Third Degree Perineal Tear Recovery and Claiming Compensation
If you are suffering long-term symptoms due to a third degree tear, it may be that you have not received and effective repair. It may be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
Recovering from a third degree tear
If you have suffered a third degree tear during the vaginal birth of your baby, you could expect to be symptoms-free within twelve months or sooner if your tear has been effectively repaired.
If the medical care and management of your perineal has been substandard, however, you may find that your symptoms continue, affecting almost every aspect of your life.
In these circumstances, it might be appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
Medical care of a third degree tear
Third degree tears are a known risk of vaginal childbirth, particularly affecting first-time mothers and women who have undergone an instrumental delivery. It is essential that medical professionals provide the most scrupulous care following a vaginal birth to ensure that any injury is diagnosed and repaired promptly.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recommends that women who have given birth vaginally should receive a thorough examination after the birth including a digital rectal examination to ensure that 3rd or 4th degree tears are not missed.
However, negligent care does occasionally occur in the following ways:
- A failure to carry out a digital rectal examination means that a 3rd or 4th degree tear is not diagnosed
- A tear is identified but it is misdiagnosed, meaning that an effective repair is not carried out. For example a 3rd degree tear may be diagnosed as a 2nd degree tear and the damage to the anal muscles is not repaired
- A severe tear is diagnosed accurately but the repair is incomplete or inappropriate allowing symptoms to continue
Medical negligence impact
The long-term effects of an unrepaired third degree tear can be utterly life-changing, affecting a woman's confidence and her ability to work, travel, socialise and bring up her baby. The financial impact can be significant if a woman is restricted in the extent or nature of the work she can carry out with her bowel symptoms.
If such a distressing outcome is due to substandard medical maternity care, it may be possible to make a claim for compensation.
Legal advice
If you or a loved one are struggling with the impact of an undiagnosed or unrepaired 3rd degree tear, contact Glynns Solicitors to talk to a specialist medical negligence lawyer about the possibility of making a claim.
Contact us today to discuss the suitability of making a claim for compensation for your substandard maternity care.
Please call us on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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