Birth Injury Lawsuit Alleges Brachial Plexus Injury Caused by Negligence

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A woman whose child was injured during childbirth has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Atlanta Medical Center alleging failure to diagnose and provide care for the expectant mother, properly monitor the fetal heart rate, recognized the heightened risk factors for shoulder dystocia, properly use the vacuum extraction method, employ proper obstetric methods to free the baby’s shoulders in the birth canal, and the timely ordering of a C-section in order to avoid the risk of brachial plexus injuries from shoulder dystocia.

According to the birth injury lawsuit, “The plaintiff presented at the hospital on February 22, 2011 around midnight, just one day prior to her due date. Immediately prior to her admission, the plaintiff was examined and determined to be 5 centimeters dilated, however the baby had not made significant descent into the birth canal – as noted by the station status of -1. The plaintiff continued to labor for several more hours, during which her dilatation increased but her station did not. In other words, the baby was not progressing at an ideal rate for imminent delivery.
After several hours laboring, evidence of fetal heart rate decelerations, and several more hours of pushing, the obstetrician made several attempts to deliver the baby via vacuum extraction. Finally, at 2:30 pm on February 22, 2011, the child was born via vaginal delivery with a fractured left clavicle and brachial plexus injury.”
The lawsuit states that as a result of the brachial plexus injury, the child will be permanently disabled.

Mark Abramson
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