Fayetteville, AR Attorney for Birth Injuries Caused by Forceps

Delivering a child is an exhausting and yet beautiful experience. However, if your child was injured by a negligent medical practitioner that failed to use a birthing tool properly, this can leave you upset and worried about the health of your child. No parent or child should have to live with a serious injury due to the unreasonable mistake of a doctor. If your child was injured when your doctor improperly used forceps during the delivery, contact an experienced Fayetteville forceps birth injury attorney.

The Kieklak Law Firm believes that an injury caused to a newborn because of the actions of a negligent medical practitioner is unacceptable, and the responsible parties should be held accountable. Our firm is ready to stand with you in your time of need. To schedule a free consultation to discuss your legal options, contact the Kieklak Law Firm at (479) 316-0438, or contact us online.

How Forceps are Used

Physicians often use obstetrical forceps to aid in the delivery of a child. This birthing instrument resembles salad tongs and is used to extract a baby from the mother’s birth canal during delivery.

When using forceps during a delivery, a doctor will place the open side of the instrument around the baby’s head to carefully guide the child out of the womb when the mother is experiencing contractions. Forceps are typically used when a mother is having difficulty pushing the child from the birth canal for any number of reasons, like exhaustion or illness.

A doctor may also justify the use of forceps if a child travels through the canal in breech position (feet first) or if there is an indication that the child’s vital signs are in jeopardy. Generally, a doctor should not utilize forceps if they do not have a viable way to perform an emergency cesarean section if the forceps are ineffective.

If a doctor perceives that the mother has a health condition that may become aggravated from pushing the child from the womb, they may decide to use forceps instead.

Alternatively, there are other scenarios where a doctor should avoid using forceps during the delivery of a baby:

• There is a concern that the child has a condition that can cause hemorrhaging
• The baby has weak bones that could be seriously injured when using forceps
• The doctor cannot ascertain where the location of the baby’s head in the birth canal
• The shoulders or arms of the infant are pushing through the birth canal before the head
• The baby cannot fit through the pelvis of the mother safely, or the mother would be seriously injured if the child was delivered vaginally

Injuries Caused by Incorrect Use of Forceps

The incorrect use of forceps can cause serious injury to a newborn baby and the mother of the child. For example, if a doctor uses excessive force when trying to pull a baby from the womb with forceps, this could result in serious bruising or swelling. Other birth injuries that can be caused by improper use of forceps include:

• Brain damage
• Brachial plexus palsy
• Skull fractures and other head injuries
• Seizures

This is not an exhaustive list. There are other injuries that may be caused due to the incorrect utilization of forceps. Additionally, the mother of the child can also suffer injuries or develop conditions like vaginal tears, urethra and bladder injuries, and anemia.

To learn more about the risks and possible injuries that can be caused by improperly using forceps, continue reading and speak with an experienced Fayetteville birth injury lawyer.

Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit After a Forceps Birth Injury

If you believe that your doctor acted negligently when delivering your child, you should consider filing a medical malpractice lawsuit. Our firm can help you build your case against a negligent medical practitioner that failed to provide you and your child with the care you both deserved.

In addition to helping you prepare for your case; we will also ensure that your lawsuit is handled with care. Some lawyers will accept cases without fully understanding the position of their client. For example, if you are nearing the filing deadline for your medical malpractice lawsuit, we will ensure that your case is timely filed within Arkansas’s two-year statute of limitations.

A successful lawsuit will help you manage medical expenses for your child and other issues that may arise. Our firm is ready to help you pursue justice against the doctor or hospital that failed you and your child.

Our Fayetteville Forceps Malpractice Lawyer is Here for You

If your child was the victim of a birth injury due to the negligent use of forceps, consult with an experienced Fayetteville medical malpractice lawyer today. With over 20 years of legal experience, birth injury lawyers Ken Kieklak is ready to represent you in your birth injury claim. To schedule a free legal consultation, contact the Kieklak Law Firm at (479) 316-0438.