Epidurals and spinal blocks are commonly used to relieve pain during vaginal childbirth and prevent women from feeling pain during C-sections. Most work as intended, but sometimes the anesthesia doesn’t provide enough relief, wears off too soon, or causes a serious complication.
In rare cases, mistakes during administration or failures to recognize warning signs can leave mothers with permanent injuries or even cost them their lives.
Below, we share real stories of women who experienced devastating complications involving childbirth anesthesia. We also discuss why epidurals sometimes fail, the injuries they can cause, and when patients may have grounds to pursue compensation after a botched epidural.
If you or someone you love suffered a serious injury or wrongful death because of an epidural failure during childbirth, the Tampa medical malpractice attorneys at Palmer Lopez can help you understand your legal options.
Learn more by scheduling a free consultation.
Real-life cases of epidural failures and injuries during childbirth
Mother feels emergency C-section after anesthesia fails
Imagine undergoing a C-section and feeling the surgery despite having received anesthesia. That’s exactly what journalist and professor Rachel Somerstein says happened when she delivered her first child.
In a May 2024 interview with NPR, Somerstein recalled being able to feel the operation as it was happening. Even more upsetting was what happened afterward. She says a medical practitioner came to her hospital room and suggested the problem was with her body, telling her that she hadn’t processed the anesthesia correctly.
Somerstein and her daughter survived without lasting physical injuries, but the experience changed how she felt about childbirth and medical care. She developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), struggled to trust healthcare providers, and found herself dreading her daughter’s birthday because of the memories it brought back.
She considered suing the hospital but was reportedly told she didn’t have a viable case because neither she nor her daughter had suffered long-term consequences. Instead, Somerstein turned to writing, eventually publishing Invisible Labor: The Untold Story of the Cesarean Section, which explores her traumatic experience and the broader history of C-sections.
Years later, Somerstein said she still believed she might have had another child if her first birth hadn’t been so traumatic.
Broken anesthesia needle remains in Florida mother’s spine for 20 years
For 20 years, Amy Garrison lived with a piece of a broken needle lodged in her spine. She says she didn’t even know it was there for most of that time.
Garrison had gone to Naval Hospital Jacksonville in September 2003 to give birth to her son. According to a July 2023 report by First Coast News, her lawsuit alleged that a needle broke during an attempt to administer anesthesia, leaving a roughly 2-inch fragment embedded near her L4 vertebra.
Although Garrison spent years dealing with chronic pain, it wasn’t until approximately 15 years after giving birth, when she underwent a CT scan for an unrelated medical concern, that doctors discovered the needle.
Even then, there was no easy solution. Neurosurgeons initially told her that taking the fragment out was too dangerous. She continued living with it until July 2023, when surgeons at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis were finally able to remove it.
Unfortunately, getting the needle out didn’t mean her ordeal was over. She still needed physical therapy, had to use a walker, and experienced numbness and painful sensitivity in her left leg.
Garrison filed a lawsuit against Naval Hospital Jacksonville in 2018, but the case was dismissed in 2020 because the filing deadline had expired even though she reportedly didn’t know the needle was inside her body until years after her son’s birth.
Epidural complication leaves New Jersey mother partially paralyzed
Alexandra Mejia was just 18 years old when she arrived at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey in October 2019 to give birth to her first child. She delivered a healthy baby boy, but a serious complication from her epidural left her partially paralyzed.
According to a November 2023 report by the Daily Voice, Mejia developed an epidural hematoma, a collection of blood that put pressure on her spine.
Her lawsuit alleged that an obstetric anesthesiologist noticed heavy bleeding but ruled out a hematoma after examining her. He also allegedly failed to notify other medical staff about the problem before his shift ended. No one addressed her condition overnight or the following day, according to the lawsuit.
An MRI eventually revealed the hematoma pressing against her spine. By then, Mejia had suffered serious neurological injuries that left her unable to walk and required her to use a catheter to urinate.
The case ended in a $13.5 million settlement with physicians and nurses involved in her care.
Missouri mother is paralyzed from the waist down after childbirth epidural
Danielle Stewart went to the hospital in October 2014 to give birth to her first child. Instead of leaving with her newborn daughter, she left on a stretcher, paralyzed from the waist down.
According to a June 2026 report by the Missouri Independent, Stewart’s labor was induced with medication. She was also given an epidural, but she continued to feel painful contractions. Her medical team encouraged her to press a button on her epidural pump, which allowed her to receive an additional dose of pain medication through the catheter.
Instead of relief, Stewart felt what she described as an “electrical jolt” through her back, followed by excruciating pain. She said the anesthesiologist dismissed her concerns, attributing the pain to back labor. Eventually, a second epidural was placed, and she delivered her daughter, Marilyn, by emergency C-section.
