Stillbirth & Neonatal Deaths

Stillbirth & Neonatal Death Claims

For a variety of tragic reasons, some children do not survive being born, or do not manage to live for very long after their birth. This can be due to problems during the pregnancy or issues with the health of the parents, but sadly can also occur due to problems in the prenatal stage, during the child’s delivery, or issues during their postnatal care.

Experiencing a stillbirth is one of the most distressing situations for any person to go through but can be made even worse if you know that clinical or medical negligence played any part in a baby’s death. All healthcare organisations, whether NHS or private do their best to uphold high standards, but mistakes can be made, and with new-born babies the risks are even higher than with adults or older children.

Take for example the case of a Bath hospital that ignored the parents’ pleas for assistance when they were concerned that their unborn baby had stopped moving. Told by midwives that: “If there was anything wrong we would send you to Bath” their baby was delivered stillborn three days later. The family are currently claiming compensation from the NHS Trust responsible, and the pay-out is likely to be significant. Depending on the reasons that are found, pay-outs for stillborn and neonatal deaths can range from several thousand pounds, up to hundreds of thousands.

Some of the most common causes of stillborn or neonatal death in the UK can be prevented if treated early, but if any of them are missed, misdiagnosed or mistreated then there can be grounds on which to pursue a claim of negligence. Some common causes include:

• Genetic Defects
• Umbilical Cord Problems
• Pre-eclampsia
• Problems with the Placenta
• Obstetric Cholestasis (a liver disorder)
• Infections
• Mother’s health

Doctors and medical professionals are constantly striving to reduce stillborn and neonatal deaths and to increase understanding of the causes of these tragedies, but still some cases go unexplained and if there is no liability on the part of the doctors, then compensation cannot be sought.

That is why you’ll need the help of professional experts who will support you throughout any proceedings and if needs be employ the services of medical and neonatal specialists to support your case. Dealing with the loss of a child is tragic enough, and compensation will not bring them back, but if it can help you to rebuild your life then it is worth contacting us and letting us see how we can help you get the compensation pay-out that you deserve.