Forceps Delivery Injuries in North Carolina

Trial-Ready Representation for Families Harmed by Negligent Forceps Use

Forceps are hinged, tong-like instruments with spoon-shaped ends used to guide a baby’s head through the birth canal during a difficult delivery. In skilled hands and the right circumstances, they serve a legitimate medical purpose. When a physician lacks proper training, misjudges the baby’s position, or applies excessive force, the result can be a life-altering injury to the baby, the mother, or both. At Comerford Chilson & Moser, we represent families across North Carolina, including those in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and High Point, whose loved ones were harmed by negligent forceps use. We prepare every case for trial from the moment we open the file.

If your baby or a family member was injured during a forceps delivery, call us at (336) 568-8779 to schedule a free consultation. We don’t collect legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

Injuries a Forceps Delivery Can Cause

The injuries associated with improper forceps use range from temporary to permanently disabling. Because the instruments apply pressure directly to the baby’s head and neck, nerve and brain structures are particularly vulnerable.

Common injuries to the baby include:

• Brachial plexus injury and Erb’s palsy: When forceps press against a baby’s shoulders, the brachial plexus nerves can be stretched or torn. Erb’s palsy, a form of brachial plexus injury, can result in partial or complete arm paralysis.
• Skull fracture and intracranial hemorrhage: Improper positioning or excessive pulling force can fracture the skull or cause bleeding inside it, which can lead to permanent neurological damage.
• Cephalohematoma: A collection of blood between the skull and its outer membrane caused by ruptured blood vessels under forceps pressure.
• Facial nerve damage and eye injuries: Compression of facial nerves can cause palsy or paralysis, while corneal trauma and other eye injuries can result from direct contact with the instrument.
• Spinal cord injury: Rotational force applied during a forceps delivery can injure the spinal cord, with potentially severe and lasting consequences.

Mothers are also at risk. A forceps delivery can cause pelvic floor damage, pelvic organ prolapse, vaginal tears, and hemorrhaging, some of which require ongoing treatment long after delivery.

When Forceps Use Becomes Malpractice

An injury alone doesn’t establish malpractice. To support a claim, you must show that the physician failed to provide the level of care a reasonably trained obstetrician would have provided under the same circumstances. Several situations can form the basis for that showing.

Potential indicators of forceps-related malpractice include:

• The physician lacked sufficient training to use forceps safely
• Forceps were applied before the baby’s head was fully engaged or its position confirmed
• The physician applied excessive force or pulled too aggressively
• The wrong type of forceps was selected for the situation
• A needed Cesarean section was delayed while forceps attempts continued
• Signs of fetal distress were ignored
• The mother was not given informed consent before the procedure

Why North Carolina Families Choose Comerford Chilson & Moser

Our attorneys bring over 90 years of collective experience to every case, and we represent families whose babies or mothers were injured during forceps deliveries. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for clients who were wrongfully harmed, and we hold the AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell®, the highest possible rating for professional excellence.

These cases are technically demanding. We investigate each forceps injury claim with the same trial-ready preparation we bring to every matter because a thorough factual record and a credible medical foundation are what these cases require.