Is Bowel Incontinence After Childbirth Negligent?
Poor-quality medical care of a severe perineal tear may leave a woman facing a lifetime of incontinence and may justify a claim for compensation.
Post-natal bowel problems
If you are continuing to suffer significant bowel problems some time after the birth of your baby, it may suggest that you have experienced a severe perineal tear during the birth which has not been diagnosed or repaired. The tear itself may not be negligent but a failure to diagnose or repair a severe tear would be.
Some bowel difficulties following vaginal childbirth may be natural but if these problems are severe and on-going, it may be because there is an underlying injury which has not been resolved.
Unfortunately, if a third or fourth degree childbirth tear is not diagnosed and repaired shortly after the birth, the new mother may suffer permanent symptoms which can impact her quality of life in a variety of ways.
When this occurs, the new mother is entitled by law to make a claim for compensation.
Caring for severe birth tears
Severe perineal birth tears, often referred to as 3rd and 4th degree tears, or anal sphincter injuries, are a risk of vaginal childbirth. They are also frequently the cause of distressing and debilitating symptoms such as leakage of wind and faeces.
It is, therefore, the duty of medical professionals to ensure that any anal sphincter damage is accurately diagnosed and appropriately repaired by a surgeon shortly after the birth. This will provide the best chance of resolving such appalling symptoms.
If an examination is not carried out or if a misdiagnosis is made, the relevant medical professional may be regarded as having been negligent.
If an ineffective, incorrect or incomplete repair is carried out, allowing severe symptoms to continue, the relevant medical professional may be regarded as having been negligent.
If the new mother suffers debilitating symptoms as a result of such negligent care, it may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
Claiming compensation
If negligent medical care has caused a new mother to suffer on-going and significant symptoms which would not otherwise have been the case, it would be possible to make a claim. Where these symptoms have caused the woman to suffer financial losses such as a reduced income, these financial losses would be included in a successful claim.
Contact Glynns Solicitors, specialists in medical negligence compensation, to talk to an experienced lawyer about the suitability of making a claim for compensaiotn.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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