4th Degree Tear Compensation
The long-term effects of an undiagnosed 4th degree tear can be very unpleasant indeed. If this severe anal injury is not spotted and repaired at the time of injury, the woman can suffer the impact for the rest of her life.
4th degree tear symptoms
A 4th degree tear which has not undergone surgical repair can mean a new mother has to struggle with some or all of the following symptoms:
- Extreme urgency when needing to go to the toilet
- Inability to prevent the passing of faeces (bowel incontinence)
- Inability to prevent the passing of wind
- Leakage of wind and faeces via the vagina
Understandably, dealing with these issues on a daily basis can be both debilitating and depressing. Many women find it very difficult to return to work or even to leave the house for fear of bowel accidents and become increasingly isolated.
Diagnosis
As can be seen above, a 4th degree tear can cause highly-distressing symptoms. It is vital therefore that medical professionals undertake a thorough examination of all women when they give birth vaginally.
Perineal tears are a fairly common occurrence but a 4th degree tear is harder to diagnose than the more superficial 1st or 2nd degree tears. A 4th degree tear damages not only the perineum between the vagina and the anus, but also impacts on the anal sphincter muscles which control the bowel and the internal anal canal lining.
To ascertain whether there has been any damage to the anus, a digital rectal examination is necessary where the medical professional inserts a gloved finger into the anus to check for damage.
A failure to diagnose a severe perineal tear at the time of the birth will mean that any damage remains unrepaired and the woman will start to suffer appalling symptoms.
Compensation
Financial compensation can help the woman to deal with some of the problems created by the failure to repair her anal injury. She may suffer considerable long-term financial losses if unable to return to work or if she finds her potential employment severely restricted. For example, working in any public-related area of employment, such as education, retail or hospitality, can be almost impossible in these circumstances.
If a woman's long-term, debilitating symptoms have clearly been caused by a failure on the part of medical professionals to diagnose and repair her injury at the time of her child's birth, a compensation claim may be an appropriate course of action.
Speak to a solicitor
If you are suffering the shocking symptoms of a delayed diagnosis of a 4th degree tear, contact us to talk to a specialist medical negligence solicitor with expertise in perineal tear claims.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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