What Are Vacuum Extraction Complication Claims?
When health care providers use a vacuum extractor to help deliver a baby and cause harm, the family may be able to take legal action by filing vacuum extraction compensation claims.
Vacuum extractors are used to guide babies from the birth canal during difficult deliveries. However, when the device is used incorrectly, babies can suffer severe vacuum extraction complications like brain damage or brachial plexus injuries.
While some children may recover, others may be affected for the rest of their lives. Money from vacuum extraction compensation claims helps families provide the best possible care. Most claims end in out-of-court settlements, speeding up the legal process.
The Birth Injury Justice Center works with attorneys who can help families in all 50 states. Our legal partners have recovered over $1 billion for families impacted by preventable birth injuries like vacuum extraction complications.
Get a free case review now to see if we may be able to help your family, too.
Vacuum Extraction Compensation Amounts
Vacuum extraction compensation amounts vary depending on the severity of the child’s injury and the medical care they’re likely to need over the course of their life.
When babies suffer severe harm, families may be entitled to millions of dollars from vacuum extraction settlements to provide their child with critical neonatal care, therapies, and lifelong care.
- $8 million in Colorado for a baby who suffered bleeding inside the skull and brain damage
- $5 million in Massachusetts for an infant diagnosed with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)
- $1.1 million in Michigan for a child who developed cerebral palsy (CP) after multiple vacuum extraction attempts
- $2.4 million in Washington for a baby with brain damage caused by improper use of a vacuum
- $4 million in Colorado for a child who sustained a brain injury after a vacuum extraction cup was incorrectly placed
If your child suffered preventable injuries, you may qualify for compensation from vacuum extraction compensation claims.
A birth injury lawyer can calculate the costs of your child’s lifetime care and fight for vacuum extraction compensation to provide them with the best future possible.
Call the Birth Injury Justice Center right now at (800) 914-1562 or Click to Live Chat to see if a top birth injury attorney may be able to file a vacuum extraction compensation claim for your family.
Vacuum Extraction Injuries and Medical Malpractice
Vacuum extraction is used during a vaginal delivery when a baby needs help moving through the birth canal. A device with a suction cup is placed on the baby’s head, allowing the doctor to guide the baby out as the mother pushes.
If used incorrectly, under the wrong conditions, or with too much force, this procedure can cause serious complications. When health care providers make mistakes using vacuum extractors, their actions may be considered medical malpractice.
- Applying too much suction, leading to an intracranial hemorrhage (brain bleed)
- Delaying or not ordering a cesarean section, resulting in oxygen loss and cerebral palsy
- Ignoring risk factors, like the baby’s size or position, before using a vacuum extractor
- Misplacing the vacuum cup, causing injury to the baby’s scalp and skull fractures
- Not monitoring the baby’s vital signs for indications of fetal distress
- Overusing the tool after multiple detachments, leading to brain damage
Medical professionals are trained to check for risk factors ahead of time and act quickly to make any necessary adjustments to prevent birth injuries to the mother and baby.
Vacuum extraction compensation claims pursue the money that families need to care for their children and hold negligent health care providers accountable for causing harm.
If the cause of vacuum extraction complications in your child could have been prevented, you may be able to take legal action. A birth injury attorney may be able to file vacuum extraction claims for compensation to ease your financial worries.
Who Can File a Vacuum Extraction Compensation Claim?
Families of children who suffered harm from a vacuum extraction delivery may be able to file a vacuum extraction compensation claim if medical errors were made.
- Parents: The child’s primary caregivers who have been directly affected
- Legal guardians: Individuals with legal responsibility for the child
Some vacuum extractor complications like cuts, bruises, or a cephalohematoma (bleeding under the scalp) may be detected soon after birth. However, in some cases, vacuum-related injuries may not be diagnosed until months — or even years — later as the baby grows.
You don’t need an official diagnosis to start the process of seeking vacuum extraction compensation. Our team is here to help you figure out if you may be eligible for compensation from vacuum extraction compensation claims.
Connect with one of our experienced labor and delivery nurses right now — for free.
Steps to Filing a Vacuum Injury Claim for Compensation
Filing vacuum extraction compensation claims involves several important steps. A birth injury lawyer can handle all aspects of the legal process, so you can focus on caring for your child.
