Waiting for your little one to arrive is an exciting and nervous time. Trying not to think about everything that could possibly go wrong during delivery is difficult, particularly for first-time parents. Unfortunately, birth injuries can occur when delivering a baby. Whether the birth is done vaginally or through a C-section, the process can put the little baby in distress. A common type of birth injury in Virginia and throughout the United States is a bone fracture. You should speak with a Virginia birth injury lawyer if your baby fractured a bone during delivery and you believe that your doctor was at fault.
When born, babies have more bones than do adults—some of the bones knit together as the child grows. When a baby is being pushed through the birth canal or os pulled during a C-section, a limb or bone can get stuck. This is particularly common in larger babies and during extended deliveries. Further, if the delivering physician uses forceps, these can squeeze a baby’s delicate limb too tightly.
Bones that are most often fractured during delivery include:
- Collar bone (clavicle)
- Thigh bone (femur)
- Arm (humerus)
If you live in Washington, D.C., learn your rights by ordering a copy of our free book Medical Negligence: Your Rights in the District of Columbia. If you live in Virginia, order a copy of our free book Do I Have A Case? A Patient’s Guide to Virginia Medical Negligence Law. Both books are available through our website.
At Shevlin Smith, we hope that your delivery is uneventful and that there are no complications. However, we also know that physicians and hospital staff do not always respond appropriately to complications that arise. At Shevlin Smith, our Fairfax birth-injury attorneys want to speak with you if your baby was injured during delivery. If you are in Virginia or Washington, D.C., call our office at 703-721-4233.