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A fractured collarbone is one of the most common bone injuries that can happen during childbirth. While most heal without permanent complications, it can sometimes be a sign that excessive force was applied, that a difficult delivery complication was not managed appropriately, or that a cesarean section should have been considered earlier.
If your newborn sustained a fractured collarbone during delivery and you have concerns about how the birth was handled, contact us for a free case evaluation.
Case EvaluationA neonatal clavicle fracture occurs when the collarbone breaks during the process of delivery, most commonly in difficult vaginal deliveries where the baby's shoulders become lodged behind the mother's pelvis or where excessive traction is required to complete the birth. Clavicle fractures occur in approximately 0.2% to 4.5% of all live births, and sometimes it may be a sign that mechanical force or a difficult delivery complication was involved.
The American Academy of Family Physicians identifies clavicle fracture as the most common fracture during birth, typically resulting from deliveries involving shoulder dystocia or large infants. Shoulder dystocia is the strongest delivery-related risk factor, as the additional obstetrical maneuvers required to free a baby's trapped shoulder place significant stress on the clavicle. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists identifies clavicle fracture as among the most common neonatal injuries associated with shoulder dystocia, alongside brachial plexus injury.
Several maternal and fetal characteristics may increase the likelihood of a neonatal clavicle fracture, and many of them are identifiable before delivery begins. A large retrospective study found strong associations between clavicle fractures and the following:
When these risk factors appear in a patient's prenatal record, providers are expected to account for them in how the delivery is planned and managed. A failure to anticipate a difficult delivery or to respond to complications with appropriate obstetrical maneuvers rather than excessive traction can elevate what might have been a manageable delivery complication into a birth injury claim.
Neonatal clavicle fractures are not always immediately apparent after birth, and some are identified only when a newborn shows limited movement in one arm during routine examination. Signs that a fractured collarbone may be present include:
Because decreased arm movement after delivery can indicate either a fracture or a nerve injury, healthcare providers are expected to evaluate for both when these signs are present. A newborn with a clavicle fracture should also be assessed for brachial plexus injury, as the two can occur together.
Most neonatal clavicle fractures heal completely with simple immobilization, and permanent complications are uncommon. What makes them legally significant is not always the fracture itself but what it reveals about how the delivery was managed and what other injuries may have occurred alongside it.
Medical literature identifies neonatal clavicle fractures as associated with brachial plexus injury, Erb's palsy, and, in rare cases, phrenic nerve injury. When a clavicle fracture occurs in the context of shoulder dystocia that was not managed with accepted obstetrical maneuvers, or when it accompanies a nerve injury that results in lasting arm weakness or paralysis, the fracture becomes part of a broader birth injury picture. In those cases, the full scope of what happened during delivery warrants a thorough legal review.
Families pursuing a birth injury or medical malpractice claim in Florida related to a neonatal clavicle fracture and associated injuries may be entitled to compensation for:
In cases where birth injuries result in the death of a newborn, a wrongful death claim may allow the family to recover for funeral expenses, medical costs incurred prior to death, and loss of companionship.
We work with obstetric experts who can review prenatal ultrasounds, fetal weight estimates, labor and delivery notes, shoulder dystocia documentation, and newborn examination records to assess whether risk factors were recognized, whether appropriate maneuvers were used, and whether excessive traction contributed to your child's injury.
A fractured collarbone may heal quickly, but the delivery that caused it may tell a more serious story. If your newborn sustained a clavicle fracture during birth and you have concerns about how the delivery was handled, contact The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary today for a free case evaluation.
