Birth Injury Claims and Neonatal Death Compensation

Having a newborn baby is a uniquely wonderful and stressful time. However, this stress should not be compounded by issues or complications during the neonatal period (relating to the moment a baby is born up until day 28).

To know that complications could have been minimised or even avoided completely, can make the situation significantly more difficult. Though these occurrences are rare, at Howells, we are skilled at managing birth injury claims sensitively, and obtaining the deserved amount of compensation for our clients.

How Can a Medical Professional Cause a Neonatal Issue?

Unfortunately, from time to time, situations that require birth injury compensation claims do arise. There are a series of factors that fall under this medical negligence umbrella. They include:

• Delayed or inadequate examination of both mother and baby
• No action taken to improve the wellbeing of mother/baby
• A below standard of care given throughout the birth/aftercare
• Misdiagnosis or wrongly prescribed medications

There are several possible effects these types of negligence can cause. Some of the conditions we see in birth injury claims include:

• Blood poisoning (sepsis)
• Problems with baby’s breathing
• Hypoglycaemia (closely related with diabetes)
• Restricted growth/problems with growth further on
• Heart defects (congenital)

There may also be the following effects on the mother:

• Perineal tears
• Organ injury
• Blood clots, fits or even stroke
• No pain relief after or poorly performed caesarean section

Due to the vulnerability of both mother and baby during this ‘neonatal’ period the upmost care is expected from nurses and doctors. While undoubtedly this is what they strive for, mistakes can happen. This is where our birth injury solicitors come in.

How Long do You Have to Make a Birth Injury Compensation Claim?

Birth injury compensation claims can be made at any time before the child’s 18th birthday. From the age of 18 the child themselves then has an additional three years to make a claim, which ends when they turn 21.

If you are sadly in the position where you are seeking birth injury compensation as a result of a child’s death, you can seek compensation up to three years after the date of death.

How Much Compensation is Involved with Birth Injury Claims?

The amount of birth injury compensation received varies greatly, depending on the severity of the case.

We assess every birth injury claim individually, taking the specific details into account. This means your compensation will be unique and appropriate to your circumstances.

You can be rest assured that here at Howells, our birth injury solicitors will consider every element of your case and work towards providing you with the maximum amount of birth injury compensation possible.

What are the Costs involved with Birth Injury Claims?

We operate on a no win no fee basis, so if we aren’t successful in our pursuit of birth injury compensation claim, you will not be required to pay any legal costs. Situations such as these are stressful enough, and we always have your best interests at heart.

We will hold talks with you before submitting any birth injury claims to ensure that firstly, it meets relevant criteria, and secondly that we think you will be adequately compensated.

How long is the Birth Injury Claims Process?

The duration of a birth injury claim can vary greatly. The scope for injury or impairment is so broad, some cases can take months, while others may take significantly longer.

Here at Howells, we guide you through the claims process and keep you informed about your case as it progresses, however long the process takes. We treat all birth injury claims with the same level of respect and, in turn, produce the appropriate results for all our clients.

How do You Prove Birth Injury Medical Negligence?

We have a concrete medical negligence process in place at Howells that ensures we leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of birth injury compensation. This process consists of specific steps:

• Your initial enquiry
• A preliminary assessment
• Medical records
• Medical evidence
• Negotiation
• Compensation

You can learn more about what these steps mean in detail here.

How We Can Help

If you think you or a loved one is entitled to birth injury compensation, get in contact with our medical negligence solicitors free of charge today, and let’s work together towards the compensation you deserve.

Send us an enquiry - we will get back to you quickly