Vacuum-Assisted Delivery Complications Lawsuit

What Are Vacuum Delivery Complications?

Vacuum extractors are used to help pull babies from the birth canal when complications arise during labor. The vacuum has a soft cup that’s attached to the baby’s head and a pump that creates suction.

The doctor gently pulls as the mother pushes, helping guide the baby through the birth canal. However, when mistakes are made, the vacuum can cause serious complications, affecting the health of the baby and mother.

Understanding Vacuum Delivery Complications

• Vacuum delivery complications include brain damage, brachial plexus injuries, skull fractures, and more.
• If a vacuum extractor is used incorrectly and the child is harmed, it could be considered medical malpractice or negligence.
• Families may be able to file a birth injury lawsuit to hold negligent health care providers accountable and seek compensation for their child's care.

“The rates of maternal and neonatal complications were significantly higher among vacuum-assisted deliveries.”
– Cureus, Journal of Medical Science

Our on-staff registered nurses can listen to your story and help you figure out if a medical provider's mistake may have contributed to your child’s condition.

At Sokolove Law, we have over 45 years of experience successfully handling birth injury cases and securing compensation for families. Contact us now to see if we may be able to fight hard for everything you deserve.

Types of ​​Vacuum Baby Delivery Side Effects

When an assisted vacuum delivery is performed, there’s always a risk of a child suffering an injury if the device is used incorrectly. In some cases, the birth injury may be minor and heal on its own, but others may result in long-term health impacts.

Side effects of a vacuum delivery on a baby include:

• Brachial plexus injuries: Doctors can damage the network of nerves around the baby’s shoulder by using the vacuum. This can result in a condition marked by arm weakness or paralysis called Erb’s palsy.
• Caput succedaneum: This swelling of the scalp can be caused by a vacuum extractor’s pressure on the baby’s head.
• Cephalohematoma: A collection of blood between the baby’s scalp and skull due to damaged blood vessels, it often heals without medical intervention. When the injury is severe, children may experience permanent impairments.
• Cerebral palsy (CP): When a vacuum extractor is used with too much force, damage to the parts of the brain that control movement can lead to this life-long condition.
• Facial nerve paralysis: If the vacuum extractor’s cup is misaligned, it can damage the nerves in the face. Babies who are affected may appear to have uneven facial features.
• Hearing loss: A vacuum extractor applied with too much force can injure structures in the ear like the auditory nerve, causing partial or complete hearing loss.
• Intracranial hemorrhage: This condition, characterized by bleeding in and around the brain, can be life-threatening. One study found that the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage more than doubled when a vacuum extraction birth was performed.
• Jaundice: The vacuum extractor can bruise the scalp, increasing the risk of jaundice (a yellowing of the skin due to the breakdown of red blood cells). When left untreated, jaundice can lead to a type of brain damage called kernicterus.
• Retinal hemorrhage: Pressure on the baby’s head during delivery can damage the delicate blood vessels in the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye. Some infants may suffer permanent vision problems.
• Skull fracture: Newborn skulls are soft and more susceptible to injury. When too much suction is applied, the cup is placed in the wrong position, or the device is used for too long, fractures can occur.
• Subgaleal hematoma: When veins in the baby’s head are ruptured, blood can accumulate in the connective tissue between the skull and the scalp. Babies can suffer shock and even death if it’s not treated right away.
• Stroke: Vacuum-assisted delivery complications include bleeding in the brain, which can result in blood clots. A blood clot can cause a stroke by blocking blood flow to the brain, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients.

When a health care provider fails to use vacuum extractors with care, they can also injure the mother. Complications from a vacuum-assisted delivery may include vaginal tears, postpartum bleeding, and urinary incontinence.

By taking legal action for a birth injury, families can seek compensation for their child’s medical expenses and provide them with the best care possible.

Malpractice & Vacuum Extraction Births

When a doctor performs a vacuum-assisted delivery, there’s a greater chance of the baby and mother suffering complications.

Doctors are trained to look for risk factors in advance and use vacuum extractors safely. When they fail to do so, it may be considered medical malpractice.

Vacuum extraction malpractice may involve a health care worker:

• Applying too much force during the procedure
• Attempting an extraction for more than 20 or 30 minutes
• Continuing with the procedure after 3 sets of pulls or 2 to 3 cup detachments
• Failing to check the newborn for injuries after the procedure
• Mismanaging shoulder dystocia (child’s shoulder stuck behind the mother’s pubic bone)
• Not properly positioning the suction cup on the baby’s head
• Relying on the device instead of ordering a C-section
• Using both forceps and vacuum extraction to deliver the child

When a health care professional’s medical mistakes cause harm, families may be able to file a vacuum-assisted delivery complications lawsuit to hold them accountable and pursue compensation.

“Our baby suffered a skull fracture and brain hemorrhaging from multiple vacuum attempts. She spent two weeks in the NICU and cooling therapy was done, but she was diagnosed with CP. Without Sokolove Law helping us, we wouldn't have known what to do or even where to start.”
– Pennsylvania Parent & Firm Client

How to Prove Medical Malpractice

To prove medical malpractice, your attorney will need to show that your child's birth injury could've been prevented if a health care provider provided proper care.

At Sokolove Law, our birth injury lawyers are supported by paralegals, labor and delivery nurses, and medical experts who investigate birth injury cases to determine what may have gone wrong and who may be to blame.

Your legal team will gather key evidence like:

• Medical records and bills
• Expert witness reports
• Eyewitness statements
• Health care provider’s employment and disciplinary records

This evidence will be used to determine if the labor and delivery team may have failed to provide the standard of care expected and caused harm as a result.

