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 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 resulting from avoidable medical errors. While most births proceed without complications, we handle many cases where failures in care have led to devastating consequences including brain damage, nerve injuries, fractures, or oxygen deprivation. These injuries often occur when warning signs are missed, procedures are performed incorrectly, or there are delays in taking emergency action. If your child’s injury could have been prevented with proper care, you may have strong grounds for a compensation claim that can secure their future needs.
Several critical mistakes during labour and delivery can lead to preventable harm. Medical staff may have failed to properly monitor your baby’s heart rate, missing signs of distress that required immediate intervention. There might have been delays in performing an emergency caesarean section when it became medically necessary. We’ve handled cases where excessive force was used with delivery instruments like forceps or ventouse, causing skull fractures or nerve damage.
Some injuries occur when medical staff don’t recognise or properly manage complications like shoulder dystocia, umbilical cord compression, or prolonged labour. There may have been failures to call senior doctors when problems arose, or mistakes in resuscitating a newborn who needed help breathing. If your child suffered harm because medical professionals didn’t provide the standard of care expected, we can investigate whether their actions constituted negligence.
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 the costs of specialist equipment, therapies, home adaptations, and round-the-clock care if needed. Your child may receive compensation for pain and suffering, loss of future earnings potential, and the impact on their quality of life.
As parents, you may be able to claim for the psychological trauma you’ve suffered, as well as any financial losses from having to reduce work hours or give up employment to care for your child. The compensation can also cover the costs of specialist schools, transport adaptations, and future medical treatments your child may require. 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 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.
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