally or when a mother or baby is in distress. Forceps are one tool doctors use to help manipulate the baby's position in the birth canal.

Forceps look like a pair of spoons or tongs and are used to reposition the baby for a vaginal birth or to pull the baby through the birth canal. Doctors will numb the vaginal area with a local anesthetic, and then perform an episiotomy to facilitate the use of the forceps. Unfortunately, babies can be injured by the use of forceps.

What are the Complications of a Forceps Delivery and Who is at Risk?

Forceps-assisted deliveries can cause birth injuries for babies. Common complications include bruising, swelling, and lacerations on the baby's head. In some cases, fracturing may occur as well.

Babies and mothers with certain conditions may have a greater chance of having an assisted delivery. Large babies, babies that are breech or transverse, babies with a developmental disorder or premature babies are more likely to need a forceps-assisted delivery. New mothers, mothers with long pregnancies, or mothers with long labors or very rapid labors are also at increased risk of a forceps-assisted delivery.

Who is Responsible for Forceps-Related Birth Injuries?

Though some birth injuries are unavoidable, others are the result of a physician's improper use of forceps or failing to recognize that there is a problem during labor. Doctors may be held responsible for birth injuries through a medical malpractice lawsuit if their actions or lack thereof caused the injury. If you suspect that your doctor's improper use of forceps was the cause of your baby's birth injury, you will need to provide evidence that care was inadequate. To help build your case, please contact an experienced personal injury attorney.

Article provided by Keogh Crispi, P.C.
Visit us at www.keoghcrispi.com

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Birth Injuries From the Use of Forceps During Delivery

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April 26, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Not every birth goes smoothly, but medical devices and procedures can assist with making a difficult birth a happy one. A familiar medical device with a long history of use in births is the forceps. Unfortunately, sometimes even a device as commonly used as forceps can cause birth injury.

A forceps is essentially a long tong-like device that comes in many different designs and sizes with which a doctor can grasp a baby's head while it is still in the birth canal. When birth is not progressing as quickly as it should, the tool can help move the birth along by the doctor pulling moderately, but not forcefully, on the baby. Use of forceps in birth is sometimes called "assisted delivery."

Forceps may also be used to quicken delivery when either the baby or the mother is in medical distress. Also, they will sometimes be used to try to turn a baby facing the wrong way.

Evidence exists that forceps were in use even 3,500 years ago, although at that time they were used to remove deceased babies. In about 1600, people began using forceps to assist with live births. In the early 1900s, forceps were commonly prescribed to move babies through delivery when mothers were heavily drugged and unable to provide the pushing needed to deliver their babies.

The inability to adequately push can still be a problem today when a mother has an epidural to deaden pain and feeling during labor and delivery, making the use of forceps more likely. However, advances in medicine have lessened the need for forceps over time. According to WebMD, forceps deliveries are only about 3 percent of all U.S. births.

Medical practitioners have varying experience and skill levels with using forceps. Discuss this with your doctor before you are in delivery so you are comfortable with his or her approach to and experience with forceps.

The decision whether to use forceps or perform a cesarean birth in certain situations can be difficult. And, some doctors and mothers choose to proceed automatically with a C-section in close cases to avoid potential forceps complications.

The use of forceps can injure the baby, usually not seriously, but sometimes gravely. Some of the more commonly associated birth injuries can be:
- Swelling or bruising on the baby's face that normally heals within days
- Cuts that usually heal quickly, but are at risk of infection, may be treated with bandages or stitches
- Intracranial hemorrhage, or bleeding under the skull
- Subaponeurotic hemorrhage, or bleeding under muscle-connecting tissue in the skull, an emergency situation that calls for a blood transfusion
- Injury to the facial nerve causing freezing to one side of the face that usually heals within a week or so, but can occasionally be permanent
- Fracturing of the skull or collar bone

If your child was injured during birth from the use of forceps, be sure to discuss the injuries with an experienced medical malpractice lawyer who can advise you of your rights and possible legal remedies.

Article provided by Lloyd Law Group
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The Basics of Birth Injuries

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April 07, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- There are few times parents are more vulnerable than during the birth of their children. Many emotions take over, ranging from excitement to fear, and during those moments parents must trust medical providers to ensure the safety of both the mother and child.

Unfortunately, this is a potentially dangerous time for both mother and child. Many things can go wrong, and if medical professionals are not vigilant birth injuries can result.

Causes of Birth Injuries

Birth injuries are not uncommon, even a "normal" delivery can result in trauma to an infant. Unfortunately, many injuries are not the result of natural causes. Improper use of medical devices such as forceps and vacuums to aid in delivery of the child through the vaginal canal can increase the risk of injury. Other factors that increase the risk of a birth injury include:
- Prolonged rupture of membrane
- Pregnancy lasting longer than 42 weeks
- Misread fetal heart monitor strips
- Infections during labor

Technological advances allow doctors to reduce these risks. Obstetricians can perform cesarean sections when these or other risk factors are present, and medical professionals can induce labor if the gestational period is prolonged.

Birth Injuries and Liability

Since medical professionals have a certain level of control over these factors, they can be liable for injuries. In situations where injuries can be avoided, doctors can be held liable. This is often the case when an obstetrician fails to recognize or respond to changes in labor that signal problems.

In addition to physicians, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies can be liable for birth injuries. Hospitals may be liable if reasonable practices were not followed in hiring adequate and well-trained nurses or doctors. Pharmaceutical companies may be liable if they recommend a medication for use either during pregnancy or delivery which causes an injury.

