What You Want To Understand About The Legal Rights Connected With Shoulder Dystocia

Shoulder Dystocia (also known as Erb’s Palsy and Brachial Plexus) is unfortunately an all-too-common result of birthing delivery. Quite often, medical negligence is the culprit. This really is why the law requires that doctors ensure all stages of pregnancy through delivery proceed carefully and with constant monitoring and quick, calm reaction.

Signs Of Shoulder Dystocia

Shoulder Dystocia is very serious that occurs when a shoulder or an arm is injured due to the result of an inadequate or unsafe delivery.

Signs of Shoulder Dystocia include:

* Any loss of sensation in the affected arm or shoulder area
* Any type of paralysis or immobility in the affected area
* Atropy or smallness of damaged limbs

Risk factors may sometimes compromise deliveries. The most common risk factors associated with delivery complications include:

* Maternal size: obesity/smallness in stature
* Small pelvic areas or misshaped pelvic areas
* Gestational Diabetes
* Oversized babies
* Breeched births
* Laboring periods extended from the norm
* Longer pregnancy term
* Assisted births (forceps used, vacuum extractor used, c-section births)

Negligence or Medical Malpractice

When a child delivery is occurring, most doctors are extremely careful to help ease the baby into the world in a safe and appropriate manner. However, there are occasionally complications where it's medically necessary for a doctor to use forceps, a vacuum extractor or to conduct a c-section to keep the baby and mother safe. Of course, if a doctor makes a bad decision or an inappropriate action they might be held in medical malpractice.

Medical negligence may occur when doctors or nurses:

* Fail to respond quickly to fetal distress
* Miss the 41/42-week mark (extended pregnancy)
* Fail to treat a condition of the mother during the pregnancy which might be harmful
* Fail to fix twisted or compressed umbilical cords
* Use forceps and/or vacuum extractors without need
* Refuse a c-section when necessary
* Ignore essential post-care birth procedures

Delivery And Birthing Legal Rights

While getting ready for the birthing process, parents should become informed on this complication and many others which are possible. Legally parents have the right to question a doctor and ask for an inquiry if they feel a doctor acted inappropriately during the birthing process. If it's determined the doctor indeed acted inappropriately during the birth, the parents should certainly gain the assistance of an experienced attorney to help them gain the compensation their family and child deserves.