Chicago Forceps Injury Attorneys

Representing Families Experiencing Problems After Forceps Delivery

When labor becomes difficult, a medical practitioner may use forceps—a medical instrument designed to extract the baby's head—to pull the baby through the birth canal rather than using a vacuum extractor. Sometimes an episiotomy (a perineal incision) is performed so that the medical practitioner can use forceps to assist the mother during delivery. When an attempted forceps delivery fails, an emergency cesarean section may be required. At Beam Legal Team, our lawyers in Chicago have represented many families whose children sustained birth injuries due to the improper use of forceps during delivery.

Call (866) 766-3806 to learn about your options during a free consultation.

What Are the Prerequisites for a Proper Forceps Delivery

Prior to receiving a forceps delivery, there are several circumstances that must be in place. That is because this should only be done when absolutely necessary because of the risks involved. The following are the only circumstances in which a forceps delivery should occur:

• The cervix must be dilated while the membrane ruptured. At the same time, the baby’s head must be pointed downward toward the birth canal
• Labor is not progressing no matter what
• Baby’s position is not known
• Baby has an irregular heartbeat
• Baby’s head is in the wrong direction
• Mother has health concerns that may pose risks due to pushing on contractions

Common Forceps Injuries

Improper use of forceps can lead to the following serious injuries:

• Skull fractures - A baby’s skull is a sensitive part of their body and if forceps are not applied with just the right amount of force, it can cause the skull to fracture. If this happens, it can lead to brain hemorrhaging, which can also cause long-term problems.
• Eye trauma - Forceps have an interesting design where they essentially clamp the head of the infant to help the mother deliver. As a result, there can be pressure to the head region, including the eye. If done incorrectly, the child can suffer trauma to their eye and lose vision.
• Brain damage - One of the most common injuries to occur from improper use of forceps, brain damage can arise if the forceps are used to aggressively. The pressure buildup or strength of the clamp can cause the brain to have issues and conditions to develop. One common injury that occurs from brain damage after using forceps is cerebral palsy.
• Blood clots, which can lead to strokes.
• Facial nerve damage
• Facial lacerations or bruising

The proper positioning of the forceps on the child's head is of vital importance. If you believe your child's birth injury is linked to the use of forceps, our nationally recognized law firm can help you pursue compensation.

Maternal Forceps Injuries

Unfortunately, the use of forceps doesn’t just pose a risk for the infant. There are also potential risks for the mother such as tears, pain post-delivery, blood loss, uterine rupture, or a pelvic organ prolapse. These can cause quite a bit of pain for an extended period of time and other issues.

Forceps Injury Attorneys in Chicago, Representing Families Nationwide

During our more than 30 years of experience, our team of Chicago forceps injury lawyers have secured over one billion dollars in verdicts and settlements for families across the nation. We are passionate when it comes to handling birth injury cases because we know how hard these situations are for families. Should you choose to retain our services, you can feel confident in knowing you are being represented by highly skilled trial lawyers with ample resources and access to medical experts and analysts.

For passionate legal representation, call Beam Legal Team as soon as possible.