Perineal Birth Injuries and When to Claim Compensation.
Contact Glynns Solicitors if you have been the victim of negligent maternity care of the perineum and anal sphincter.
Severe perineal birth tears
For a woman to suffer a perineal tear during the birth of her baby is not necessarily a sign of negligent maternity care. The majority of women who give birth through the vagina, as opposed to by caesarean section, suffer a tear of some degree. Where medical negligence is concerned, the issues relate to the severity of the injury and the nature and quality of the medical care provided.
Most women who suffer a tear tend to experience 1st and 2nd degree tears. Although such injuries can be distressing, they usually resolve promptly with no long-term symptoms. The more severe tears, referred to as 3rd and 4th degree tears, however, can cause permanent and debilitating symptoms. Consequently, they require prompt and competent medical care. Where this is lacking, it may be possible to claim compensation if on-going symptoms compromise the new mother's quality of life.
Possible examples of negligent medical care in relation to severe perineal and anal injuries includes the following:
- A failure to carry out a medio-lateral episiotomy when an instrumental delivery is necessary
- A failure to carry out a thorough examination of the new mother's perineum including a digital rectal examination to assess the condition of the anal sphincter (the muscles which control the passing of wind and faeces)
- A failure to identify that an injury to the anal sphincter has occurred
- A failure to diagnose an anal sphincter injury correctly, meaning that a full repair is unlikely
- An inadequate repair of an anal sphincter injury, allowing the new mother to continue to suffer distressing bowel problems such as leakage, urgency and infection
When to claim compensation
A new mother should be legally entitled to make a claim for compensation for the consequences of medical negligence if it is found bot that she suffered from substandard care during or following the birth of her baby, and that the negligence caused her to suffer a worse long-term outcome than would otherwise have been the case.
In these circumstances, the financial losses experienced by the new mother, such as a loss of income or the need for specialist treatment, can be included in a claim for compensation.
Speak to a legal specialist
Glynns Solicitors specialises in medical negligence law. We can offer our clients the benefit of extensive experience in high value anal sphincter birth tear claims and a depth of understanding of the impact of the distressing symptoms which such negligence can cause.
Funding Your Medical Negligence Claim
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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