When Medical Tools Become Dangerous
Vacuum extractors and forceps are used by delivering doctors when a baby is in distress in the birth canal of the mom and needs assistance to be born. While these devices are sometimes necessary for timely delivery, if used incorrectly or with excessive force, your baby can sustain facial scarring, eye injuries, skull fractures, brain injuries or even die.
With decades of experience serving injury victims from our office in Eugene, the Law Office of Robert A. Miller can help you if your child experienced an injury during birth. If your child suffered an injury at birth from either the improper use of forceps or a vacuum extractor, please call or email our office.
We will review the hospital and doctor’s notes of the birth process and consult with an expert obstetrician to determine if your baby was injured as a result of medical malpractice. If we determine that malpractice has occurred, we will help you hold the providers accountable for the compensation needed to meet your child’s medical care and needs.
Potential Risks And Complications
The use of vacuum extractors and forceps carries serious risks for both the newborn and the mother. When used improperly, these tools can cause permanent injury. Newborns may suffer skull fractures, brain hemorrhages, nerve damage or facial disfigurement. In some cases, these injuries lead to lifelong disabilities such as cerebral palsy or developmental delays.
Mothers are also at risk during assisted deliveries. Complications may include uterine rupture, vaginal or perineal trauma, and severe bleeding. These outcomes often require additional medical treatment and can have lasting physical and emotional effects.
Standards Of Care For Using Assisted Delivery Tools
Physicians are required to follow strict medical standards when using tools like vacuum extractors or forceps. They must assess the baby’s position, size, and stage of descent and ensure that continued vaginal delivery is safe for both mother and child. These tools should only be used when there is a clear medical need and with full awareness of the risks involved.
Doctors must also be trained in the correct techniques and prepared to switch to a cesarean section if complications arise. Failure to meet these standards may indicate negligence and could form the basis of a malpractice claim.
Identifying Medical Malpractice
Not every birth injury is caused by malpractice, but some are the result of poor decision-making or improper technique. If medical records show that tools were used too forcefully, without proper indication, or against established guidelines, there may be grounds for legal action.
Our attorneys will consult medical experts to review your case and determine whether the injury could have been prevented. We look closely at the timing, decisions made during delivery, and whether the care provided met the accepted standard in obstetrics.
Legal Rights And Options For Affected Families
Families whose children have been harmed by improper use of delivery tools may have legal options to pursue financial support and accountability. Depending on the facts of your case, you may be entitled to:
- Compensation for medical expenses, including surgeries, hospital stays and ongoing care
- Reimbursement for therapy and rehabilitation, such as physical, occupational or speech therapy
- Damages for pain and suffering, including emotional distress and diminished quality of life
- Support for long-term care needs, including specialized equipment, in-home assistance or educational services
- Accountability through a malpractice claim, to hold negligent providers responsible for the harm caused
At the Law Office of Robert A. Miller, we are committed to helping families pursue justice when birth injuries result from medical negligence. A lawyer from our firm will walk you through each step and seek the compensation your child deserves.
Call Us For Representation Of Birth Injury Victims Throughout Oregon
To discuss your child’s birth injury with an experienced attorney, call our Eugene law office at 541-359-4331 or contact us online. Our firm handles all medical malpractice cases on a contingency fee basis.