Small bowel damaged during caesarean section leaves new mum with life changing injuries
The injury
Ms Y instructed MDS to investigate her treatment during the delivery of her daughter, by caesarean section (c-section).
Ms Y's small bowel was damaged during the c-section, resulting in a serious infection in her abdominal cavity.
Prompt diagnosis of the infection was made, antibiotics were prescribed, but they did not work. Ms Y's health deteriorated but poor observations meant that the deterioration was missed for several days.
Ms Y got sepsis, causing severe and permanent damage to the wall of her abdomen.
She was left with incontinence, severe scarring, and pain and weakness in her abdominal wall.
Contact Us Today
The effects of maternity negligence (negligence that occurs during childbirth) can be devastating. Physically, it can result in long-term conditions, such as varying degrees of bladder and / or bowel incontinence and, psychologically, it can have long-lasting impacts including PTSD, anxiety and postnatal depression.
A compensation claim can also be the most appropriate way to get an explanation and answers about maternity care and to seek accountability, an apology and to ensure lessons are learned to prevent further harm.
Our team of legal experts specialise in maternity claims [insert hyperlink to appropriate page]. We understand that maternity injuries are very personal, intimate and emotional and we will take the time to listen to you and will discuss and deal with your claim with you in a sensitive and supportive way.
A successful maternity negligence claim can ensure that where there is lasting injury there is access to the best support. Compensation can pay for medical treatment and therapy, and we can help secure interim payments to access these treatments and therapy straightaway.
What happened?
Surgery was performed to try to repair the abdominal wall, but the extent of the damage during the delay in treatment meant that our client was left with permanent ongoing problems, including incontinence, severe scarring, and pain and weakness in her abdominal wall.
Our investigation
We investigated the standard of care that our client received and obtained expert evidence from a consultant obstetrician.
The expert confirmed that the damage to the small bowel during the c-section was not caused negligently, but the care provided after the caesarean section was unacceptable. By day 3 after the caesarean section, it should have been recognised that our client was getting worse when she should have been improving. If the worsening infection had been diagnosed earlier and she had been treated, her injuries would not have been as serious.
Concerned about an injury during labour or childbirth?
How can MDS help you?
While no amount of compensation will ever be enough if you or a family member loses a limb, MDS can help you to ensure you recover what you are entitled to.
If you or a family member has or a loved one has been affected by healthcare negligence, we can help you through the legal process for investigating your concerns against a healthcare professional and your negligence claim if there is one.
We will do this by providing legal representation on a no-win-no-fee basis to investigate what happened, help you get some answers, help you secure compensation, help seek justice for you and help to secure your or your loved one’s future.
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The outcome for our client
Ms Y brought a claim against the hospital trust that was responsible for her care. Whilst the trust did not accept formal responsibility for what happened to her, we were able to settle her case for a 6-figure sum.
Disclaimer
Whilst our case studies are designed to give an indication of the outcomes that can be achieved in these circumstances, the compensation awarded in individual cases can vary significantly due to a range of factors, including the severity of injury, effects on life expectancy and financial impact, for example. For more information, contact us today.
Our Approach
We will support you, guide you and be your voice throughout.
If you are concerned about the medical treatment that you or a loved one has received, please contact us and one of our specialist team will assist you.
