Trusted Shoulder Dystocia Attorneys in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Yes, shoulder dystocia is an emergency.  If the baby’s stuck shoulder does not allow for a complete delivery, the baby can suffer hypoxia or a shoulder injury. The mother can suffer an injury to her bladder or suffer a postpartum hemorrhage.  

Medical staff must react quickly and proceed with caution. There are maneuvers that should be implemented to safely dislodge the shoulder and deliver baby, without harm to mom or baby. This includes the McRoberts maneuver, which is performed by pressing the pregnant women’s legs against their abdomen, and applying suprapubic pressure. If these maneuvers do not resolve the dystocia, there are other maneuvers, including Rubin’s maneuver (pushing the fetal shoulder toward the fetal chest) and Wood’s Corkscrew (rotating the shoulder toward the fetal back).   If the maneuvers are not timely implemented and the shoulder dystocia resolved, the baby could suffer a hypoxic brain injury from loss of oxygen. [i.e. cerebral palsy, HIE, etc.] If done incorrectly, the baby could suffer a nerve injury, such as a brachial plexus injury called Erb’s Palsy, from too much force.  

Shoulder dystocia occurs in approximately .5 - 1.5% of births. About half of should dystocia cases have one or more of the following risk factors: maternal obesity, excessive prenatal weight gain, maternal diabetes, protracted labor, and fetal macrosomia (fetal weight greater than 4000  - 4500 grams (9 – 10 lbs)).1  

Sometimes, shoulder dystocia occurs without any risk factors and can’t be prevented. Other times, the likelihood of shoulder dystocia can be reduced in some cases. For example, obstetricians may have discussions with diabetic mothers about early induction of labor or planned C-section in order to reduce the likelihood of shoulder dystocia. 

If a doctor should have identified risk factors for shoulder dystocia, didn’t, and shoulder dystocia occurred that resulted in a brain or nerve injury, your child may have a medical malpractice / birth injury case. 

If a shoulder dystocia occurred, and the doctors didn’t handle it properly, and a nerve or brain injury occurred, your child may have a case for medical malpractice / birth injury. 

If you believe that you or your baby suffered injury and damages due to negligence at the hands of medical professionals, contact Hoffer & Sheremet. The next steps would typically include the following: 

• Gather and review medical records; 

• Retain expert witnesses; 
• Speak to treatment providers about your prognosis; 
• Interview you and close loved ones regarding the impact the injury has had on your life; 
• Calculate your medical expenses, out of pocket expenses, lost wages, loss of future earnings and other economic damages; 
• Send a demand letter to the hospital and medical providers to attempt pre-suit settlement; 

• Serve a Notice of Intent on the hospital and medical providers; 
• At the expiration of the Notice of Intent waiting period, file the Complaint and Affidavit of Merit to initiate litigation; 
• Conduct discovery; 
• Handle motions, court proceedings, and facilitation; 
• Try the case if there is no settlement.