Auto Accidents And Pregnancy
Posted on: 16 June 2015
As a pregnant woman, you are no doubt taking special care to stay healthy for your unborn child, and safety is a high priority for you and your partner at this special time. An automobile accident while pregnant can cause the blissful maternal feelings of health and happiness to take a very wrong turn, however. Any car accident is traumatic, but even minor accidents when you are pregnant can quickly become serious.
If you are in an accident:
Even a minor fender-bender can be far more serious than you may at first believe, so get medical care immediately. You may feel fine, but your baby may not be, so go to the emergency room and then follow up with your obstetrician as soon as possible. Your baby is cushioned by your amniotic fluid, but complications from auto accidents do occur, such as:
- Preterm labor, which is going into labor prior to 37 weeks gestation.
- Premature water breaking, which will mean preterm birth.
- Separation of the placenta from the uterine wall.
- Miscarriage, when the baby is lost prior to 20 weeks gestation.
- Still birth.
Damages you may be entitled to:
- Medical expenses for both you and your baby, including continuing care if necessary, such as physical therapy, in-home assistance, etc.
- Personal property reimbursement (car, personal belongings) lost or damaged as a result of the accident.
- Lost wages from missed work, including any missed work due to early labor and birth and time off for medical treatments.
- Pain and suffering, which mean any physical or emotional injuries as a result of the accident. Emotional injuries include anxiety, stress, depression and other mental disorders.
If the absolute worse case scenario occurs and your baby dies as a result of the accident, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death suit against the other driver. State law varies greatly in the determination of liability in wrongful death cases involving fetuses and stillbirths, so consult with your attorney for more information.
Due to the special circumstances involved in auto accident cases with pregnancy, an experienced personal injury attorney is vital. You may be entitled to extra damages due to your condition, and you want to make sure that you are fairly compensated for this traumatic incident. Contact an attorney's office such as Kuzyk Law as soon as possible to protect your rights to compensation and to have a professional advocate on your side throughout the process of filing claims, settlement and, if necessary, going to court to get you what you deserve.
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