Increased Compensation for Pregnancy
When you’re expecting, you are overwhelmed with the health of the baby. You’re making sure you are eating right, taking prenatal vitamins, and getting the appropriate amount of exercise. What makes the stress much, much worse is when you are in a car accident. Your primary concern is not for your health and safety, but the health and safety of your baby.
Many wonder if the personal injury compensation will be greater due to the pregnancy. The answer isn’t black and white, because it depends on the injury. When injured in an auto accident or a slip and fall, the victim needs to determine if the pain is from the accident or the pregnancy. That is why hiring a personal injury attorney could immensely help all possible options to be considered in getting a higher settlement.
The victim can recover damages for pregnancy complications, but doing so depends on the victim’s OB/GYN’s causation statement. This statement is key in confirming the auto accident caused the pregnancy complication. If the baby dies, there is no recovery for the baby. Thus, a parent (father and/or mother) can file a wrongful death claim for the death of the baby if the death was caused by the death of the mother or the injuries her child sustained in the accident. Also, the mother can file a claim for emotional distress over the loss of the baby.
Personal Injury Claim & Pregnancy
Sadly, auto accidents are the leading cause of fetal deaths. The accident will cause emotional stress, despite minor injuries, which can cause premature labor. After the accident, it is imperative that a mother goes to the emergency room to make sure she and the baby are okay. The fetus can experience extra pressure, which can cause complications, such as:
- Miscarriages – Before 20 weeks, the loss of a fetus is defined as a miscarriage.
- Premature Birth – A car accident can result in an early birth. A normal pregnancy gestation is 40 weeks. A premature birth (before 37 weeks) can cause birth defects and learning deficits.
- Placental Abruption – This is when the placenta separates from the uterus. It is a common injury in auto accidents. The result can be preterm birth and/or significant blood loss for the mother.
Other signs that there is something wrong with the fetus include:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Fluid leakage
- Fainting
- Change in fetal movements
- Contractions
- Fever
- Vomiting
Get Help Immediately
If you are in a car accident, you should seek medical attention immediately and get help from someone experienced with a personal injury claim. The shock of the car accident not only affects you but your baby, too. It’s important to remember that hormone levels are already high, and the accident only intensifies them.
Whether you go to the emergency room or to your OB/GYN, you will need to be closely monitored to ensure your pregnancy is not high-risk due to the accident. After you have sought medical attention, you should contact a personal injury lawyer.
Your Right to Compensation
You have a right to compensation for medical expenses for yourself and the baby. This includes special, general and/or punitive damages. If it is proven that the accident caused damage to the fetus, the recovery for additional medical care can be recovered by the at-fault driver.
It’s important to file the personal injury claim right way due to each state’s statute of limitations. At the Law Offices of Craig Altman, our personal injury attorneys will make sure you and your baby’s medical bills are covered, now and in the future. If future treatments are needed or medical devices, we’ll make sure they are covered too. We offer a free case evaluation, and we don’t charge you if we don’t win. Contact us at (215) 569-4488 today!
