Chicago Vacuum Extraction Injury Lawyer
Was Your Child Injured? Call Beam Legal Team at (866) 404-5221.
Vacuum extraction is a standard method used to help along the delivery process, especially when the labor isn’t progressing smoothly or the baby needs assistance.
Vacuum-assisted births account for 80% of all assisted vaginal deliveries in the United States.
Although many medical professionals successfully use vacuum extraction, complications can arise, particularly if a careless physician mishandles the procedure. Complications can include brain injuries, cerebral palsy, or other types of birth injuries.
If you’re worried your baby may have been injured due to an improper vacuum extraction, get in touch with our birth injury lawyers at the Beam Legal Team in Chicago. We can help you determine your rights and ensure you and your child are looked after with the compensation you deserve.
Understanding Vacuum Extraction
Vacuum extraction is a medical procedure where a suction device is attached to the baby’s head to help guide them out during birth. This method is often used to facilitate a safer delivery when labor stalls or if the baby is in distress, serving as a last resort before considering further interventions.
The device securely attaches to the baby’s head and uses controlled suction to aid in the delivery while the mother pushes. Although this technique is commonly used and usually successful, it carries certain risks, including:
- Scalp injuries to the baby, including lacerations
- Minor bruising or swelling of the baby’s head, known as cephalohematoma
- Subgaleal hematoma, a severe but rare condition involving bleeding beneath the baby’s scalp
- Intracranial hemorrhage or bleeding inside the skull, another severe but rare complication
- Shoulder dystocia, where the baby’s shoulders get stuck after the head has been delivered
- Nerve damage, particularly to the facial or brachial plexus nerves
- For mothers, tears in the vaginal or perineal areas and bleeding
Need assistance? Request a complimentary consultation online or call us at (866) 404-5221.
Improper Vacuum Use Can Lead to Mechanical Trauma and Brain Damage
Like any medical intervention, using a vacuum for delivery isn’t without risks. That said, a lot of the time, injuries occur because the healthcare team didn’t use the device properly. This misuse can cause serious birth injuries, leaving lasting impacts on your child and your family.
If your medical team did any of the following, it might have led to your child’s injury:
- Improper Training: The medical provider lacked adequate training or experience with the vacuum extractor, leading to potential misuse or incorrect positioning of the device.
- Recalled Device Usage: The vacuum extractor used during the delivery had been recalled by manufacturers due to identified safety issues.
- Excessive Force: The provider exerted excessive force while operating the vacuum extractor, which could result in serious head injuries for the newborn, such as skull fractures or brain bleeding.
- Inadequate Monitoring: The doctor failed to observe the baby and mother properly throughout delivery. This oversight may lead to overlooked distress indicators or complications requiring prompt intervention.
- Delayed Decision: Using vacuum extraction too late in delivery can mean the baby endures extended stress or lacks sufficient oxygen. This delay can result in brain damage or lead to conditions such as cerebral palsy.
- Ignoring Maternal Risk Factors: The vacuum extraction proceeded despite evident risk factors for the mother, such as a baby too large for the maternal pelvis, a previous C-section, or a preterm birth before 34 weeks.
Legal Rights and Options
If the improper application of a vacuum extractor during childbirth has impacted you, you’re not without recourse. Our experienced lawyers at Beam Legal Team are ready to help you understand your rights and secure compensation for you and your child.
First, we’ll review your case to assess whether medical negligence contributed to your child’s injuries and to understand the full scope of the harm caused. Following this, we’ll discuss your legal options, which might involve initiating a medical malpractice lawsuit against the responsible provider, hospital, or medical personnel.
As part of this process, we can help you gather evidence to prove that:
- The provider owed you a duty of care.
- They breached this duty by acting negligently while you were under their care.
- Their negligence caused you and your baby’s injuries.
- You and your child suffered damages like medical expenses, lost wages, or pain and suffering.
Evidence might include your medical records, opinions from expert witnesses, and details about your medical costs and any income you’ve missed. This information helps us piece together what happened leading up to the injury and determine the financial and emotional effects on your family.
Possible Damage Awards After a Birth Injury
At Beam Legal Team, we understand how a birth injury can shake the foundations of your family’s future. Our team can ensure your compensation fully covers a secure future for you and your newborn after this life-changing incident. Your compensation may include:
| Damages | What They Cover |
| Medical Expenses | These include costs for immediate medical treatment following the birth, such as hospital stays, medications, and surgeries. |
| Ongoing Care Costs | These are expenses for long-term care needs, such as physical therapy, special education needs, or home care services. |
| Lost Wages | This refers to income lost due to taking time off work for medical appointments or caring for your child. This can also cover your child’s loss of earning capacity due to their injuries. |
| Pain and Suffering | This is compensation for physical pain and emotional distress experienced by you or your child due to the injuries. Other psychological impacts could include anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
This also includes damages for the loss of enjoyment of life or quality of life.
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Please give us a call to learn more about how we can help you address your child’s birth injury.
Choosing the Right Lawyer
Navigating birth injury claims can be tough, especially since hospitals often push back hard to avoid paying out what families rightfully deserve. You’ll want a legal team that’s not just familiar with these battles but has a solid history of winning vacuum extraction cases.
When you sit down with a lawyer, here are some questions you might ask to clarify their experience and how they’d manage your case:
- “How much experience do you have with birth injury cases, specifically those involving vacuum extraction?”
- “What is your approach to handling cases like mine, and how do you plan to investigate and gather evidence?”
- “Can you provide examples of past cases similar to mine that you’ve successfully resolved?”
- “What are the expected timelines for a case like this, from the initial consultation to the resolution?”
- “How do you communicate with clients throughout the case, and how often can I expect updates on my case’s progress?”
At Beam Legal Team, we’ve got over three decades of legal experience under our belts. We’ve successfully fought for and won over one billion in compensation for families affected by birth injuries. Some of our victories include:
- $4,750,000 for a baby who was severely brain damaged due to improper use of a vacuum device that contributed to a skull fracture during delivery
- $4,300,000 for a baby with cerebral palsy due to multiple complications, including a failed vacuum extraction
Need Answers? Contact Our Chicago Vacuum Injury Lawyers Without Delay.
Did the negligence of a doctor cause your child’s birth injury? You might be entitled to compensation if your child sustained a birth injury because a doctor carelessly used a vacuum extractor during delivery.
Our firm in Chicago has helped clients like you secure over one billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for children harmed by birth injuries. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you address your child’s birth injury.