If you or a loved one is injured as a result of a doctor's or hospital's negligence, you have a right to recover damages. Contact an experienced birth injury attorney to ensure all your legal rights and remedies are protected.

Article provided by Law Office of Michels & Watkins
Visit us at www.michelswatkins.com

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Cabinet Beasley birth injury law firm gets settlement of several million dollars for children with cerebral palsy

Philadelphia, PA, April 20, 2012 /24-7PressRelease / -last week the injury lawyers birth to the Beasley firm received yet another colony of millions of dollars on account of a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Just before the jury was expected to be sworn, Philadelphia injury lawyers Dion Rassias and Catherine Rothenberger negotiated an agreement of several million dollars to cover medical expenses of life for the child damaged brain. As an indication of how active our legal team against malpractice of labour and delivery, the trial was fixed to run simultaneously with another company Beasley test involving a disabled child after the failure of the hospital and physicians to diagnose and treat infection Strep Group b of the mother, yet quite treatable during pregnancy common condition.

In the case was settled just, the newborn suffers from pneumonia by meconium aspiration, a serious condition which may block the airway of a newborn. The condition was not properly addressed by the doctors at the hospital, and therefore the baby suffered serious and permanent injuries to the brain and neurological damage. After this injury, the child was finally diagnosed with cerebral palsy and years later is still unable to speak or walk. Since the child requires constant care, regulation will ensure that the family can afford accommodation and appropriate care.

Since 1958, the Beasley firm has set the standard for the legal representation of children injured by medical malpractice and obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts in their name. Our team of birth injury is composed of lawyers, doctors and nurses who specialize in maternal and neonatal health care. Our collective knowledge has helped get the compensatory damages in the history of Pennsylvania, a jury verdict of 100 million $ baby of the damaged brain. To learn more about the Beasley firm, call 1-800-588-0130, or contact us online.

Web site: http://www.beasleyfirm.com

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The Basics of Birth Injuries

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April 07, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- There are few times parents are more vulnerable than during the birth of their children. Many emotions take over, ranging from excitement to fear, and during those moments parents must trust medical providers to ensure the safety of both the mother and child.

Unfortunately, this is a potentially dangerous time for both mother and child. Many things can go wrong, and if medical professionals are not vigilant birth injuries can result.

Causes of Birth Injuries

Birth injuries are not uncommon, even a "normal" delivery can result in trauma to an infant. Unfortunately, many injuries are not the result of natural causes. Improper use of medical devices such as forceps and vacuums to aid in delivery of the child through the vaginal canal can increase the risk of injury. Other factors that increase the risk of a birth injury include:
- Prolonged rupture of membrane
- Pregnancy lasting longer than 42 weeks
- Misread fetal heart monitor strips
- Infections during labor

Technological advances allow doctors to reduce these risks. Obstetricians can perform cesarean sections when these or other risk factors are present, and medical professionals can induce labor if the gestational period is prolonged.

Birth Injuries and Liability

Since medical professionals have a certain level of control over these factors, they can be liable for injuries. In situations where injuries can be avoided, doctors can be held liable. This is often the case when an obstetrician fails to recognize or respond to changes in labor that signal problems.

In addition to physicians, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies can be liable for birth injuries. Hospitals may be liable if reasonable practices were not followed in hiring adequate and well-trained nurses or doctors. Pharmaceutical companies may be liable if they recommend a medication for use either during pregnancy or delivery which causes an injury.

If you or a loved one is injured as a result of a doctor's or hospital's negligence, you have a right to recover damages. Contact an experienced birth injury attorney to ensure all your legal rights and remedies are protected.

Article provided by Law Office of Michels & Watkins
Visit us at www.michelswatkins.com

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Beasley Firm Birth Injury Law Firm Recovers Multimillion Dollar Settlement for Child With Cerebral Palsy

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PHILADELPHIA, PA, April 20, 2012 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Last week the birth injury attorneys at The Beasley Firm secured yet another multi-million dollar settlement on behalf of a child diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Just before a jury was scheduled to be sworn in, Philadelphia injury attorneys Dion Rassias and Catherine Rothenberger negotiated a multimillion dollar settlement to cover a lifetime of medical expenses for the brain damaged child. As an indication of how active our labor and delivery malpractice legal team is, the trial was scheduled to run concurrently with another Beasley Firm trial involving a child disabled after the doctors and hospital failed to diagnose and treat the mother's Group B Strep infection, a common yet entirely treatable condition in pregnancy.

In the case that was just settled, the newborn suffered from meconium aspiration pneumonia, a serious condition that can potentially block the airways of a newborn. The condition was not properly treated by the hospital physicians, and consequently the baby sustained serious and permanent brain injuries and neurological damage. As a result of this injury, the child was eventually diagnosed with cerebral palsy and years later is still unable to speak or walk. Since the child requires constant care, the settlement will ensure that the family can afford appropriate care and accommodations.

Since 1958, The Beasley Firm has set the standard for legal representation of children injured by medical malpractice, and secured hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts on their behalf. Our birth injury team consists of lawyers, physicians and nurses who specialize in maternal and neonatal care. Our collective knowledge assisted in obtaining the largest compensatory damages award in Pennsylvania history, a $100 million dollar jury verdict on behalf of brain damaged baby. To learn more about The Beasley Firm, call 1-800-588-0130, or contact us online.

Website: http://www.beasleyfirm.com

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