San Antonio Epidural Malpractice Lawyers

Name: Janicek Law
Address: 1100 NE Interstate 410 Loop #600, San Antonio, Texas, 78209
Telephone: 210-366-4949

Claims for Epidural Errors in San Antonio

Anesthesia is arguably one of the best modern medical interventions we have at our disposal. Anesthesia can be used in almost any type of painful medical procedure such as surgeries, tooth extractions, and more. An epidural is one of many types of anesthesia. While epidurals are most commonly used during labor and delivery, they can also be used during specific types of surgeries too. Just like any type of anesthesia or medical procedure, epidurals come with their fair share of risks and complications during the birth process. Although most laboring women experience great relief from their epidural, others may experience major epidural injuries that can lead to lifelong pain and disability. In rare cases, epidural malpractice can even lead to birth injuries. Our San Antonio medical malpractice lawyers explain this and more below.

If you have suffered a major epidural error during labor and delivery, you may have grounds to file a medical malpractice lawsuit. The experienced legal team at Janicek Law can help victims of epidural malpractice recover damages for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and so much more. Call 210-366-4949 to schedule a free consultation at our law firm today.

What is an Epidural?

An epidural is a medical procedure that can provide pain relief in the lower body. The procedure involves injecting an anesthetic or a steroid into the “epidural space” of the spinal cord, which is a set of spinal nerves in the lumbar spine. Medical professionals also refer to epidurals as:

Neuraxial anesthesia
Regional anesthesia
Epidural steroid injections (ESI)
Epidural block
Epidural anesthesia

Epidurals are most commonly used as pain management during labor and delivery. However, health care providers also use epidurals during specific types of surgeries as well as for chronic pain relief after surgery.

Who Administers an Epidural?

Administering any form of anesthesia requires extensive training. Anesthesiologists or certified registered nurse anesthetists generally administer most forms of anesthesia.

How Does an Epidural Work?

Firstly, let’s break down how pain signals work in the body. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves and roots that branch out from the spinal cord. When you suffer a serious injury in any part of the body, the nerves in that area send the pain signal to the spinal cord and the brain.

A medical professional will inject the epidural medication into the nerves in the lumbar spine. Again, the injection site is called the “epidural space.” So during birth, for example, the epidural injection basically stops the pain signals in the lower body from reaching the spinal cord and the brain.

Epidural injections can temporarily relieve pain or it can temporarily numb the entire lower half of the body. The amount of pain relief that someone may experience from a spinal block depends on a few factors:

The type of pain medication your medical professional injects,
The pain medication dosage,
And the pain medication concentration.

Why Epidurals Don’t Always Work

Epidurals during labor and delivery have an average success rate of 98% to 99% according to a 2008 study. However, there are times when the epidural fails, and the pregnant woman has no choice but to give birth with little to no pain relief. But why don’t epidurals always work? The same study states that these are the main reasons:

There was an epidural error in which the catheter wasn’t placed correctly in the epidural space.
The patient had abnormal neuraxial anatomy (AKA: abnormalities in the spinal cord, ventral nerve roots, and cerebrospinal fluid).
The patient’s labor progressed far quicker than the anesthesiologist expected so it was too late to administer the epidural.
The epidural block didn’t take effect in time before the patient entered the last stage of labor and delivery.

Epidural Analgesia vs. Epidural Anesthesia

There are two main types of epidurals: epidural analgesia and epidural anesthesia. The former can relieve pain without making the patient lose consciousness or complete sensation in the lower half of their body. It’s used during labor and delivery so that the woman experiences pain relief from the contractions, but she is still conscious and able to move her lower body. Oftentimes pregnant women can still feel the pressure and tugging from birth in the lower half of their bodies, just not the pain.

Meanwhile, the latter creates a complete loss of sensation in the lower half of the body. Anesthetic pain relievers – such as local or general anesthesia – cause the patient to lose consciousness. But epidural anesthesia allows the patient to stay conscious but have no sensation in their lower body at all. This type of anesthesia is often used during certain types of surgeries.

Types of Labor and Delivery Epidurals and How They’re Delivered

As previously stated, pregnant women usually receive epidural analgesia during labor and delivery. But there are a couple different ways that this type of epidural is delivered, and we explain this below.

