First Birth OASI and Compensation for Negligent Maternity Care
If maternity practitioners have failed to care properly for your anal injury during the birth of your baby, it may be possible to make a claim for compensation.
Anal sphincter injuries in vaginal childbirth
It is a sad fact that women who are giving birth vaginally for the first time are at a greater risk of suffering a severe birth tear than women who have previously given birth. It is not the outcome you expect or want when anticipating the birth of your first child.
A severe birth tear, often referred to as an OASI or a 3rd or 4th degree tear, can cause devastating bowel problems unless the woman receives prompt, accurate and skilled medical care.
A failure by medical practitioners attendant at the birth of a baby to care effectively for this appalling maternal injury may justify a claim for compensation.
If a woman has suffered an OASI during childbirth, it is essential that her torn anal muscles are skilfully repair by an experienced surgeon. In order for this to occur, the injury needs to be correctly diagnosed by the professionals present at the birth.
Negligent care and its impact
Negligent maternity care of an anal sphincter injury can include the following:
- A failure to carry out a thorough examination of the new mother after the birth of her baby, meaning that this severe injury is missed
- A misdiagnosis of a 3rd or 4th degree tear, meaning that the repair does not receive a full and effective repair
- A negligent repair, either in terms of methods or materials, meaning that the repair breaks down and the woman develops debilitating symptoms
OASI, or anal sphincter injuries, cause a woman to lose control of her bowel movements to some degree. She may suffer urgency when needing to go to the toilet. She may suffer leakage or incontinence. She may not be able to control her wind.
All of these symptoms can have a dramatic effect on a woman's self-confidence and quality of life.
It may also affect her ability to work, particularly in those areas of employment which require regular customer contact such as hospitality.
Claiming compensation
If a woman has suffered financial losses due to the impact of negligent maternity care, she would be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
Contact Glynns Solicitors, specialists in medical negligence compensation, to talk with an expert, free of charge, about the possibility of 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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