Medical Verdicts

Did excessive traction lead to brachial plexus injury?


 

Marion County (Ohio) Court of Common Pleas

Following shoulder dystocia, an infant was born with brachial plexus injury, which resulted in partial paralysis of her right arm.

In suing, the plaintiff—who was 15 years old at trial—claimed that the physician applied excessive downward traction at the time of the dystocia.

The physician countered that the injury was caused in utero and during delivery due to uterine contractions, expulsive forces of labor, and normal traction.

  • The jury awarded the plaintiff $900,000.
The cases presented here were compiled by Lewis L. Laska, editor of Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts. While there are instances when the available information is incomplete, these cases represent the types of clinical situations that typically result in litigation.

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