Epidural Catheter: The most common way that laboring women receive pain relief is through an epidural catheter. The medical professional will insert a long epidural needle into the lower back in order to place the catheter. The catheter remains in place for the duration of the birthing process so that the woman can keep receiving medication if she needs it.
Combined Spinal Epidural (CSE): Another common type of epidural used during labor and delivery is the CSE. It’s also commonly known as the “walking epidural” because many women still have enough sensation in their lower half to change positions and walk around. It’s basically two injections: the spinal block and the epidural itself. The CSE is a faster form of pain relief, but at a lower dose than the epidural catheter.

How Many Women Receive Epidurals During Labor and Delivery?

According to a 2022 medical report, nearly 75% of pregnant women receive an epidural injection during labor and delivery.

Epidural Risks and Complications

Just like all other medical procedures, receiving an epidural can come with a long list of risks and side effects. While this method of pain relief is generally safe – especially with a competent and experienced health care provider – patients can experience the following issues:

Major drops in blood pressure which can lead to lightheadedness.
Infections from the epidural including meningitis, osteomyelitis, discitis, or an epidural abscess.
Spinal fluid leakage which often causes a severe headache. This is a rare complication, affecting less than 1% of people according to the Cleveland Clinic.
General negative reactions to the pain medication such as rashes and hot flashes.
Accidental blood vessel damage during the epidural injection which can lead to excessive bleeding and/or blood clots.
Temporary back pain or tenderness at the injection site.
A temporary or permanent nerve injury at the epidural injection site.
A temporary loss of bowel control or bladder control.
In very rare cases: death.

Epidural risks and side effects specifically related to laboring women include:

The second stage of labor may slow down after the epidural is administered.
Depending on how much sensation you have in the lower half of your body, you may struggle to change positions, walk, or even push. If this happens, the doctor may resort to forceps, a vacuum extractor, or an emergency c-section.
There is a possibility that the epidural might not work.

Can Epidurals Lead to Long-Term Complications?

Yes, there are rare cases of epidural injection injuries causing lifelong pain and complications, including:

Permanent nerve damage
Long-term, severe pain in the lower back or lower extremities
Permanent paralysis if the epidural injection causes a collection of blood between the dura mater and the spinal cord

Can Epidural Errors Cause Birth Injuries?

Yes, our San Antonio birth trauma lawyer team understands how much epidural malpractice can increase the risk of birth injuries. Epidural injections can slow down the second stage of labor, which can lead to fetal distress. Additionally, some women experience a complete lack of sensation in their lower bodies, making it difficult to change positions and push during labor. If this happens, doctors may resort to using forceps or vacuum extractors in order to pull the baby out of the vaginal canal. These birthing instruments can lead to a variety of birth injuries, such as cerebral palsy, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), cephalohematoma, infant skull fractures, brachial plexus injuries, and more.

If your baby suffered a birth injury due to a doctor’s negligence, then you have grounds to contact a San Antonio medical malpractice attorney at Janicek Law. We can help you recover compensation through a birth injury lawsuit.

Can You Sue for an Epidural Error?

While major epidural injuries are rare, they do happen. And yes, patients can definitely sue for severe injuries caused by medical errors. Epidural errors and injuries are a subset of medical malpractice, so patients can file a medical malpractice lawsuit in order to receive financial compensation.

If you do decide to file an epidural lawsuit, you will need an experienced medical malpractice lawyer from Janicek Law on your side. We can help by protecting your legal rights and proving negligence in your case.

Most personal injury cases – including medical malpractice cases – involve the legal theory of negligence. So in order to build the strongest medical malpractice case possible, you must prove the four elements of negligence listed below:

Duty of Care: Every single medical professional must follow a strict medical standard of care and do no harm. In other words, all medical professionals must provide a compassionate, quality, and competent level of care to their patients.
Breached Duty of Care: The medical professional breached this duty of care by causing their patient an epidural injury.
Causation: The patient suffered serious disabilities, pain, or injuries as a result of the epidural error.
Damages: The patient suffered a variety of damages as a result of their epidural injury for which they should receive fair financial compensation.

Our experienced San Antonio epidural malpractice lawyers can help you prove these elements of negligence in your epidural lawsuit through medical records, witness statements, personal journal entries, and more. Additionally, we will hire an expert medical witness to analyze the details of your case and determine whether your medical professional failed to meet the medical standard of care.

