Forceps Delivery Injury Attorneys Serving NYC And Long Island Families In Infant Trauma Claims

Last updated on July 16, 2026

Forceps are a recognized delivery tool – but their use carries strict medical criteria that every physician must meet before picking them up. When a doctor applies forceps outside those criteria or uses excessive force, the result can be catastrophic and permanently injure a newborn. At Rich & Rich, P.C., our forceps delivery injury attorneys, Jeffrey M. Rich and Marc L. Rich, have nearly 80 years of experience representing families across New York City and Long Island. They fight to hold negligent physicians accountable for the harm they cause.

What Is A Forceps Delivery?

Forceps are metal, tong-like instruments that a physician uses to grip a baby’s head and guide delivery through the birth canal during difficult labor. When used correctly and under the right conditions, forceps can assist in a safe delivery. Conditions that may justify their use include:

• A mother who cannot push due to fatigue or a medical condition
• A prolonged second stage of labor that threatens the baby’s well-being
• Fetal distress that requires a faster delivery

Even when these conditions exist, physicians must satisfy additional medical requirements before forceps become an appropriate choice.

When Forceps Use Becomes Negligence

Accepted medical standards impose strict requirements that a physician must meet before using forceps. The baby must be in the correct position, the cervix must be in a state of full dilation and the baby’s head must fit safely through the mother’s pelvis. When a physician proceeds without confirming these conditions, the results can be severe. Contraindications that should prevent forceps use include:

• An incompletely dilated cervix
• A baby’s head that’s too large to pass safely through the pelvis
• A uterine rupture, where scar tissue from a prior C-section tears open
• Failure to confirm the baby’s correct position before applying force

As forceps delivery injury attorneys, our lawyers know that proceeding under any of these conditions may constitute a clear departure from accepted standards and form the basis of a birth injury malpractice claim in New York.

What Are The Signs Of Forceps Trauma?

Signs of improper forceps use can appear after delivery. Parents should watch for indicators that suggest that a medical worker used excessive or negligent force. Infant injuries linked to forceps misuse include:

• Cephalohematoma, a collection of blood beneath the scalp caused by a vessel rupture
• Facial nerve damage or paralysis affecting the newborn’s ability to move facial muscles
• Skull fractures from an improper grip or excessive force during delivery
• Brain hemorrhage and the neurological conditions that may follow
• Brachial plexus injuries, including Erb’s palsy
• Cerebral palsy tied to oxygen deprivation or trauma

Mothers may also sustain serious injuries, including vaginal and cervical lacerations, bladder damage and bowel incontinence. New York City infant trauma claims can account for both the mother’s and the baby’s injuries.

What Our Team Can Do For Your Family

Our attorneys at Rich & Rich, P.C., bring decades of experience to forceps delivery injury cases. They work with medical professionals to demonstrate exactly how physicians’ use of forceps departed from accepted standards. They take every case on a contingency basis with no upfront legal fees, and we advance litigation costs.

If you need a Long Island birth injury attorney or representation anywhere across the five boroughs, we are prepared to fight for your family.

How Do You Know If Forceps Were Used Negligently?

The fact that forceps are a common delivery tool does not mean they were used within the standard of care. Our New York malpractice attorneys will review delivery records, fetal monitoring data and hospital protocols to determine whether the physician met every required condition before proceeding. As forceps delivery injury attorneys, our team will give you an honest, no-cost evaluation of your claim.

What Compensation Can Your Family Recover?

Families working with a forceps delivery injury attorney at our firm may seek compensation. They can help you recover compensation regarding the following:

• Past and future medical expenses for both mother and baby
• Long-term therapy and rehabilitative care costs
• Your child’s pain and suffering
• Loss of your child’s future earning capacity
• The mother’s physical and emotional injuries

Each claim’s value turns on the specific facts. Our attorneys will give you a direct and clear picture of what recovery may look like for you and your family.

Hold Negligent Physicians Accountable For Your Child’s Injuries

If your baby suffered harm because of improper forceps use, contact a forceps delivery injury attorney at Rich & Rich, P.C., today. Call us at 212-407-5570 for a free consultation. We serve families throughout New York City and Long Island with no upfront legal fees.