Richmond Forceps Injuries and Vacuum Extraction Injuries Attorney
Doctors use several different tools during the labor and delivery process. Two very common tools used to assist births are forceps and vacuum extraction. While the use of these types of equipment are often necessary to prevent injury to the infant or mother, they also pose great risk to both when they are not used properly. If you or your child has sustained injury due to forceps or vacuum extraction, a Richmond forceps injuries and vacuum extraction injuries attorney can help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Forceps Injuries
Forceps are sometimes necessary to gently guide and pull a baby’s head from the birth canal. Forceps are typically used when labor is not progressing quickly enough, even with intense pushing from the mother. Sometimes, babies are facing the wrong way when they emerge from the birth canal. When babies are born face up, forceps can help gently turn the child around.
While forceps are sometimes necessary, medical staff are sometimes negligent when using them. When that is the case, an infant may suffer from:
- Eye injuries
- Weakness or paralysis in the face
- Injuries to the face
- Skull fractures
- Nerve damage
- Brain damage
- Seizures
Unfortunately, it is not only children that suffer from forceps injuries. The woman in labor can also suffer from tears, pain, blood loss, anemia, difficulty urinating, and uterine rupture when forceps are not used properly.
Vacuum Extraction Injuries
Vacuum extraction uses suction to guide an infant out of the birth canal. A cup is attached to the child’s head and, while the mother is pushing, the doctor uses a handle on the tool to pull the child out. Vacuum extraction is often used during difficult labors, and particularly if the health of the infant or the mother is in jeopardy. While vacuum extraction is sometimes necessary, it also has the potential to cause serious injuries to the mother, including:
- Tissue damage in the lower genital tract
- Blood loss and anemia
- Weakness in the pelvic organs, muscles, and ligaments
- Incontinence, which is sometimes permanent
Vacuum extraction can also cause serious injuries to the infant. Some of the most common of these include injuries to the scalp, bleeding in the brain or under the skin, skull fractures, neonatal jaundice, and brain damage, which the child may never recover from. When either the mother or the child has suffered any of these injuries as a result of vacuum extraction, you may be able to file a medical malpractice claim to recover damages.
Our Virginia Medical Malpractice Lawyers Want to Help with Your Case
If you or your child has suffered birth injuries such as those caused by forceps or vacuum extraction, our Richmond medical malpractice lawyers are here to help. At MichieHamlett, our attorneys understand how devastating birth injuries are, and we know how to hold negligent doctors and other healthcare professionals liable. Call us today at (434) 951-7200 or fill out our online form to schedule a meeting with one of our attorneys and to receive the sound legal advice you need.
