Legal news reports that a woman has filed a birth injury lawsuit against her obstetrician as the result of alleged medical malpractice. According to the claim, the baby was injured during delivery because both the woman, and her infant were too large, creating a substantial risk of complication.
If you believe your child suffered a birth injury as the result of improper medical care, consulting with an experienced California birth injury attorney is critical to begin an investigation into the factors surrounding the incident and help you obtain the redress you deserve.
In this instance, the woman had a high glucose level. Each monthly exam revealed that the woman's abdominal size was increasing more rapidly than it should. By the time the woman was 8 months pregnant, she had gained 53 pounds. However, she never received dietary counseling, an ultrasound was not performed to determined the baby's weight, and medical staff did not recommend to her to consider having a C-section. These circumstances led to "shoulder dystocia" – a situation where the baby's shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother's pelvic bone and if not taken care of correctly, can lead to substantial injuries.
There are a number of known reasons why shoulder dystocia occurs which your medical provider should be aware of. Delivering a very large baby or the mother having a small pelvic opening are common causes of this condition. If your doctor does not take effective action to prevent shoulder dystocia from causing a birth injury or neglects to assess the risk factors of your individual circumstances, they may be guilty of medical malpractice.
Here, when the child was delivered, the obstetrician allegedly put excessive downward pressure on the baby's head and neck, leading to the severe shoulder injury. This case seeks damages including medical costs and other damages.
For more information or if you believe that your child may have suffered a birth injury as the result of negligent medical care, please contact the top California birth injury lawyers at Bostwick & Peterson, LLP for an immediate consultation.