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Health & Fitness

Birth Injuries Caused by Vacuum Extraction

photo credit: Weird Beard

It is a tragedy when after nine months of doing everything right to protect your unborn child, something goes terribly wrong during delivery and an otherwise healthy child is born with an irreparable injury.  While in most cases the obstetrician and medical staff do everything known to them to protect the health of your newborn, there are instances where the injury could have been avoided had proper medical procedures been followed.  It is hard for a distraught new parent to differentiate between an unavoidable accident and medical negligence.  If your child is suffering due to an injury at birth, bring your case to the attention of a medical malpractice attorney.  Their experience in this area of law will help determine if you and your child deserve to be compensated.

Vacuum Extraction

During the labor and delivery process, expectant parents put all their trust in their doctor.  They expect that excellent care will be taken to bring the baby into our world without harm.  There are certain devices, such as vacuum extractors, whose use has been questioned by many medical experts.  These are used for babies who are having a hard time clearing the birth canal during delivery.  Some physicians may refer to it as an assisted or an operative vaginal delivery.  They work by applying pressure to the baby’s head in order to prevent it from moving back up as the contractions stop.  Best case scenario the baby is delivered and only displays a small amount of bruising or swelling on his head.  Worst case, the baby will suffer from permanent brain damage.

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Negligence occurs when the physician applies too much pressure during the attachment or detachment of the device to the baby’s scalp.  Serious injury can also result from too much suction pressure, or if it was attached for an unusually long amount of time.  A new mom was awarded 19 million dollars by a jury after hearing testimony in regards to her vaginal delivery and the use of a vacuum extractor on her son.  In this case, the doctor went against the manufacturers recommendations and used the vacuum a total of 15 times during the delivery.  The manufacturer of the device had warned against using it more than 3 times.  The baby suffered permanent brain damage and will need 24 hour care for the rest of his life.

Besides brain damage or bruising, vacuum extractors may also cause skin abrasions, head trauma, nerve damage or bleeding inside the brain. 

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St. Louis Birth Injury Lawyers

Having to suddenly care for a baby that is suffering from a serious birth injury requires a lot of time, energy and optimism.  Often times the parent will need additional financial support to adequately take care of the newborn, often for the rest of their life.  With the aid of a medical malpractice lawyer, new parents may be able to recover some of those expenses from a negligent physician. 

If you are now experiencing the financial and emotional difficulty of taking care of a child that was hurt during their delivery, contact a St. Louis birth injury lawyer at the Zevan and Davidson Law Firm. With over 20 years of experience and proven track record of success, our attorneys can evaluate your case for free and help you determine the best course of action to take.

Call us today at (314) 588-7200 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. 

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