C-Section Injuries
A Cesarean section, often abbreviated as “C-section,” can be a lifesaver in a complicated delivery. But this invasive surgery also has the potential to produce serious birth injuries and complications for both mother and child.
C-section injuries can cause permanent disabilities and disfiguring scars. Contact a Fort Worth birth injury lawyer from Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, who can review the circumstances of the harm you or your baby suffered during a C-section delivery. We can then help you pursue compensation for your damages.
You can call (817) 420 7000 to schedule a free initial consultation by contacting our Fort Worth, TX law firm today.
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How Can a Fort Worth Birth Injury Attorney Help If You Suffered a C-Section Injury?
Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, has represented Fort Worth, Texas, victims of accidents and other traumatic events since 2003.
Over the past 20 years, our Fort Worth birth injury attorneys have recovered over $100 million in compensation for injured clients.
If you suffer a C-section injury, our lawyers can provide the following:
- Advice and counsel to educate you about your legal rights and options
- An investigation into what went wrong to cause your injury
- Expert witness guidance and support to strengthen your claim
- Experienced negotiators to fight for a fair settlement of your medical malpractice claim
- Aggressive litigators ready to take insurers to court if they refuse to settle your case
A birth injury can cause lasting physical and emotional trauma to both mother and child. Contact our Fort Worth medical malpractice lawyers for a free consultation to discuss the birth injuries that occurred during your C-section and the compensation you can seek for them.
How Often Do C-Sections Occur?
In its most recent annual Vital Statistics Report, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported the final birth statistics for 2021. That year, the U.S. had 3.7 million live births. Of these, 1.3 million were cesarean deliveries. Thus, 32.1% of births in 2021 resulted from cesarean delivery. The percentage has hovered around 32% since 2014.
Doctors recommend C-section delivery in a few circumstances, including the following:
- Multiple births
- Maternal pre-existing condition
- Problem with the placenta
- Improperly positioned baby
- Blockage in the birth canal
Additionally, doctors may make a spontaneous decision based on a perceived emergency condition. For example, suppose that the umbilical cord prolapses through the cervix ahead of the baby. In that case, doctors may perform an emergency C-section to avoid cutting off the baby’s blood supply during delivery.
Doctors sometimes perform C-sections even in the absence of these special circumstances. According to the vital statistics report, doctors delivered over 316,000 babies by C-section in low-risk pregnancies.
Potential Injuries and Complications From C-Sections
Doctors perform C-sections by cutting through the skin, fat, and muscle between the abdomen and pelvic region. The incision crosses the body and follows the “bikini line.” In the past, doctors would cut along the centerline of the body. They now favor horizontal incisions because they are easier to repair and involve less bleeding than vertical incisions.
Once they reach the abdominal cavity, they cut across the lower portion of the uterus. The exact location of the incision may vary depending on the baby’s position and the reason for the delivery, such as the umbilical cord in the birth canal. The doctor then pulls the baby through the incision and clears the baby’s airway.
Injuries can happen during this invasive procedure. When they result from medical errors, you might have a claim for personal injury compensation for yourself or on behalf of your child.
Some injuries that occur during C-section deliveries include:
Lacerations
During any invasive procedure, a practitioner can accidentally or even deliberately lacerate you or your baby. Lacerations pose several problems. Lacerations bleed, and uncontrolled bleeding can cause shock and a drop in blood pressure. Even a slow, undetected bleeder can cause pain as you bleed internally until you heal or until doctors perform a second surgery to repair it.
Musculoskeletal Injuries
Doctors need to use some force to move organs and deliver the baby from the womb. While applying that force, they can tear muscles, dislocate joints, or fracture bones. Even when they use instruments, doctors can cause swelling under the scalp called caput succedaneum and cephalohematoma.
Nerve Damage
Most musculoskeletal injuries heal. However, nerve damage can produce lifelong disabilities such as permanent paralysis and loss of sensation.
One type of nerve damage, called Erb’s palsy, happens when doctors pull too hard on a baby’s shoulder as they extract it from the uterus. Stretching or tearing of the nerves in the brachial plexus results in paralysis, weakness, and loss of dexterity in your child’s arm and hand.
Anoxic Injuries
Anoxic injuries refer to brain injuries that occur when your brain does not receive enough oxygen. Just five minutes without oxygen can lead to permanent brain damage. Five minutes after that, the patient can experience brain death.
Medication Errors
Medication and anesthesia errors can affect you and your child during a C-section. An anesthesiologist can administer too much anesthesia during the procedure, leading to nerve damage.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Fort Worth C-Section Injury Lawyers
A C-section injury might require medical treatment and long-term therapy for you or your child. Contact Stephens Law Firm, PLLC, for a free consultation to discuss the injuries you suffered due to medical errors during a C-section.
