Anal Birth Tear Medical Negligence and How to Make a Claim.
Medical negligence relating to an anal birth tear can change the course and quality of a woman's life. If substandard maternity care has caused you to suffer distressing and disabling bowel symptoms, it may be appropriate to consider making a claim for compensation.
Anal sphincter birth injuries
The anal sphincter is the muscles around the anus which control the passing of wind and faeces. It is a distressing fact of vaginal childbirth that some women are susceptible to these appalling injuries. Around 5% of women who give birth this way will suffer an anal sphincter tear, also known as a 3rd or 4th degree tear.
Maternity professionals should be fully aware of the risk of these injuries and should inform women who are due to give birth vaginally of the possibility of a severe tear and how best to reduce that risk.
Furthermore, every women who does choose to give birth through the vagina should undergo a thorough examination of the perineum and anal sphincter following the birth in order to check for such an injury.
If this does not happen, there is the likelihood that an injury, if there is one, will be missed and not repaired.
Negligence and severe birth tear symptoms
If maternity professionals are negligent in their care of the perineum and anal sphincter, the new mother may go home with their new-born baby, failing to realise that they have an unrepaired tear.
A 3rd or 4th degree tear can cause urgency and incontinence, both from the anus and from the vagina if a fistula has developed.
A failure of examination, a failure of diagnosis or a repair failure could all be regarded as negligent if the new mother is left with on-going disabling bowel symptoms.
Making a claim
If debilitating bowel symptoms are causing you significant on-going difficulties after the birth of your baby, talk to a specialist medical negligence solicitor to find out if you are entitled to make a claim.
If you are thinking of making a claim, don't worry about feeling embarrassed when talking to a solicitor. A solicitor who specialises in birth tear claims will be fully aware of the symptoms which you may be suffering and the practical and emotional problems which it can cause.
If they think that you may have a claim, they will obtain copies of your medical records and assess the quality of your maternity care.
Speak to a legal specialist
Glynns Solicitors is a specialist medical negligence legal practice with extensive expertise in and understanding of severe birth tear claims.
This specialisation ensures that we have the skills ready and waiting to help you in the most efficient and economical way.
It also means that we can offer No Win No Fee medical negligence funding which we will discuss with you during your free initial telephone discussion.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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