Vacuum Extraction Complications Attorney in Kansas City, MO
When a child is born, emotions run high. This is usually one of the happiest days in a family’s life. AÂ difficult birth, on the other hand, can cause a lot of stress for everyone involved. If a baby becomes trapped in the birth canal or undergoes other forms of severe distress, medical devices may be required to progress the delivery. These treatments have been used for decades, yet they still have the potential to injure the infant during labor.
A newborn can sustain injuries during delivery if a medical professional is careless when using an assisted delivery device, like vacuum extractors. If you are a parent whose child suffered an injury at birth due to the incorrect use of vacuum extractors, you may want to explore your legal options to seek compensation for your child’s suffering. That’s where Ricket Law Firm can help!
Do not hesitate to call our experienced medical malpractice law firm if you require the services of a reliable vacuum extraction complications attorney in Missouri!
Why do I need a Vacuum Extraction Complications Lawyer in Missouri?
It is deeply upsetting for expecting parents to discover that their newborn suffered a birth injury during vacuum delivery. It’s worse knowing that the complications were caused by medical negligence and malpractice of someone who should know what they’re doing.Â
No amount of money could ever compensate for the damage done, but pursuing legal proceedings can provide a feeling of justice. In addition, it can also provide financial security to assist in paying for your child’s medical care and treatment.
Ricket Law Firm has assisted birth injury victims and their families in Kansas City and throughout the state of Missouri. We are well-versed in medical law and have enough experience that can be used to hold negligent medical professionals accountable. We are deeply committed to pursuing justice for the children and families we represent. And we offer an unmatched experience and our drive to change policy for the better.Â
A Missouri vacuum extraction complications attorney can help you bring justice and the fair compensation claim you deserve. Call us today and set up a free consultation in complete confidence!
What is Vacuum Extraction?
A vacuum extraction, commonly referred to as a ventouse, is a procedure performed to assist a complicated or lengthy birth that poses a risk to the safety of either the mother or the infant. About five percent of all deliveries require some medical intervention, such as the use of forceps or a vacuum extractor.
During a vaginal delivery, the mother will often push as the doctor guides and pulls the baby through the birth canal. The doctor will remove the cup as soon as the baby’s head can be seen.
Vacuum extractions are recommended only during the second stage of labor when the cervix has fully dilated, and the baby has dropped headfirst into the birth canal.
How Does Vacuum Extraction Work?
The vacuum extractor is a large medical device with a soft suction cup attached to one end. During a contraction, a doctor will position the vacuum cup onto the fetal head, then apply a moderate amount of suction from the vacuum to help the child move through the delivery canal.
In most cases, the doctor will combine the pulling force of the vacuum with the force of the mother’s contractions to successfully deliver the baby.
When Is Vacuum Extraction Necessary?
Because of the potential dangers involved with vacuum extraction, medical professionals will not utilize this technique unless certain conditions are met first. There are a few scenarios in which assisted vacuum delivery is required to pull the baby from the mother successfully.
- Prolonged labor: After continuously pushing for two or three hours without making much progress, a vacuum extractor may speed up the process and rapidly deliver the baby to avoid further complications.
- Breech birth: The child enters the birth canal with the buttocks or feet first, rather than the conventional headfirst presentation.
- Shoulder dystocia: When a child’s shoulders are too broad to fit through the birth canal during delivery, this situation is considered an obstetric emergency and requires immediate medical attention.
- Fetal distress: A vacuum pump will function faster than a C-section when the baby exhibits fetal distress, such as an irregular heart rate.
- Maternal exhaustion: This happens when the mother cannot push due to physical exhaustion.
- Maternal health concerns: The mother already has a health condition that prevents her from pushing for an excessive amount of time.
When performed correctly, a vacuum extraction quickly removes the baby from the delivery canal, lowering the chance of complications for either the infant or the mother. A C-section can also be avoided with vacuum extraction. If the doctor determines that the vacuum extraction is not safe, a C-section is suggested.
If your child was born using a vacuum-assisted delivery and suffered an irreversible birth injury, consult an experienced Missouri vacuum extraction complications attorney immediately!Â
Cases Where Vacuum Extraction Is Not Recommended
Vacuum-assisted delivery can be safe. Yet, there are times and situations when it is not advised:
- The mother is less than 34 weeks pregnant
- The baby’s head is positioned too high in the delivery canal
- The baby is in a breech position and not in a head-down postureÂ
- The infant is too big to fit through the mother’s pelvic opening
- The baby suffers from a medical problem that results in weakening bones or a bleeding disorder
- The doctor is unable to verify the baby’s head positionÂ
If your newborn suffers complications due to incorrect use of a vacuum extraction device, a Kansas City, Missouri, vacuum extraction injury lawyer can assist you in understanding your legal options.
What Are The Vacuum Extraction Complications?
Using suction from a vacuum extractor to help guide the baby out of the birth canal may help avoid the need for a cesarean section and allow the infant to be delivered sooner to avoid certain health complications. However, it may also bring risks of its own.
Short-Term Complications
Within the first ten hours following birth, the majority of injuries caused by vacuum extraction can be observed in the child, including:
- Bruising and swelling of baby’s head
- Bleeding and wounds on the scalp
- Bleeding under the skin or in the brain
- Bleeding in the eyes
- Neonatal jaundice
The following are some of the potential risks to the mother:
- Blood loss and subsequent anemia
- Blood clots
- Muscle and ligament weakness around the pelvic organs
- Pain after labor and delivery
- Vaginal tears leading to infection
- Urinary or fecal incontinence, which may be temporaryÂ
Long-Term Complications
Difficulties can develop many long-term consequences during vacuum extraction, and these effects can necessitate additional medical treatment for the baby.
