Shoulder
Dystocia

Preventative Measures Should Be Used To Avoid Injury

Shoulder dystocia occurs when an infant’s head has passed through the birth canal but his or her shoulders remain caught behind a mother’s pubic symphysis. In this situation, if a doctor attempts to deliver a child without changing the position of an infant’s shoulders, damage to the brachial plexus nerves will result in Erb’s Palsy, Cerebral Palsy, Klumpke’ paralysis, or physical impairment.

In order to avoid injuries associated with shoulder dystocia, doctors, nurses, and attending staff should undertake a number of preventative measures that involve monitoring the position of a baby, recording vital signs, and looking for symptoms indicative of shoulder dystocia. If shoulder dystocia is diagnosed, doctors can employ McRobert’s maneuver, Wood’s screw maneuver, or Zavanelli’s maneuver in order to avoid injury to an infant. At Greene Ketchum, our attorneys expose negligence on the part of doctors and nurses that results in injuries due to shoulder dystocia.

If your child suffered serious injury due to shoulder dystocia and physician negligence, contact birth injury attorneys at Greene Ketchum today to schedule an appointment and discuss your case.

Exposing Negligence On The Part Of Doctors

Most doctors – and their HMOs – will deny any wrongdoing in shoulder dystocia cases. Parents are told births are inherently risky and sometimes doctors are overwhelmed by circumstances beyond their control. At Greene Ketchum, our lawyers consult obstetricians, surgeons, and other medical experts in reviewing the actions and decisions of doctors. We uncover deviations from standard treatment protocols, violations of the standard of care, as well as failures in communication, that lead to a failure in diagnosing shoulder dystocia.

Establishing A Trust Or Structured Settlement For Your Child

Our office also provides families with information that can help them establish a special needs trust with proceeds received from a settlement or award in their case. A special needs trust or structured settlement not only sets aside money for a child’s future care, it also exempts certain funds from tax liability and Medicaid eligibility calculations.

 There Is No Statute Of Limitations On Shoulder Dystocia Cases

Under West Virginia state law, children are protected from the statute of limitations in cases involving injuries due to shoulder dystocia. However, since recovering of medical records and eyewitness testimony is important, the sooner an investigation and case is initiated, the better.