The arrival of a new baby should be one of the happiest moments in a parent’s life. Unfortunately, this moment of joy can turn into a painstaking tragedy if the baby suffers from complications as the result of a medical accident, injury, or mistake that occurs during the pregnancy or delivery process. If you believe your child has suffered from irreversible defects as the result of pregnancy clinical or medical negligence, read the article below for some important information.
The Stats
Even in today’s world of increasingly advanced technology, several types of medical or clinical negligence can occur during pregnancy or child delivery. In fact, obstetrics and gynaecology accounted for 20 per cent of all clinical negligence claims that were filed to the NHSLA last year, for a total of 13,095 cases reported across the UK.
Recently published reports from NHS Health Scotland show that the government paid a whopping £70.5m in damages and £3m in legal fees in the past three years for pregnancy medical or clinical negligence. These totals represent 30 cases that were closed by the NHS between January 2009 and June 2011. An additional 44 cases filed against the NHS were closed without compensation, and 96 had not been settled as of June 2011. The high number of medical negligence claims demonstrates a clear need for the NHS to hold health care professionals and facilities directly accountable for clinical or medical negligence that occurs under their supervision; it is only then that we can hope to see the number of cases decline.
Types of Claims Filed
The final stage of a woman’s pregnancy is a critical time period in which the baby’s heart rate and position need to be diligently monitored. Failure to do so can cause health care professionals to make mistakes in choosing the right method for delivering the baby safely. Delays in the delivery of a child or umbilical cord complications can also cause long-term or fatal damages to a new-born baby, including brain damage, cerebral palsy, asphyxiation, or wrongful death. All 30 of the cases closed by NHS Health Scotland from January 2009 through June 2011 were related to stillbirths or major physical or mental defects that occurred during pregnancy or delivery.
What You Can Do
If your baby has suffered serious medical complications as the result of a medical accident, injury, or mistake, you may be able to claim compensation. You should enlist the help of an experienced legal expert to help you file your claim and represent you in the litigation process. The entire process can be a tedious—and emotionally painful—matter, but it could also be the first step in getting the compensation you and your child deserve for the irreversible effects of pregnancy clinical or medical negligence.
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