- Cerebral palsy
- Erbs palsy, or brachial plexus injury
- Cognitive and developmental issues
- Kernicterus
- Hearing loss
- Skull fractures
- Severe jaundice
- Hematomas
- Brain injury
- Shoulder dystocia
- Retinal birth injuries
Long-term effects for the mother may include:
- Tears and damage to the tissue in the lower genital tract
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Issues with sexual intercourse
- Urinary or fecal incontinence, which may be permanent
If you suspect medical negligence caused your child to suffer a lifelong birth injury, your best course of action is to seek legal help from a credible vacuum extraction injury attorney in Missouri.
What Causes Vacuum Extraction Complications?
Vacuum extraction complications may arise during a poorly executed assisted vacuum delivery. These complications may have significant and lifelong impacts both on the mother and the infant. Injuries sustained during vacuum extraction can be caused by a variety of factors, including the following:
- Incorrect suction cup placement on the baby’s head;Â
- Wrong vacuum cup size or type;
- Too much head and neck twisting of the newborn;
- Use of excessive power when moving the baby’s head;Â
- Pulling the head in the wrong direction; and
- Too long between recommending a C-section.
Complications during vacuum-assisted delivery can lead to having neck nerves stretched or torn, placing them at risk for spinal cord injury. The mother also risks complications when the vagina must be stretched more for the baby to escape the delivery canal.
The procedure should only be carried out if required because of a more significant danger to the mother and infant during a vacuum extraction than with natural birth.Â
Suppose your doctor was negligent and proceed using vacuum extraction despite the risks. In that case, you can pursue a legal claim with the help of a trusted Missouri-based vacuum extraction complications lawyer.Â
Vacuum Extractions and Medical Negligence
Patients put their faith in their doctor’s knowledge, training, and experience when deciding how to give birth. If either the mother or the child sustains injuries due to incorrect usage of vacuum extraction devices, it may be feasible to pursue financial compensation for those damages.Â
You will need to demonstrate the following to prove medical malpractice:Â
- The medical professional owed you a duty of care. If you had an active doctor-patient relationship at the time of the delivery, then your medical professional owed you a duty of care.
- The medical professional breached their duty of care. Demonstrate that the medical professional in question did not fulfill their responsibility. This can be accomplished by establishing that your doctor did not behave in a manner consistent with the standard of care.
- You suffered injuries because of your doctor’s failure. Establish a direct link between your doctor’s negligence and the complications you or your child sustained. Collect and compile compelling evidence, such as medical records, the outcomes of laboratory tests, and the testimonies of qualified witnesses
- You incurred damages. Detail the financial losses you incurred due to your injuries. These losses may be monetary, such as medical expenses, or they may not be monetary at all, like pain and suffering.
The health care provider could have violated their professional duty of care by misusing the vacuum extraction gear. This would constitute a violation of duty. Informed consent is an alternate perspective that may allow recovery of damages.Â
If the issue is a lack of informed consent about the vacuum extraction equipment, you must demonstrate that the doctor did not get informed consent and that you experienced harm due to the complications of vacuum extraction device use.
If the medical professionals in charge of your child’s delivery failed to provide the standard duty of care and resulted in your child’s birth injury case, reach out to a skilled Missouri vacuum extraction complications attorney to assess your case and compensation claims.Â
Vacuum Extraction Complications Compensation Claims in Missouri
If your child was injured due to inappropriate vacuum extraction, you might be able to seek compensation through a lawsuit.
- Past, ongoing, and future medical expensesÂ
- Surgery
- Therapy and rehabilitation
- Assistive devices
- Home care costs
- Other related expenses
- Pain and suffering damages
- Emotional distress
- Wrongful death claimÂ
A knowledgeable Missouri vacuum extraction complications lawyer may help you compute and assess the fair compensation you deserve. If you wish not to pursue legal proceedings, your attorney can help you reach a fair settlement with the insurance company, the hospital, and the relevant medical professional.Â
What is the Statute of Limitations for Vacuum Extraction Complications?
The statute of limitations governs the time limit for filing a birth injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations in Missouri is complicated because it varies depending on who actually files the claim.
- Medical malpractice claims if the plaintiff is the child – 20 years
- Medical malpractice claims if the parents or legal guardian is filing the lawsuit – 2 years
- Wrongful death claims – 3 years
If you want to ensure that relevant medical professionals will be accountable for their negligence and that your family will be fairly compensated, do not delay filing a lawsuit. A competent vacuum extraction injury attorney can help you strengthen your case and file a legal lawsuit timely.Â
Call Our Vacuum Extraction Complications Attorney Now!
Vacuum extraction can be helpful in circumstances of prolonged or complicated labor. When performed carefully and correct procedures are followed, they can be highly beneficial to the life and health of a child. But when done poorly, the mother and the unborn child face risks that may either be temporary or permanent. Â
If you believe you might have grounds for a medical malpractice claim for your child’s vacuum extraction complications, Ricket Law Firm is a birth injury law firm in Kansas City, Missouri that can help you obtain financial compensation. Our lawyer is committed to pursuing legal action against health care practitioners who act carelessly and cause patients to suffer harm while giving birth.
The success of your case relies on choosing the right Missouri vacuum extraction complications attorney to represent you. Speak to us now!
