Childbirth Injury
If your child has suffered harm due to medical negligence during birth, we understand the heartbreak and worry you're experiencing. At The Medical Law Partnership, we specialise in birth negligence claims, helping families like yours claim compensation when preventable mistakes during delivery have caused lifelong consequences for your child. We know how overwhelming this situation feels, and we're here to guide you through the legal process with compassion and expertise.
How Common Are Errors Resulting in Childbirth Injury?
Childbirth injuries affect thousands of babies each year in the UK, with many cases linked to avoidable medical errors. While most births proceed without complications, failures in care can lead to devastating consequences such as:
- Brain damage caused by oxygen deprivation
- Nerve injuries, including Erb’s palsy
- Fractures during delivery
- Long-term disabilities requiring specialist care
These injuries often happen when warning signs are missed, procedures are carried out incorrectly, or emergency action is delayed. If your child’s injury could have been prevented with proper care, you may have strong grounds for a birth negligence claim that can help secure their future needs.
Several critical mistakes during labour and delivery can lead to preventable harm, including:
- Failure to properly monitor your baby’s heart rate and missing signs of distress
- Delays in performing an emergency caesarean section when medically necessary
- Excessive force used with delivery instruments such as forceps or ventouse, causing skull fractures or nerve damage
- Mismanagement of complications such as shoulder dystocia, umbilical cord compression, or prolonged labour
- Failure to escalate concerns to senior doctors when problems arose
- Errors in resuscitating a newborn who needed urgent help breathing
If your child suffered harm because medical professionals did not provide the expected standard of care, we can investigate whether their actions amounted to negligence and guide you through making a claim.
Beginning your claim with us is straightforward, and we’ll handle everything with the sensitivity your family’s situation deserves. When you first contact us, one of our specialist solicitors will listen carefully to your birth story – we understand how painful it can be to revisit these memories, and we’ll proceed at a pace that feels right for you. We’ll explain the legal process in clear terms and assess whether you may have grounds for a claim.
We’ll obtain all relevant medical records from your pregnancy and delivery, then arrange for independent obstetric and paediatric experts to review your case. These experts help determine whether different management could have prevented your child’s injuries. If we believe you have a strong case, we’ll guide you through every legal step while keeping you fully informed. We work on a no win, no fee basis, so you can pursue justice without financial worry during this challenging time.
The compensation you may receive is designed to support your child’s needs throughout their life. For serious injuries like cerebral palsy or brain damage, awards typically cover:
- Essential care costs such as specialist equipment, therapies, and home adaptations
- Round-the-clock care where necessary
- Compensation for pain, suffering, and loss of future earnings
As parents, you may also claim:
- Psychological trauma and financial losses caused by reducing work or leaving employment
- Additional expenses such as specialist schooling, transport adaptations, and future medical treatment
Every case is different, but we’ll ensure the claim reflects the full extent of your family’s needs now and in the years ahead.
Childbirth injury claims typically take between three to five years to resolve, though complex cases involving severe disabilities can take much longer. We understand this time frame may feel overwhelming when you’re focused on your child’s immediate needs, but a thorough investigation is crucial to secure the right level of compensation.
The process involves carefully reviewing all medical records, obtaining multiple expert opinions, and sometimes negotiating with NHS Trusts or their insurers. While we work as efficiently as possible, we won’t rush your claim at the expense of achieving the best outcome for your child. Throughout the process, we’ll keep you regularly updated and explain each development clearly. Starting your claim sooner rather than later helps ensure all evidence is preserved while memories are fresh.
You’re not alone. Get in touch today and let us help you move forward with confidence and peace of mind.
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