A number of maternity related medical negligence stories have sadly made national news headlines in recent weeks.

It has been reported that an investigation into mother and baby deaths and injuries in a hospital in Shropshire has received more than 200 recent cases. The inquiry was already looking into more than 600 incidents and experts have said that this may only be “the tip of the iceberg” with potential systemic failings at the hospital spanning decades.

Whilst it is likely to be some time before the inquiry is concluded, this is extremely troubling and indeed tragic for anyone involved.

In a separate story released this week, it was reported that a girl suffered a serious brain injury during her birth in a hospital in Reading when staff there failed to respond to her heart rate for more than six hours before she was born and did not perform a Caesarian section soon enough. The girl has now received a substantial sum in compensation, which her mother said will allow their “amazingly spirited daughter” to achieve “the best possible life and fulfil her great potential”.

The birth of a child is highly emotive for any family.  Sometimes injury occurs during childbirth to the child, the mother or both.  The effect of such an injury can unfortunately be devastating and have long term physical, emotional and financial implications.  Where it can be established that such an injury was a result of negligence on the part of a healthcare provider, there may be a claim for compensation. Whilst no amount of money can ever compensate a family for a traumatic event such as this, it can make a positive difference and open a world of opportunities to the individual affected allowing them to substantially improve their quality of life.

Our Partners and Solicitors have extensive experience in these very sensitive cases ranging from negligence which occurred to either the mother or child during pregnancy, birth and also during aftercare. We are passionate about pursuing the best possible outcomes for our clients and work closely with a range of liability and causation experts.

If you or a family member feels that they may have a potential claim arising from complications surrounding the birth of a child, please contact us on 028 9024 3901 or by completing our online form here.