Damages for Epidural Malpractice

A San Antonio medical malpractice attorney at Janicek Law can help you recover financial compensation for the following types of damages:

Past and future medical bills
Past and future rehabilitative bills
Lost wages
Loss of earning capacity if the epidural malpractice resulted in permanent nerve damage/disability which prevents you from completing your normal job duties
Physical pain and suffering
Emotional distress
Mental health counseling bills
Permanent disability
Loss of consortium
Funeral and burial cases if the epidural malpractice resulted in wrongful death

Experienced San Antonio Epidural Malpractice Lawyer

If you have suffered major injuries or disabilities from epidural malpractice, you have grounds to contact a medical malpractice lawyer at Janicek Law. We have decades of combined experience in handling all sorts of medical malpractice cases, including birth injuries, anesthesia malpractice claims in San Antonio, medication error claims in San Antonio, surgical error claims in San Antonio, and more. Our San Antonio birth injury lawyers have what it takes to take on your medical malpractice case and fight for your justice. Call 210-366-4949 to schedule a free consultation at our law firm today.

Multi-Million Dollar Results For Over 30 Years

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   Yvette Ramirez 
 29 September 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Mr. Andrew Skemp and Gabby his assistant are the best. Very knowledgeable and were amazing in my case. I am very pleased and thankful of the outcome. If I could give more stars I would. I extremely and  highly recommend them.
  
 
       
   Natasha Garza 
 31 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We had an amazing experience with Janicek Law from beginning to end. Karen Rangel recommended us to Cassidy Muniz, and we are so thankful she did. Cassidy assisted myself, my husband, and our two daughters, and all four of us are extremely happy with the experience and outcome.

Cassidy truly went above and beyond for our entire family. She was always responsive, patient, professional, and helpful, and she kept us informed throughout the entire process. Everything went smoothly, we had no issues, and she made what could have been a stressful situation so much easier for us.

The entire team at Janicek Law is amazing, and we felt like we were in great hands from start to finish. We are incredibly grateful to Karen for recommending Cassidy and especially grateful to Cassidy for everything she did for our family.

We would 100% recommend Cassidy and Janicek Law to anyone looking for a team that truly cares about their clients. Thank you all so much for everything! ❤️
  
 
       
   Alex McWhirter 
 18 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We were referred to Janicek Law firm from a lawyer in Brownsville, who pointed out that they are experts in the field of medical malpractice and I am so grateful. We worked with Andrew and Gaby and they were dedicated and worked hard to get us the best possible outcome. They kept us informed and updated through every step of the process, always with a friendly and very professional disposition. Despite language and distance challenges, they accommodated all of our needs, and I would highly recommend Janicek Law Firm. They made a bad situation better by listening to our concerns, helping us through a sorrowful time for my family, and advising on how to defeat our opponent. For any families that have a beloved and elderly relative who suffered in the hands of callous and neglectful medical institutions, Janicek Law Firm were amazing in advocating for our relative and making these corporate entities accountable. Thank you, Andrew and Gaby, we really appreciated your help!
  
 
       
   Heidi Soto 
 8 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Mr Bernal and Karen were great. They always kept me up to date on all that was going on at all times. When it came down to mediation Mr Bernal knew exactly what to do and say to make things clear with the insurance company who wanted to take advantage of me. I highly recommend Mr Bernal if you ever are in an accident. He will definitely take care of you.
  
 
       
   Lucy 
 30 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am beyond thankful for everyone at Janicek law for the professionalism, dedication, and support you all have showed throughout my lawsuit. From the very beginning, you all made a difficult and stressful situation much easier to navigate! Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, keeping me informed every step of the way and making this process as stress free as possible! I can without a doubt definitely recommend this law firm!
  
 
       
