Shoulder Dystocia Attorney in Bethel Park

Careful Birth Injury Reviews Backed by More Than 40 Years in Practice

Shoulder dystocia occurs when a baby’s shoulders don’t deliver normally after the head and become caught behind the mother’s pelvic bone. This obstetric emergency can injure the baby, the mother, or both.

The event alone doesn’t establish medical malpractice. Our attorneys examine the care provided before, during, and after delivery to determine whether a departure from the applicable standard of care contributed to the harm. Robert Peirce & Associates, P.C. represents families in Bethel Park and throughout Pennsylvania in medical malpractice and birth injury cases.

Potential Injuries After Shoulder Dystocia

Some injuries are identified shortly after birth, while others become apparent as a child develops or begins therapy. Limited arm movement, weakness, persistent pain, or asymmetric movement may indicate trauma from the delivery.

Potential effects of shoulder dystocia include:

• Brachial plexus injury: Damage to the network of nerves that controls movement and sensation in the shoulder, arm, and hand.
• Erb’s palsy: A form of brachial plexus injury that commonly affects the shoulder and upper arm.
• Klumpke’s palsy: Nerve damage that primarily affects the forearm, wrist, and hand.
• Bone fractures: Injuries to the clavicle or upper arm bone.
• Oxygen-related harm: Neurological injury associated with reduced oxygen during a prolonged delivery emergency.
• Maternal complications: Severe blood loss, significant tearing, uterine injury, or lasting pelvic complications.

A diagnosis doesn’t prove that a clinician acted negligently. The central question is whether the care fell below the applicable medical standard and caused an injury that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred.

When Delivery Decisions May Require Investigation

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists describes shoulder dystocia as an unpredictable obstetric emergency. Because risk factors have limited predictive value, no single prenatal finding proves that a provider should have prevented the event.

A legal evaluation examines the complete sequence of care. Relevant questions may include whether clinicians recognized available risk information, responded appropriately to fetal distress, performed emergency maneuvers correctly, or used excessive traction on the baby’s head, neck, or shoulders.

Establishing a medical malpractice claim generally requires evidence of:

• The standard of care that applied under the circumstances.
• A medical provider’s departure from that standard.
• A causal connection between the departure and the injury.
• Legally recognizable damages resulting from the injury.

Medical Records Used to Evaluate a Shoulder Dystocia Claim

Medical records must be examined before anyone can draw conclusions about the delivery team’s conduct. The timing of decisions, maneuvers performed, fetal heart rate information, and documentation after birth can clarify what happened.

Relevant materials may include:

• Prenatal records and maternal medical history.
• Labor and delivery records, fetal monitoring strips, and nursing notes.
• Operative reports and records identifying delivery instruments or maneuvers.
• Neonatal records, imaging, and evaluations completed after birth.
• Physical and occupational therapy records.
• Neurology, orthopedic, and other physician evaluations.

The evaluation must also connect the delivery event to the child’s diagnosis, functional limitations, treatment, and anticipated future needs. When supported by the evidence and applicable law, damages may include medical care, rehabilitation, assistive equipment, educational services, lost earning capacity, pain, and disability.

Pennsylvania Medical Malpractice Deadlines

Deadlines for Pennsylvania medical malpractice claims depend on the facts, particularly when the injured patient is a minor. The state generally applies a 2-year limitations period, but special rules for an unemancipated minor may allow certain claims to be filed as late as age 20.

Other timing rules and exceptions may also affect a case. The applicable deadline can depend on the child’s age, the type of claim, when the injury occurred, and other circumstances. A prompt legal evaluation can preserve important records and allow our attorneys to determine which deadline applies.

More Than 40 Years in Practice Representing Injured Clients

We handle medical malpractice and birth injury cases as part of our personal injury practice. Over more than 40 years, we have handled over 30,000 cases across our broader practice and represented clients throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. From our Pittsburgh office, our attorneys and staff provide personal attention, clear communication, and timely updates throughout each case.

Discuss the Delivery in a Free Consultation

If your baby or you were injured during delivery, a free consultation offers an opportunity to explain what happened and discuss the medical records that may be needed. We can assess whether the available evidence supports further investigation of the care provided. Because we work on a contingency fee basis, you pay no upfront attorney fees and owe no attorney fee unless we secure a favorable recovery.