Medical Malpractice Attorneys In Baltimore
Get Legal Help For Your Forceps Injuries
Murphy Falcon & Murphy’s Baltimore-based lawyers have been fighting for parents and children who are victims of birth injuries for years. Often, hospitals and insurance companies ignore these parents, leaving them with medical bills accrued from someone else’s mistake. In addition to heavy economic burdens, the suffering and trauma of the birth injury can be overwhelming. Seeking out lawyers with the necessary experience to help you through a difficult time is imperative.
We are here to help the vulnerable members of society, and we have been since 1948. Large corporate hospitals don’t pay for their mistakes because their legal teams can be so powerful. Ordinary patients typically do not have the means to fight back against these huge organizations, which is why we offer our legal services for no cost up front. With our decades of expertise and experience, we have strong medical malpractice attorneys who are dedicated to standing up for you. Contact our office today for a consultation about your birth injury case.
Although rare, there are risks for a child when doctors use forceps during a delivery. These may include:
- Facial injuries
- Eye trauma
- Weakness in facial muscles
- Skull fractures
- Seizures
- Brain damage
- Erb’s Palsy
- Cerebral Palsy
- Spinal cord trauma
Forceps Injuries During Birth
Sometimes medical staff will use forceps to assist in the delivery of a baby. If a mother is pushing but the baby is not descending, or if the baby seems to be in distress and an immediate delivery is necessary, some doctors will use forceps to protect both the mother and the child.
If a mother is in the midst of giving birth, the hospital may ask for the mother’s consent to use forceps during delivery. The answer from the mother should always be no, although most women are not offered alternatives to forceps at the time they give their consent, or they may not be in the right state of mind to think clearly due to pain, fatigue, stress, and possible pain medication. Alternatives to forceps include caesarean or vacuum-aided delivery. Both methods have lower risks than forceps.
Risks Associated with Forceps Delivery
The excess pressure on an infant’s delicate skull can cause irreparable brain damage, which is why forceps assisted deliveries are becoming less common. Studies have shown that cesarean deliveries have lower rates of maternal and infant trauma, making it the more preferred method. Ideally, your medical provider will choose a safe and effective method. However, this isn’t always the case, as thousands of infants suffer from birth injuries every year during hospital births.
Injuries from forceps can be temporary or permanent, depending on severity. Facial injuries can include lacerations, bruising, or marks which are temporary. Eye trauma can range from bruising to permanent blindness. Weakness in facial muscles is typically a temporary injury, resolving within a few weeks.
Long-lasting or lifelong effects from forceps can include brain damage, Erb’s Palsy, Cerebral Palsy, or spinal cord trauma. These injuries can last your child’s whole life, and they cause medical issues that progressively worsen over time. The monetary costs and suffering inflicted on a family from this type of birth injury are cause enough to contact a qualified birth injury lawyer in Baltimore.
Should I Contact a Birth Injury Attorney?
If your infant suffers an injury from a forceps-assisted delivery, we recommend seeking an experienced birth injury lawyer as soon as possible. Injuries that occur during birth are often caused by medical negligence or hastily made decisions on the part of medical staff. Patients should feel confident that their care is both adequate and professional. Call Murphy Falcon & Murphy today to discuss the possibility of taking action in a forceps injury case. Our experienced legal staff will happily give you a consultation to discuss your possible case.