Our on-staff registered nurses can listen to your story and help you understand if negligence may have contributed to your child’s condition.

Who Can Vacuum Extraction Birth Lawyers Help?

Vacuum extraction birth lawyers can help parents and guardians who suspect that a medical mistake was made during delivery and their child suffered as a result.

You may be able to file a vacuum extraction complications lawsuit if:

• Your child suffered a vacuum extractor injury
• The injury was caused by a preventable medical error

Even if you’re unsure whether medical malpractice may have been to blame, reach out to us as soon as possible. Birth injury lawsuits have deadlines called statutes of limitations, which limit how much time you have to take legal action.

Our labor and delivery nurses can help you get the answers you need and explain your legal options before time runs out.

Filing Vacuum Delivery Claims

At Sokolove Law, our birth injury attorneys understand that the long-term effects of a vacuum-assisted delivery can take an emotional and financial toll on your family.

They can handle all aspects of a ventouse delivery claim for you, so you can focus on your child’s health and well-being.

The basic legal process involves your vacuum injury lawyers:

• Providing a free case review to determine if you may have a case
• Collecting evidence of medical malpractice, like your child’s medical records and reports from experts
• Filing your vacuum-assisted delivery complications lawsuit
• Negotiating a Kiwi vacuum delivery settlement
• Representing your family in court if a settlement is unable to be reached

Regardless of the path your case takes, your legal team will fight to secure as much compensation as quickly as possible.

Vacuum Delivery Injury Settlements & Verdicts

At Sokolove Law, we’ve recovered more than $1 Billion for families affected by birth injuries, including those involving vacuum extractors.

Some of our past vacuum delivery injury payouts include:

• $9 Million for a 5-year-old child in Colorado with CP from a vacuum extractor injury
• $8 Million to the family of a New York child for vacuum extraction complications
• $8 Million for a California child with cerebral palsy from vacuum extractor injuries
• $9 Million to an Alaska family denied a C-section before their child was harmed by a vacuum extractor

While there’s never a guarantee of compensation in any case, our vacuum trauma lawyers will fight hard to get you everything you’re entitled to.

Compensation from a birth injury settlement can help cover your child’s medical expenses and long-term care costs.

Risk Factors for ​​Vacuum Extraction Birth Injuries

In some cases, the use of vacuum extractors may not be safe or appropriate due to certain risk factors. Doctors have a responsibility to thoroughly assess these factors before deciding to use vacuum-assisted delivery.

Failing to do so could lead to serious birth injuries for both the mother and baby — and may be considered medical malpractice.

A vacuum extraction birth may not be appropriate when the baby:

• Has a bone or bleeding disorder
• Has a head that’s too large or the mother’s pelvis is too small
• Is premature or the mother is less than 34 weeks pregnant
• Isn’t in a head-first position or their head hasn’t dropped down into the mother’s pelvis

Doctors have a duty to check for risk factors ahead of time to safeguard the health of the mother and baby. When they fail to do so, it may be considered medical malpractice.

When Do Doctors Use Vacuum Extraction?

Doctors use vacuum extractors during difficult deliveries or prolonged vaginal births to remove the baby from the birth canal and reduce the risk of complications.

A vacuum delivery may be considered when:

• Labor is not progressing despite the mother pushing
• The mother is too tired to continue pushing
• The mother has a health condition preventing her from pushing too long
• The baby has an abnormal heart rate, indicating fetal distress
• The infant is struggling to exit the womb on their own
• There is a need to adjust the infant’s position in the womb
• The second stage of labor is prolonged

While vacuum extraction offers another way for health care professionals to assist mothers in labor before resorting to a C-section delivery, it should be used with caution.

Treatments for Vacuum Extraction Delivery Complications

Following a vacuum-assisted delivery, doctors should promptly examine both the mother and baby for any complications. Many vacuum extraction injuries can be treated effectively if addressed soon after delivery.

Bruising and swelling of the baby’s head from the suction cup is common and often heals without treatment, according to Cleveland Clinic. Doctors will closely monitor the child for 2-3 days to decrease the risk of any long-term complications.

If more serious vacuum-assisted delivery complications arise, medical interventions may vary. Possible treatments for a child’s vacuum extraction injuries include surgery, light therapy, and physical therapy.

Prompt treatment of vacuum extraction delivery complications like jaundice, skull fractures, and nerve damage can prevent a baby from developing more serious health conditions.

Developmental delays caused by a vacuum extractor brain injury may take longer to detect. It’s important to monitor your child to ensure they’re hitting appropriate milestones like sitting, crawling, and walking as they grow.

Vacuum-assisted delivery complications lawsuit settlements can provide financial relief and peace of mind.

Let Our Vacuum Injury Lawyers Fight for Your Family

If your child was injured due to vacuum-assisted delivery complications, you may be eligible for compensation that can help with the cost of their treatments and provide them with a brighter future.

At Sokolove Law, our birth injury attorneys have recovered over $1 Billion for families across the country, including those affected by vacuum extraction injuries.

As a national birth injury law firm, we have over 45 years of experience seeking justice for children and their loved ones — and there are no upfront costs or hourly fees to work with us.

Our vacuum injury lawyers can fight for the compensation your family deserves. We also have registered nurses who can answer your questions and provide support throughout the legal process.

Call (800) 995-1212 now or fill out our contact form to take the first step toward justice.

Kiwi Ventouse Delivery Negligence Claim FAQs