Placental abruption is a rare but serious medical complication that can occur during pregnancy. This happens when the placenta separates from the uterine wall before delivery, reducing the fetus’s oxygen and nutrient supply. Placental abruption can cause significant harm to both the mother and the baby, including fetal distress, preterm birth, stillbirth, maternal hemorrhage, and maternal death. If you or your child have suffered due to placental abruption, you may be entitled to compensation for your harm. This article will discuss how to pursue compensation for placental abruption in Chicago, including your legal options.
Understanding Placental Abruptions and Their Causes
To understand how to pursue compensation for placental abruptions, you must know what they are and what causes them. Placental abruption is a serious medical condition that can occur during pregnancy when the placenta separates wholly or partially from the uterine wall before the baby is delivered. This can cause the baby to receive less oxygen and nutrients, which can result in serious health complications or even death.
Placental abruptions can affect the mother after delivery, as well. Complications can include postpartum hemorrhaging, shock, kidney failure, or blood clotting issues. In addition, doctors may be forced to perform an emergency hysterectomy, and the mother’s life may be in danger.
Placental abruption can occur suddenly and without warning, and its causes are not fully understood.
However, it is more common in women who smoke, use drugs, have high blood pressure, or have experienced abdominal trauma. Symptoms of placental abruption can include vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain or tenderness, and contractions that are different from regular labor contractions.
Prompt medical attention is critical in cases of placental abruption. Treatment may include hospitalization, bed rest, medication to prevent contractions, and sometimes emergency delivery of the baby by cesarean section. Even with prompt treatment, however, placental abruption can still result in serious health complications or death for both the mother and baby.
Identifying the Signs and Symptoms of Placental Abruptions
If you are pregnant and experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Uterine contractions
- Uterine tenderness or hardness
- Fetal distress
- Decreased fetal movement
Risk Factors for Placental Abruption
While abruptions are not wholly understood, researchers have identified factors that can cause a mother to be more at risk. These include:
- Advanced maternal age— 35 or older
- Multiple babies, like triplets
- Previous abruptions
- High blood pressure
- Multiple pregnancies— the more you’ve had, the higher your risk
- Thrombophilia— a blood clotting disorder
- Premature membrane rupture— water breaking before 37 wks
- Drugs and smoking
- Previous C-Sections
- Short umbilical cords
What Qualifies as Medical Malpractice?
Medical malpractice occurs when a healthcare provider or facility fails to provide a patient the appropriate standard of care, resulting in harm or injury. Malpractice can include a failure to diagnose a condition, a misdiagnosis, a surgical error, or a medication error, among other things. For placental abruption, you allege that the doctor neither properly diagnosed nor correctly treated the condition.
To prove medical malpractice, the patient must show that the healthcare provider or facility breached the standard of care, which is the level of care a reasonable and prudent healthcare provider would provide under similar circumstances. The patient must also show that the breach caused their injuries and resulted in damages such as medical costs, lost salary, and pain and suffering.
Medical malpractice cases can be convoluted and require the expertise of a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer. The lawyer can gather evidence, work with medical experts, and negotiate with insurance companies to help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
Pursuing Compensation for Placental Abruptions in Chicago
If you or your child have suffered harm as a result of placental abruption, you may be entitled to compensation. Several legal options are available to pursue compensation, including filing a medical malpractice lawsuit, pursuing a birth injury claim, and seeking compensation through insurance.
Filing a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit
If your placental abruption was caused by medical negligence, you might be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the healthcare provider or facility responsible for your care. To prove medical malpractice, you must show that the healthcare provider or facility breached the standard of care and that the breach caused your injuries. A malpractice lawsuit can help you recover compensation for damages.
Pursuing a Birth Injury Claim
If your child has suffered harm due to placental abruption, you may be able to pursue a birth injury claim against the healthcare provider or facility responsible for your child’s care. A birth injury claim can help you recover compensation for your child’s medical expenses, long-term care, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Seeking Compensation Through Insurance
If your placental abruption was caused by a motor vehicle accident, workplace injury, or another type of accident, you might be able to seek compensation through insurance. This may include compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages.
Justice and Closure Through Working with an Experienced Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer
Pursuing a medical malpractice claim means going up against corporate insurance and legal teams. Therefore, having an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney on your side is imperative. An experienced lawyer will navigate the legal process on your behalf and pursue the compensation you deserve. They can also help you understand your legal options and make informed decisions about your case.
No amount of money can undo the harm caused by placental abruptions or medical malpractice. But it can help you achieve a sense of justice and closure by holding the medical team that failed you accountable. Another benefit is that the compensation ensures you aren’t drowning in debt and can help pay for the future care of either mother or child. In the worst-case scenarios, payment will also cover funeral and burial costs.
You are not just seeking a payday. You are not overreacting. Placental abruptions are a severe and traumatic complication, and you and your child deserve the best your medical team can give. If they fail that standard of care once, they might fail it again. You can ensure they face the consequences. If you suspect medical malpractice in the harm or loss of mother or child, please immediately contact a reputable Chicago medical malpractice lawyer.