   Iris Contreras 
 16 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I have started this review so many times, but every time I do, I realize there simply aren't enough words to thank the people at Janicek Law.
Almost 3 years ago, my world ended. I lost my son, Zayden—the greatest love of my life. My other son, Zy, witnessed the unimaginable that day. He carries those memories with him every single day, and we are forever grateful that he is still here because we very easily could have lost him too. Our family didn't just experience a tragedy—we experienced trauma that changed us forever.
When I first met the team at Janicek Law, I wasn't just grieving. I was broken. I was a mother trying to survive the unthinkable while helping my surviving son heal from something no child should ever witness. I didn't know if I had the strength to keep fighting.
There were so many moments when I wanted to give up. Every deposition, every conversation, every piece of evidence forced me to relive the worst day of my life. I told them I couldn't do it anymore. But they never let me forget why we were fighting. They reminded me that Zayden deserved justice. They reminded me that Zy deserved justice. They believed in my family even when I couldn't believe in myself.
What makes Janicek Law different is that this was never just a job to them. They never made me feel like another client or another case number. They knew my children by name. They celebrated Zayden's life. They cried with us, prayed with us, hugged us, encouraged us, and walked beside us through every heartbreaking step. They carried a piece of this burden with us, and I will never forget that.
Even after the case was over, they didn't disappear. They still answer my calls. They still help me with paperwork. They still check on me. They still make me feel like my family matters. That's something you cannot fake. That's love. Somewhere along the way, I stopped seeing them as "my attorneys" and started seeing them as family. And I truly believe I have a family for life.
No amount of money will ever bring my little boy back. I would trade every penny to hear his laugh one more time. But because of Janicek Law, I have peace knowing that his life mattered, his story was heard, and that they fought for my boys with everything they had.
From the deepest part of a mother's heart... thank you. Thank you for loving my children. Thank you for never giving up on us when I wanted to give up myself. Thank you for standing beside us through the darkest chapter of our lives. You gave my family more than legal representation—you gave us hope, dignity, and people we will love for the rest of our lives. You helped a grieving mother find the strength to be the voice her son no longer had. In a world that can feel so unfair, you reminded me that there are still genuinely good people. We love each and every one of you, and we will never forget what you did for Zayden, for Zy, and for us.❤️
  
 
       
   Destiny Sanchez 
 14 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My friend Karen referred us to Janicek law firm and I am so grateful. We worked with cassidy moving forward and she went above and beyond while helping me with my accident case. From the very beginning, she was professional, knowledgeable, and always available to answer my questions. She kept me informed throughout the entire process and made a stressful situation much easier to handle. Her dedication, hard work, and attention to detail truly made a difference in my case. I am incredibly grateful for everything she did for me and my family. I would highly recommend Cassidy and Janicek Law Firm, who genuinely cares about clients and fights for the best possible outcome. Thank you cassidy for everything!
  
 
       
   Virginia-Ann Bernal 
 8 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. After my accident, I felt overwhelmed and had no idea what to do next. Choosing Janicek Law Firm was one of the best decisions I could have made. From the very beginning, Philip Bernal,  Cassidy Muniz, and Karen Rangel took the time to explain the process, answer my questions, and make sure I always knew what to expect.

Cassidy and Karen were  absolutely incredible throughout my entire case. They coordinated my medical care, helped with scheduling appointments, communicated with my insurance, and was always available whenever I needed guidance or reassurance. Their compassion and dedication truly made a difficult time so much easier.

The entire team worked hard to build my case, keeping me informed every step of the way, and ultimately secured a settlement I was very happy with. More importantly, they gave me the peace of mind to focus on healing instead of worrying about the legal process.

I can’t thank Philip, Cassidy, Karen and everyone at Janicek Law Firm enough for their professionalism, kindness, and commitment. If you’re looking for a law firm that genuinely cares about its clients, I highly recommend them. THANK YOU SOO MUCH!!
  
 
       
   Corey Sil 
 29 June 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Mr. Skemp and Gaby took care of everything and made my suit for Wrongful Death as easy as possible. I couldn’t have done any of this with out them! They honored and represented my Mother to the fullest and for that I am greatful! G. Silvas
  
 
       
   Jasub Baez 
 22 June 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Good lawyers .
  
 
 
 
  
 
   Google rating score: 4.8 of 5, based on 359 reviews

Janicek Law handled my case with such professionalism. I was always kept in the loop about what was going on with my case. Cassidy Muniz is amazing at what she does and I really felt like they actually cared about me and my case. Highly recommend Janicek Law Firm!

I could not be happier with the service and compassion from the Janicek Law Firm. They were friendly, responsive and knowledgeable throughout the entire process. I would give ten stars if I could – They are excellent!

Janicek Law was patient and understanding to my situation – it’s a fight – but they would make my father proud. Thanks you for taking the time to look over my case and speaking up for my family.

Beth and Mona have been truly helpful with our case! They have really done an amazing job. I would highly recommend them to anyone I know.

Incredibly talented and knowledgeable attorneys that will fight negligent nursing homes and bring Justice to the elderly and their families.

I am very happy and pleased with the Janicek Law Firm. I had such a difficult time finding someone to look into my case. The Janicek Law Firm has been very professional and attentive to my questions. They will take the time and review your situation and have been very dedicated in reviewing my case.