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Shoulder Dystocia

Shoulder Dystocia Attorneys

Shoulder dystocia is a serious obstetrical complication that can be dangerous for both baby and mother. It is the primary factor behind brachial plexus injuries, such as Erb’s Palsy and Klumpke’s Palsy.

Shoulder dystocia occurs during delivery when the baby’s shoulders are too large for the birth canal and become stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone. The head emerges, but instead of immediately being followed by the shoulders, the baby’s neck retracts and the baby becomes unable to move forward without immediate assistance from trained medical staff, including doctors and nurses. Shoulder dystocia occurs in about one of every 1,000 headfirst deliveries.

In most births, the delivery of the head is the most difficult step, and the shoulders and rest of the body easily follow. However, in some cases, the baby’s shoulders are much wider or larger than normal, and become stuck under the mother’s pubic bone. Larger babies and babies born to diabetic mothers are at a higher risk for having larger than normal shoulders, but there are many other risk factors that increase the chances for shoulder dystocia, including:

  • Diabetes in the mother;
  • Obesity in the mother;
  • The baby is more than 41 weeks old at delivery;
  • The mother has a small pelvis;
  • The mother is small in stature;
  • The baby has a higher than normal birth weight;
  • The mother has previously delivered a large baby or experienced shoulder dystocia during prior deliveries.

Not every delivery involving one or more of these risk factors results in shoulder dystocia, and not all instances of shoulder dystocia are preventable. However, obstetricians are specifically trained to look for these potentially dangerous warning signs so they can anticipate the situation prior to an emergency delivery. In circumstances where shoulder dystocia happens unexpectedly without any previous risk factors, a well-trained doctor must be ready to immediately assemble a team of other medical professionals to provide urgent help.

When doctors or nurses fail to properly manage shoulder dystocia, or are unprepared for an emergency, they are considered to be negligent. A medical malpractice attorney with experience in shoulder dystocia injury claims can help evaluate the circumstances of your child’s injury. A lawyer will work with accredited medical experts to evaluate whether healthcare standards were met and provide you with your legal options.

If you have concerns about your child’s birth injury, please contact Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. for a free, no-obligation consultation at (877) 249-1227. Our staff includes both legal and medical professionals who understand the emotional, physical and financial turmoil that medical malpractice causes – and we remain committed to helping our clients rebuild their lives. Please keep in mind that there are strict deadlines for filing medical malpractice actions. The statute of limitations may be running on your claim, so time is of the essence.

For 27 years, the attorneys at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. have represented medical malpractice victims across Illinois, including but not limited to Chicago, Lake County, Cook County, Aurora, Rockford, Naperville, Joliet, Springfield, North Peoria, Peoria, Elgin, Waukegan, DuPage County, Will County, Kane County, Winnebago County, McHenry County, Madison County, and St. Clair County.