On the blue surface there is a stethoscope, a pen and a yellow sticker with the inscription - Shoulder dystocia

Shoulder Dystocia Lawyer

Welcoming a child into the world should be a joyous occasion. However, the process can quickly turn traumatic when medical errors by careless medical personnel harm your new family member. One such error is shoulder dystocia, an injury that can cause lifelong disability and complications and affect the overall quality of your child’s life and future.

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., we help families find legal solutions that address their financial concerns following a shoulder dystocia birth injury caused by a careless medical professional. We aim to provide compassionate support and legal advice for pursuing compensation and holding medical staff and providers accountable for their actions.

If you suffered a pregnancy or childbirth-related complication that resulted in a brachial plexus injury, shoulder dystocia, or permanent disability, contact an experienced shoulder dystocia lawyer today for help. We provide a free, no-obligation case evaluation where we can explain your legal rights and options, and we charge nothing unless we recover money on your case.

What Is Shoulder Dystocia?

Shoulder dystocia is a medical condition that occurs when one or both of the baby’s shoulders become stuck in the birth canal during childbirth. The condition can occur when the mother’s pelvic bones are on the smaller side or when the infant is in the wrong position during birth. The risk of shoulder dystocia increases the larger the baby.

Some estimates suggest that the rate of shoulder dystocia can increase to 5 to 9 percent for babies born weighing more than 8 pounds 13 ounces. However, shoulder dystocia occurs only in between 0.6 and 1.4 percent of infants weighing between 5 pounds 8 ounces and 8 pounds 13 ounces at birth.

How Our Birth Injury Lawyers Can Help

At Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C., our compassionate shoulder dystocia lawyers understand the profound emotional and financial challenges that families face when coping with birth injuries like shoulder dystocia and shoulder dystocia complications. For over 40 years, we have helped Chicagoland residents pursue fair compensation and justice following an injury related to substandard medical care.

Our clients continue to praise our work ethic and dedication to their cause. Beth N. wrote, “I would absolutely recommend Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard. Their entire team has provided timely communication, care, and concern. I am very thankful for how they advocated for me.”

Beyond building a crucial rapport with our clients, we also strive to secure extraordinary results. Our lawyers have recovered more than $2.5 billion in settlements and verdicts for our clients, including a $13.3 million award for a shoulder birth injury in Cook County.

Why Does Shoulder Dystocia Happen?

Shoulder dystocia occurs when an infant’s shoulders get stuck in the birth canal. In a typical birth, the baby’s head emerges first, followed by the shoulders, the widest part of the infant. With shoulder dystocia, the shoulders become stuck or lodged in the pelvis, significantly complicating the birth process.

This medical complication can happen when:

  • A woman has a small pelvis, or the pelvic opening is too small
  • The baby is large
  • The baby is in the wrong position during delivery
  • The mother is in a position that limits the room in her pelvis

The complications of shoulder dystocia can be life-altering and include Erb’s palsy from shoulder dystocia and brachial plexus injuries from shoulder dystocia. Other complications can include Horner’s syndrome (which affects the nerves that control the eye, eyelid, and sweat glands on one side of the face) and clavicle and humerus fractures.

When Shoulder Dystocia Is Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice is highly fact-specific. It occurs when a medical professional delivers substandard medical care that a similarly trained provider would not render under the same circumstances. Shoulder dystocia and other birth injuries can fall into the realm of medical malpractice when a caregiver fails to provide adequate care to the mother or child during pregnancy or childbirth, or fails to recognize the warning signs of shoulder dystocia.

Shoulder dystocia can lead to a medical malpractice case when the following happens:

  • Medical providers fail to recognize the signs of shoulder dystocia, such as when the head emerges and the mother can’t push the shoulders out.
  • The provider fails to identify or respond to fetal distress.
  • The provider fails to recognize the baby is in the wrong position for childbirth.
  • The provider fails to take immediate steps to treat shoulder dystocia.

A skilled shoulder dystocia lawyer in Chicago can assess the specifics of your case and identify the nuances that may point to medical malpractice.

Financial Compensation Available in Medical Malpractice and Birth Injury Cases

Calculating compensation for medical malpractice and birth injury cases can be complex because of the possible extent of the related losses. Birth injuries and associated medical complications can cause lifelong impairments and disabilities, which may require ongoing medical care and, in some cases, caregivers. Pursuing maximum compensation is about ensuring your family has the funds and resources to care for your child’s immediate medical needs and accounts for potential future medical care for your child and other losses.

While the value of a birth injury case varies depending on the specifics of the situation, families can generally pursue compensation for the following:

  • Medical expenses
  • Future medical expenses
  • Lost services and earnings
  • Caretaking expenses
  • Disability
  • Shortened life expectancy
  • Pain and suffering

Contact Our Compassionate Birth Injury Lawyers Today

Shoulder dystocia is a condition that can change the trajectory of your child’s life, impacting their physical and mental health. You and your child deserve fair compensation that covers their medical expenses and other losses. A shoulder dystocia lawyer in Chicago with Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. can advocate for your family and aggressively fight to pursue the money your family needs and the accountability you deserve.

Many people in this situation worry that they can’t afford a lawyer. When you work with Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C., you won’t pay anything upfront. If we agree to take your case, we’ll handle all the legal work, investigation into the injury, secure medical experts, and negotiate with the insurance companies. If we cannot achieve a settlement, we’ll take your case to trial. Our fee will be an agreed-upon percentage of your settlement or award. If we don’t secure money for you, you will owe us nothing.

Contact our Chicago office today and request a free consultation to discuss your situation with a compassionate birth injury lawyer who will take the time to listen.