Shoulder Dystocia Injury Attorneys

Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas Birth Injury Lawyers

When a baby’s shoulders get wedged behind a mother’s pubic bone during a delivery, it causes an obstetric emergency. The doctor has precious few minutes to deliver the baby and prevent it from suffocating. The doctor may use mechanical force such as forceps or a vacuum device to try to extract the baby. But the use of mechanical force may cause the baby to suffer trauma, such as skeletal fractures or brachial plexus injury.

If a doctor failed to recognize risk factors of a complicated delivery and caused a preventable birth injury to your baby, you should talk to a knowledgeable Kansas City birth injury lawyer. Some birth injuries can cause lifelong problems. Your baby may need therapy or surgery to address a birth injury. The doctor’s malpractice insurance should pay those medical expenses and your other damages if the doctor was responsible for the birth injury.

A committed medical malpractice attorney at the Potts Law Firm will evaluate at no charge whether your baby’s birth injury was likely caused by a preventable medical error and explain your legal options. Then you can make an informed decision with your baby’s future in mind.

Birth Injury? Call the Potts Law Firm Today

Founded in 2002 by attorney Derek Potts, the Potts Law Firm has a winning combination of proven legal experience, energy and enthusiasm.

• Our aggressive advocacy on behalf of our birth injury clients has earned the respect of our peers.
• Potts’ legal knowledge and expertise has earned him leadership positions in several national litigations.
• Our accident and injury lawyers have obtained significant verdicts and settlements on our clients’ behalf and successfully resolved hundreds of catastrophic injury cases.

Let our injury and accident lawyers put our legal experience and energy to work for you. For a free evaluation of your birth injury claim, contact us toll free at (800) 220-9341 or use our online contact form.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Potts Law Firm provides a free initial consultation to birth injury victims in Kansas City, Missouri; Independence, Missouri; Lee’s Summit, Missouri; Overland Park, Kansas; and Olathe, Kansas.

Common Birth Injuries Caused By Shoulder Dystocia

Shoulder dystocia occurs in about 15 percent of vaginal deliveries, according to medical studies. The birth complication is more common with oversized babies and large babies born to small mothers. The most common birth injury resulting from shoulder dystocia is Erb’s Palsy, an injury to the delicate nerves that control the baby’s hand and arm motion. The stretching or tearing of the nerve fibers of the brachial plexus causes Erb’s Palsy. Another type of brachial plexus injury is Klumpke’s Palsy, damage to a different region of the brachial plexus nerve fibers that affect movement of the baby’s elbow and forearm.

A brachial plexus injury may involve a rupture of the nerve fibers, a stretching of the nerves and trauma that leads to scar tissues that affects the nerve’s transmission of brain signals. A 1993 medical study said that brachial plexus injury occurs in roughly 15 percent of deliveries involving shoulder dystocia. In many cases where the nerves are stretched, the baby eventually gains motor control of their arms and hands.

The second most common birth injury caused by shoulder dystocia is a fractured collarbone. Shoulder dystocia greatly increases the risk of a fractured collarbone.

Many types of birth injuries are avoidable if the doctor carefully monitors the pregnancy and is alert to the likelihood of shoulder dystocia and other delivery complications. If a doctor deviated from the recognized standard of medical care and caused a birth injury to your baby, the doctor and their insurance company may be liable for damages. We can help you understand what really happened.

Trust An Experienced Birth Injury Malpractice Lawyer

If you suspect that your newborn has an injury as a result of a doctor’s mishandling of shoulder dystocia during delivery, contact a knowledgeable birth injury attorney to advise you. The experienced medical malpractice lawyers at the Potts Law Firm will help you evaluate your medical records and determine if you have grounds to file a legal action.

Based in Kansas City, Missouri, the Potts Law Firm provides a free initial consultation to victims of birth injuries in Kansas City (MO); Independence,(MO); Lee’s Summit (MO); Overland Park (KS); and Olathe (KS).

For a free evaluation of your birth injury and legal options, call us toll free at (800) 220-9341 or use our online contact form.