But 72 hours after giving birth, Stewart still couldn’t feel her legs. Just days after Marilyn’s birth, Stewart had to temporarily place her daughter in her mother’s care while she was transferred to a rehabilitation center. She spent weeks there and later underwent extensive physical therapy. Stewart described how painful it was to watch her mother and brother care for her baby while she struggled to recover.
Five years after giving birth, Stewart reached a settlement with the hospital. Although she eventually regained the ability to walk with ankle and foot braces, her feet remain paralyzed. She says she still experiences frequent back pain and sometimes needs a scooter to get around.
Improper epidural administration leads to a mother’s death in New York
Sha-Asia Semple was 26 years old and preparing to welcome her first child when she arrived at Woodhull Medical Center in Brooklyn in July 2020. She and her partner, Juwan Lopez, had chosen a name for their daughter: Khloe.
But Semple never got the chance to hold her daughter.
According to a January 2023 investigation by The New York Times, anesthesiologist Dr. Dmitry Shelchkov made serious mistakes while administering Semple’s epidural.
He inserted the catheter much farther than he was supposed to (13 inches instead of 4) and administered a full dose of anesthesia without checking her response to a smaller test dose first.
The medication entered her cerebrospinal fluid, affecting her central nervous system. Semple said she couldn’t breathe, and moments later, she became unresponsive and lost her pulse.
As medical staff tried to save her, another critical error occurred. According to state medical board findings, Shelchkov placed a breathing tube into her esophagus instead of her trachea. Rather than reaching her lungs, the oxygen was being directed into her stomach. The mistake wasn’t corrected for 29 minutes.
Semple died that night. Her daughter survived but would grow up without her mother.
In 2021, the New York State Board for Professional Medical Conduct found Shelchkov negligent and incompetent, and his medical license was revoked.
Can I Sue a Florida Hospital for Delaying Care?
Learn when a delay in treatment may cross the line into medical malpractice in Tampa.
What’s the difference between an epidural and a spinal block?
Both epidurals and spinal blocks involve injecting pain-blocking medication into the lower back, near the nerves that carry pain signals, but there are some differences.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, the main differences are:
Epidurals. Medication is injected just outside the protective sac that surrounds the spinal cord and spinal fluid. During labor, a thin tube called a catheter usually stays in place so additional medication can be given as needed. Sometimes patients are able to push a button themselves to administer more pain relief. Epidurals help relieve labor pain and can also provide stronger anesthesia for a C-section.
Spinal blocks. Medication is injected through that protective sac and directly into the fluid surrounding the spinal nerves. It works quickly, produces more complete numbness, and typically lasts 1–3 hours. Spinal blocks are commonly used for planned C-sections.
Key differences between epidurals and spinal blocks |
||
|---|---|---|
Feature |
Epidural |
Spinal Block |
| Where medication goes | Just outside the protective sac surrounding the spinal cord and spinal fluid |
Inside the protective sac, directly into the fluid surrounding the spinal nerves |
| How quickly it works | Usually takes 10–20 minutes | Works within minutes |
| How long it lasts | Can provide ongoing pain relief through a catheter | Typically lasts 1–3 hours |
| How medication is given | A thin tube (catheter) allows additional doses | Usually a single injection |
| Common use during childbirth | Pain relief during labor and sometimes anesthesia for C-sections | Most commonly used for planned C-sections |
If a woman already has an epidural during labor and needs an emergency C-section, doctors may be able to give additional medication through the existing catheter rather than perform a spinal block.
How common is it to have a failed epidural?
Failed epidurals are not that rare. One large study of more than 19,000 deliveries found that about 12% of labor epidurals initially did not provide adequate pain relief.
In most cases, however, the problem could be corrected. According to the study, adjusting the medication, repositioning the catheter, or replacing it ultimately provided adequate pain relief for 98.8% of patients.
An epidural may not work as expected if:
- The catheter is not positioned correctly.
- The catheter moves after it is placed.
- The medication enters a blood vessel or spinal fluid instead of staying in the epidural space.
- The medication does not spread evenly, leaving some areas painful.
- The dose is not strong enough to provide adequate pain relief.
- The epidural stops working during labor and needs to be adjusted or replaced.
A failed epidural does not automatically mean medical malpractice occurred. Sometimes epidurals fail even when they’re placed and managed appropriately.
Problems may become more concerning when providers fail to recognize that the epidural is not working or do not respond appropriately to ongoing pain or other warning signs.
What complications can result from an epidural?
Most epidurals are given without serious problems, but complications can and do happen. Some are temporary and relatively minor, while others can cause permanent injuries or become life-threatening.
Possible problems with epidurals during labor or delivery include:
- Inadequate pain relief. The epidural may not fully numb the area, may work only on one side, or may stop working during labor.
