Shoulder Dystocia and Brachial Plexus Injuries, New Jersey

In a normal delivery, the baby’s shoulders usually follow the baby’s head through the birth canal. In some natural births, however the baby’s head delivers normally, but a shoulder becomes stuck beneath the mother’s pelvic bone. The medical condition is known as shoulder dystocia. Doctors and midwives are trained to quickly recognize signs of shoulder dystocia and to take obstetrical measures to extract the shoulder and deliver the baby without injury.

Failing to act appropriately can result in serious and long-term neurological, skeletal and muscular injuries. These injuries can lead to cognitive delays or mobility issues that necessitate an IEP, make it difficult for your child to hold a job, and/or cost your child the future you envisioned. Contact our New Jersey birth injury lawyers today to learn how we can help.

Signs of Possible Medical Negligence

Slight pressure downward on the baby's neck and head is referred to as traction. Attending physicians and midwives sometimes improperly apply excessive downward force on the baby's head and neck in an effort to alleviate the dystocia and when excessive traction is applied it may cause neurological injuries to the baby. Neurological damage to the brachial plexus nerves from improper excessive traction can result in permanent inability to control the shoulder, arm, wrist and hand on the affected side of the body. This type of neurological injury from excessive traction is often called Erb's palsy.

Improper obstetric measures to alleviate shoulder dystocia during birth and excessive traction are recognized as medical malpractice on the part of the attending physician. If your baby was born with a serious injury resulting from shoulder dystocia in a New Jersey hospital, talk to New Jersey birth injury lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP, with offices in Edison, Red Bank and Toms River.

Our firm has a record of recovering millions of dollars in damages on behalf of families whose babies have suffered permanent injuries or death because of negligence on the part of attending physicians or hospital staff members.  New Jersey birth injury lawyers have achieved some of the largest verdicts and settlements in the country in brachial plexus cases. Due to our experience and expertise in these types of cases we are familiar with the medically complex, but frequently frivolous, defenses used by defendant physicians, their insurance companies and their attorneys in defending these cases. We work with many of the most recognized experts in the areas of birth injuries and life-care financial needs. We prepare our cases thoroughly and do not settle for less compensation than the law makes available.

We represent parents of babies born with any type of birth injury, including:

Click here to read "Deconstructing The Brachial Plexus Injury Case" by Daryl Zaslow. This article was published in Trial Magazine’s Medical Malpractice Issue (PDF).

New Jersey Birth Injury Lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP- Providing Experienced Legal Representation in Shoulder Dystocia Claims

From offices in Edison, Red Bank and Toms River, our New Jersey birth injury lawyers provide legal advice and representation to victims of  medical malpractice and personal injury litigation in New Jersey. Call Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP at 732-777-0100 or contact us online to schedule a  free consultation with an experienced New Jersey medical malpractice lawyer.