Compensation for Missed 4th Degree Tear
If medical professionals missed your fourth degree tear, leaving you with life-changing symptoms, it may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
4th degree tears and disability
A 4th degree tear is the most serious form of vaginal birth tear which a new mother can experience. Unrepaired, the long-term consequences can be both extremely distressing and life-changing.
If a woman has suffered a 4th degree tear, it means that her anal sphincter muscles have been torn and that the damaged has extended to the internal anal canal.
The physical consequences of this are likely to reduce her control of her bowel function dramatically. At best, she is likely to experience significant urgency when needing to go to the toilet. She is also likely to experience leakage or incontinence of both wind and faeces.
It is also possible that the lining of the bowel will break down in the region of the tear, allowing wind and faeces to leak into the vagina. In some circumstances, the woman may even need to have a stoma created in order to provide bowel function.
Life with a 4th degree tear
In terms of quality of life, a 4th degree tear can be extremely debilitating. If a woman is unable to prevent the passing of wind and faeces, many forms of employment may become difficult to undertake. For example, work in hospitality, healthcare, education, policing and retail may no longer be accessible.
For many women in this situation, the need to have easy access to a toilet can lead to a reluctance to leave the house and minimise their involvement in a wide variety of activities. Self-confidence can plummet.
Medical negligence
If a woman has given birth through the vagina, a 4th degree tear is a risk. This is particularly the case for women giving birth for the first time, to women undergoing an instrumental delivery and women carrying a larger than average baby.
It is vital that a woman is examined meticulously following the birth of her baby for any sign of severe perineal and anal damage.
If medical professionals fail to assess and treat such a severe injury, they may be regarded as having provided only substandard care. In these circumstances, it may be possible to make a claim for compensation for the impact and financial losses caused by the negligence.
Speak to a solicitor
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice. If you or a loved one are struggling with the appalling long-term impact of substandard medical care of a 4th degree tear, contact us to talk to a solicitor about making a claim.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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