- Severe headache. Accidentally puncturing the sac containing spinal fluid can cause a severe headache, often called a spinal headache.
- Low blood pressure. Epidural medication can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure. If it falls too far, treatment may be needed to keep enough blood flowing to the mother and baby and prevent a birth injury.
- Temporary numbness, weakness, or loss of movement in the lower body. An epidural can affect sensation and muscle control in the legs, hips, and pelvic area until the medication wears off. If the block is especially strong, a woman may have difficulty feeling when to push or using the muscles needed to push effectively. This can sometimes make the pushing stage of labor take longer or require the use of forceps or vacuum assistance for a safe delivery.
- Difficulty urinating. An epidural can temporarily make it harder to feel when the bladder is full or to empty it normally. A urinary catheter may be needed until normal bladder control returns.
- Nerve damage. Injury to a nerve can cause burning pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, loss of sensation, or problems with movement. Most neurological problems associated with epidurals are temporary, but serious injuries can sometimes cause lasting disability or paralysis.
- Epidural hematoma. Bleeding around the spine can form a collection of blood that presses on the nerves or spinal cord. Symptoms may include severe back pain, weakness, numbness, difficulty walking, or problems controlling the bladder or bowels. If pressure on the nerves is not relieved quickly, permanent damage can occur.
- Epidural abscess. An infection can develop near the spine and form a pocket of pus that presses on nearby nerves. Symptoms may include worsening back pain, fever, weakness, numbness, or other neurological problems.
- Catheter problems. The epidural catheter can move out of place, come out, enter the wrong area, or fail to deliver medication where it is needed. This can cause uneven pain relief, pain on only one side, or the pain to return.
- Medication entering the spinal fluid. If epidural medication is unintentionally delivered into the spinal fluid, the numbness can spread much higher than intended. In a severe case, it can affect the muscles needed for breathing and cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure, which can be fatal.
- Needle or equipment injuries. In rare cases, a needle can injure nearby tissue or nerves. A broken needle fragment may also remain in the body, sometimes requiring surgery to remove it.
Symptoms such as severe or unusual back pain, continued numbness or weakness, inability to move the legs, loss of bladder control, or difficulty breathing should be taken seriously by your healthcare team and evaluated promptly.
Can an epidural cause problems years later?
Yes, it’s possible. While most temporary effects from an epidural wear off within hours or days, a serious injury involving the nerves, bleeding around the spine, infection, or another complication can sometimes cause chronic pain, weakness, numbness, difficulty walking, or other lasting problems.
Can I sue for a failed epidural?
Possibly. A failed epidural during a C-section or vaginal delivery by itself is not necessarily medical malpractice. Epidurals can sometimes fail or cause complications even when medical providers do everything correctly.
However, you may have a malpractice case if a doctor, anesthesiologist, nurse, or other provider failed to provide the appropriate standard of care and that mistake caused you harm.
Below are some examples of when a failed epidural may be the result of medical negligence:
- The epidural needle or catheter was placed in the wrong location.
- The wrong medication or dose was given.
- The epidural was not tested to make sure it was working before a C-section began.
- Severe pain, weakness, numbness, difficulty breathing, or other warning signs were ignored.
- Bleeding, infection, nerve damage, or another complication was not diagnosed or treated promptly.
- An epidural that was not providing enough pain relief was not adjusted or replaced.
- The mother was not properly monitored after epidural medication was given.
- An anesthesia emergency was not handled quickly or appropriately.
- Part of a broken needle or other medical device was left inside the patient.
Florida medical malpractice claims require an investigation before a lawsuit is filed and evidence supporting the claim from a qualified medical expert. Florida law also requires notice to the healthcare providers being accused of negligence before the lawsuit can proceed.
Because medical malpractice claims also have strict filing deadlines, it’s important to speak with a Tampa medical malpractice attorney about your situation and legal options as soon as possible if you’re considering filing a lawsuit.
Were you harmed after a failed epidural during childbirth? We can help.
Giving birth is already hard enough. No mother should also have to deal with a serious injury, unexplained paralysis, lasting pain, or the trauma of feeling a C-section because her anesthesia did not work properly.
If something went wrong with your epidural or spinal block, you may be left wondering whether it was an unavoidable complication or whether someone made a preventable mistake.
At Palmer Lopez, our Tampa medical malpractice lawyers work with qualified medical experts to determine whether negligent care caused your injuries.
Our attorneys have more than 40 years of combined experience handling medical malpractice claims throughout our state, so we know how to get to the bottom of what happened and how to build a strong case to get you the compensation you deserve.
If you believe you were harmed because of a doctor’s mistake with an epidural during your labor or delivery, contact Palmer Lopez today to schedule a free consultation.