- Free case review: Leading birth injury law firms provide free consultations, allowing you to find out if you may have a case without any financial risk. Get a free case review right now.
- Collect evidence: Your legal team will collect key evidence, like medical records, witness testimony, and expert opinions, to build a strong vacuum injury compensation claim.
- File your birth injury lawsuit: Your attorney will file a vacuum extraction lawsuit in the correct court before any legal deadlines.
- Negotiate a settlement: Your lawyer will strive to secure a vacuum extraction settlement that provides enough compensation for your child’s lifetime care costs.
If your vacuum extraction malpractice lawsuit doesn’t settle, your legal team can fight for your family in court and work to secure compensation from a trial verdict.
However, the majority of birth injury lawsuits end in out-of-court settlements, providing access to compensation quicker and without the added stress of a trial.
Factors That Impact Vacuum Extraction Compensation
Several factors related to the child’s birth injury and use of the vacuum device may affect how much money families receive from vacuum extraction compensation.
When a child suffers severe harm due to obvious medical mistakes, vacuum extraction compensation claims may award life-changing sums of money.
- Costs of birth injury treatments, like prescription medications, surgeries, and therapies
- Extent of medical malpractice committed by the health care providers
- Pain and suffering experienced by your child and family
- Severity of vacuum injuries and their expected long-term effects
State laws may also impact how much vacuum extraction compensation you may recover, as rules may vary depending on where you live.
The Birth Injury Justice Center works with experienced lawyers who can determine your child’s lifetime care costs and file vacuum extraction compensation claims that demand the money you deserve.
Get a free case review to take the first step toward compensation and justice.
When to File Vacuum Extraction Compensation Claims
Families should consider filing vacuum extraction compensation claims as soon as they suspect medical mistakes may have caused their child’s condition.
Acting quickly is important as laws called statutes of limitations limit how much time you have to take legal action. Once this window closes, you won’t be able to file a vacuum extraction compensation claim again.
Each state has its own deadline for filing birth injury cases, so it’s crucial to work with a lawyer who understands your local laws and can ensure your vacuum extraction claim is filed on time.
Call us right now at (800) 914-1562 — before time runs out.
Get Help Filing Vacuum Extraction Compensation Claims
When a device that’s supposed to help deliver a baby safely causes harm, a child may suffer permanent disabilities that require expensive treatments and care.
Filing vacuum extraction compensation claims can help families seek the money needed to give their child the best shot at a full and happy life.
We’ve partnered with top lawyers who can help families in all 50 states and never charge any upfront costs or hourly fees.
Together, our legal partners have secured more than $1 billion for families affected by vacuum extraction complications and other preventable birth injuries.
Call us at (800) 914-1562 right now, or fill out our form to see if we may be able to help your family seek compensation.
Vacuum Extraction Compensation Claims FAQs
What happens when vacuum extraction fails?
If vacuum extraction fails, the delivery team should stop using the vacuum pump and work to deliver the baby another way. For example, they may perform a C-section to protect the health of the baby and mother.
However, if an obstetrician continues with a vacuum extraction when the delivery isn’t progressing or there are signs of fetal distress like an abnormal heart rate, they can cause serious injuries.
In these cases, vacuum extraction compensation claims can provide families with the money needed for medical bills and more.
What are the benefits of vacuum extraction?
Vacuum extraction is a type of assisted vaginal delivery that allows health care providers to deliver babies quicker. Speeding up the delivery process can be especially beneficial when the baby is showing signs of fetal distress or the mother is exhausted and can’t push any longer.
However, vacuum extraction comes with risks. When medical professionals misuse the device or use too much force, they can cause life-threatening vacuum delivery complications.
What are the injuries of vacuum extraction?
Vacuum extraction can increase the risk of several serious and life-altering health conditions.
Vacuum extraction injuries in babies include:
- Cerebral palsy
- Erb’s palsy
- Facial lacerations
- Skull fractures
- Subgaleal hematoma (clotting blood between the scalp and skull)
- Subgaleal hemorrhage (active bleeding between the scalp and skull)
Mothers may experience vacuum-assisted delivery injuries like vaginal tears and incontinence.
If you or your baby was harmed, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, long-term care costs, and more.
Get a free case review now to get started.