Atlanta Shoulder Dystocia Lawyer

When you place your trust in a medical professional, you expect that he or she gives you and your expected child the care an attention you deserve. However, when doctors forsake this trust, injuries could occur. If your child was harmed because of a doctor, then you need to reach out to an Atlanta shoulder dystocia lawyer. A team of lawyers could work for you and fight for the compensation your child needs. Reach out to an experienced professional today.

Shoulder Dystocia Explained

Shoulder dystocia is a complication that occurs during delivery when the baby’s shoulders become lodged in the mother’s pelvis.

Typically, the baby becomes lodged in the mom’s pelvis because the child is too big for the birth canal. This happens when the baby is born face-first or pulled out by the face which causes stress on the neck and the shoulder areas. It could also happen when the baby is born feet-first and is pulled out that way, and that causes, again, undue stress on the neck or shoulders.

While there are risk factors with shoulder dystocia, doctors cannot always predict or prevent it. Sometimes it is only discovered after labor has begun. However, there are times when doctors determine that there is a risk for shoulder dystocia. These indications are:

• If the baby is very large,
• If the mom has gestational diabetes,
• If the mom is obese,
• If the birth is taking place after 40 weeks, and
• If the mom had a previous baby with shoulder dystocia.

Shoulder dystocia is usually diagnosed by visualization. If the doctor or other medical professional sees the baby’s head but the baby’s body cannot be delivered, the doctor would then diagnose shoulder dystocia because the baby’s body is not coming out easily. However, if the doctor did not readily recognize the signs and lead to the conditions at hand, then the mothers of victims need to speak with an Atlanta shoulder dystocia lawyer for help.

Major Concerns Surrounding Shoulder Dystocia Injuries

Major concerns with shoulder dystocia are injury to the nerves of the shoulder, arms and hands. These kinds of injuries could cause shaking or paralysis of the limb, the arms, or the hands. In the most severe cases, oxygen is cut off to the brain, causing brain injury, brain damage, or death. For the mom, there could be heavy bleeding or tearing of the uterus, vagina, cervix, or rectum. If any of these injuries are inflicted on a victim, then that person needs to contact an Atlanta shoulder dystocia lawyer.

Potential Treatments by a Doctor

The treatment for shoulder dystocia depends on the severity of the injuries. Injuries to the child’s nerves in the shoulder or neck area may require physical therapy or types of massages to help the nerves. In some severe cases, there may need to be surgery performed to alleviate the nerve damage.

Preventative Measures Taken by Medical Professionals in Atlanta

If the baby is large or there are other risk factors (such as a shoulder dystocia), it is likely a doctor can choose to deliver the baby by C-section if they determine that a vaginal delivery is too much of a risk of injury to the baby.

If the doctor does not make a determination that the baby is at risk or believes that the risk of dystocia is low and goes through with a vaginal delivery, if during that delivery it is determined that there is a possibility for shoulder dystocia, the doctor could also perform certain medical maneuvers to safely reposition the baby and help the delivery along without putting undue force and pressure on the shoulder and neck area, and thereby damaging the nerves.

Contact an Experienced Attorney in Atlanta for Help

In order for an attorney or medical professional to come to the determination that more could have been done for the mom and the baby to prevent shoulder dystocia or other problems at delivery, he or she would first have to review the medical records and determine if a C-section was indicated. The typical indications at birth that a C-section was the medical choice would be that the baby was measuring too large or if there had been a previous shoulder dystocia delivery by this mom. If these issues were not present prior to the delivery and the baby seemed to be in a position that would likely lead to shoulder dystocia, then the Atlanta shoulder dystocia lawyer and medical expert would determine whether appropriate maneuvers were implemented to safely deliver the baby without injury.

If your child was harmed because of a doctor’s negligence, then you need to reach out to an attorney who could work with an in-house doctor, use cutting-edge presentation technology, and who could place your needs at the forefront of a case. Call at any time for a free case review and to speak directly to an attorney.