Failure to Monitor Fetal Heartbeat
Nashville Birth Injury Lawyers with 150+ Years of Experience
When going through the pain of labor and childbirth, mothers have enough to worry about. It is the responsibility of their doctors and nurses to make sure they are paying attention to the equipment designed to monitor the status and health of the child, both before and during birth.
The state-of-the-art fetal monitoring equipment now in place in most hospitals should eliminate most instances of serious birth injury or wrongful death. However, doctors and nurses fail to pay attention to this monitoring equipment on occasion, greatly increasing the risk to the children.
Did your child suffer fetal distress as a result of medical negligence? If so, we encourage you to call Kinnard Law for a free consultation: (615) 933-2893.
What Can Happen When a Doctor Fails to Monitor Fetal Heartbeat?
An obstetrician or physician does not have one patient but two when examining a pregnant woman. Doctors are responsible for providing comprehensive care for both mother and child, so it is important for them to monitor the vital signs, especially the heart rate, of both patients. If they fail to monitor a baby’s heart rate, they put both patients at risk.
Common results of failing to monitor fetal heartbeat include:
- Neurological Injury – The heart pumps blood throughout the body, which carries oxygen. If the brain does not receive the appropriate amount of oxygen, the baby may sustain brain injuries. This can affect the way they process information, their motor skills, and potentially their life.
- Placental Abruption – Placental abruption occurs when the placenta partially or completely separates from the uterine wall prematurely. The baby receives key nutrients from the placenta. Thus, when the separation occurs, the fetus can go into distress. The baby’s heart rate can signify the abruption.
- Prolapsed Umbilical Cord – The umbilical cord connects the baby and mother together. It is a tube-like structure that carries nutrients and oxygen to the fetus. During a prolapse, the umbilical cord drops ahead of the baby through the open cervix. The baby can press down on the cord, which can reduce oxygen. The heart rate can alert doctors to this form of distress.
- Hypoxia / Anoxia – Hypoxia refers to the event where less oxygen is reaching the baby, while anoxia means there is no oxygen reaching the vessels. A baby’s heart rate will change if they do not receive enough oxygen. If doctors fail to monitor the heart, this event can lead to serious brain injuries.
Seeking Compensation for Your Child’s Injuries
At Kinnard Law, we have more than 150 years of combined experience helping our clients obtain compensation for injuries caused by negligence. With the medical and legal complexities involved in birth injury litigation, it is essential to work with an experienced legal team. If you or your child sustained serious injuries because your physician did not monitor heart rates, contact our Nashville birth injury attorneys today.
We have the experience to recognize failure to monitor fetal distress as a cause for:
- Erb's palsy
- Cerebral palsy
- Brain damage
- Umbilical cord compression
- Reduced blood flow
Contact Our Nashville Fetal Distress Lawyers
From record-setting verdicts to national awards, Randall L. Kinnard has earned a powerhouse reputation in the legal industry. Recent honors include "Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year for Nashville 2011, 2013 & 2017" and induction into the Inner Circle of Advocates, a group of the top 100 plaintiff trial attorneys in the United States. As a firm, we have also received numerous awards and honors.
Call us at (615) 933-2893 to schedule your free consultation.

Verdicts & Settlements
Unmatched Dedication Has Led to Record-Setting Victories-
Personal Injury - Erin Andrews Lawsuit Against Hotel $55 Million
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Medical Malpractice - 62 Year Old Woman $22.2 Million
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Medical Malpractice - Largest Verdict in Weakley County History $15.2 Million
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Medical Malpractice - Davidson County $6.5 Million
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Wrongful Death of 22 Month Old $5 Million
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Golf Cart Accident $4.4 Million
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Medical Malpractice - 24 Year Old College Student $4 Million
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Wrongful Death - Tractor-Trailer Wreck $3.25 Million
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Wrongful Death - 16 Year Old Boy $3 Million
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Auto Accident - Rutherford County $3 Million

Client Testimonials
Helping the Injured Obtain Justice
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Integrity, above and beyond
“From a choice in the Yellow Pages to Success. This Law Firm has proven itself as absolutely professional, goal oriented, kind and compassionate in the past several years during my case. Mutual trust ...”
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In the hardest two years of my life, you provided the utmost trust, comfort, and support.
“Thank you Randy, Jennifer, and Cynthia so much for not only helping me get through what has been the hardest time of my life, but for always providing grace, trust, and a sense of comfort for what ...”
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We are very grateful.
“Our case was not easy. Many law firms would not be willing to get involved with a case this complicated and time-consuming. What Kinnard Law achieved on account of conquering numerous hurdles was ...”
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Great staff.
“I had the pleasure of working with a few different Kinnard Law lawyers after a personal injury. The process in its entirety took a couple years - which is longer than I anticipated, but also news to ...”
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100% Best Lawyers Around
“You have all been so kind and loving to our family! We appreciate all the hard work and dedication you all put in for our case.”
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Awards & Accolades
Highly Respected in the Legal Community-
Randall Kinnard is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a prestigious invite-only group comprised of the top 100 plaintiffs’ trial lawyers in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard (since 1993),
Mary Ellen Morris (since 2017),
and Jennifer Eberle (since 2022)
have all been recognized for their legal skill and achievements. -
The firm has received the prestigious “Best Law Firms” rating in the practice areas of Medical Malpractice Law, Personal Injury Litigation, Product Liability Litigation and Health Care Litigation.
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Attorney Randall Kinnard is a member of ABOTA, a nationwide organization of lawyers who care passionately about the trial system in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard is an inducted member of the ACTL, one of North America’s premier trial organizations comprised of less than 1% of all lawyers in each state.
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Randall Kinnard is a member of the invitation-only International Academy of Trial Lawyers, which is limited to 500 trial lawyers in the United States.
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Randall Kinnard is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invite-only honorary society comprised of less than .5% of all U.S. lawyers.
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Attorney Randall Kinnard was named the 2019 Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs ‘Lawyer of the Year’ in Nashville, TN.
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Randall Kinnard has been voted to TN Super Lawyers®. This organization recognizes the top 5% of attorneys in their practice area.
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Randall Kinnard and Mary Ellen Morris have received the highest rating for legal excellence by Martindale-Hubbell.
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Our attorneys have been voted by their peers to the "Top 40 under 40" Trial Lawyers list, as awarded by The National Trial Lawyers organization.
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Our firm’s trial attorneys have been recognized among the state’s leading legal minds, and named by Business TN Magazine to its coveted “150 Best Lawyers in Tennessee” list.
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Our attorneys have been named as 2023 “Best of the Bar” by Nashville Business Journal.
