Every expectant mother’s dream is to give birth to a healthy baby. But unfortunately, accidents can happen to everyone, including pregnant women. In the most unfortunate cases, the effects can be devastating. If you and your unborn child have been involved in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, you must understand your rights.
Pregnancy can be stressful, but anticipating new life is a beautiful and joyous experience for many women. Expecting parents already have a tremendous amount on their plates while preparing to welcome the arrival of a new family member. That is why an unexpected accident can be parents’ worst nightmare. Unintentionally hurting an unborn baby is unthinkable for anyone.
A pregnant woman involved in an accident can potentially give birth to a child with congenital disabilities or even have a miscarriage. If an expecting mother gets seriously injured in an accident, the pregnancy poses a new set of factors to be considered before pursuing a personal injury lawsuit.
How Common Are Car Accidents During Pregnancy?
Sadly, car accidents can involve anyone, and pregnant women are no exception. Unfortunately, pregnant women assume this risk every time they are on the road like everyone else. While it’s possible to eliminate dangers like secondhand smoke and abstain from alcohol, the risk of being in a car accident is virtually impossible to avoid.
An estimated 170,000 motor vehicle accidents in the US involve pregnant women every year. About 1-3% of all infants born in the US have been subject to in-utero motor vehicle crashes. In addition, auto accidents are the leading cause of traumatic fetal death.
Common Dangers to Pregnant Women Caused by Accidents
A car accident can pose a risk to both the expecting mother and her unborn baby. While the uterus and amniotic fluid protect the unborn baby, a severe collision can still harm both the mother and baby. The types of injuries suffered will depend on the severity of the accident. Here are some common injuries that are seen in pregnant women who are involved in accidents:
- Premature birth – premature birth is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Numerous studies have discovered a higher incidence of premature birth in accident victims. When babies are born too early, they can suffer complications or even die.
- High-risk pregnancy – any pregnancy where the mother and unborn baby require a higher degree of observation and monitoring is considered high risk. If a pregnant woman is involved in a car accident and sustains injuries, her pregnancy may be deemed high risk.
- Placental abruption – The likelihood of placental abruption increases with any trauma to the abdominal area. Placental abruption is a hazardous condition where the placenta splits either partially or entirely from the mother’s uterus before birth. The mortality rate of babies with placental abruption is about 119 out of every.
- Uterine injury – Due to the enlargement of the uterus during pregnancy, it is more vulnerable to damage. Unfortunately, uterine rupture almost always ends with infant mortality. Uterine injuries can also be highly dangerous to the mother by causing internal bleeding.
- Miscarriage – the loss of the pregnancy is known as a miscarriage. If a mother loses her baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy, it is considered a miscarriage. After 20 weeks, it’s regarded as a stillbirth. While several factors can cause a miscarriage, sudden or violent force from a collision can significantly increase the odds of trauma that causes miscarriage.
What About Emotional Trauma?
Pregnant women are already experiencing a whirlwind of hormonal changes associated with mood fluctuations. They may also deal with depression or anxiety, and the stress of an unexpected accident will undoubtedly exacerbate that emotional turmoil. An expecting mother might already have sleepless nights due to pregnancy side effects. After being in a car accident, those sleepless nights could increase due to wondering if the accident has caused harm to the unborn baby.
If you were involved in a car accident while pregnant, it’s essential that you seek medical attention and speak with a mental health professional. Discussing the accident with a psychiatrist or therapist can help deal with overwhelming emotions or trauma from the accident. Keeping a journal may also be helpful as a coping mechanism tool and a way to preserve your memory and any accident-related details that will be useful for your personal injury claim.
How Accidents While Pregnant Can Affect Compensation
After being injured in an accident, the most crucial step for a pregnant woman is getting medical attention. Therefore, it is imperative to hire an experienced Colorado personal injury attorney. You will need a skilled attorney who is sympathetic and understands how difficult your situation is. With the help of qualified attorneys, you can obtain the total financial compensation that you and your baby deserve. While we understand that no amount of money can make up for the psychological pain and emotional trauma from being involved in an accident while pregnant, it can help. By filing a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent party responsible for the accident, you can help pay for medical bills and focus on moving forward and giving your baby the best life possible. Accident claims involving pregnant women are particularly unique as the compensation amount is determined by the severity of the mother’s injuries.
If an accident causes the pregnancy to be deemed high risk, the expecting mother may need to spend a lot more time in the hospital. Doctors will need to closely monitor the unborn baby and administer extensive testing to ensure the health and well-being of the mother and baby. This will result in high and unexpected extra medical costs. In addition, a mother may not even know the full extent of the injury consequences on the baby until after the baby is born. This could cause weeks to months of anxiety and worry for an expecting mother. Further, any complications at birth requiring additional surgery or treatment will add to medical expenses. As a result, insurance companies tend to value pregnancy injury claims higher due to the inherent risks and increased medical attention needed by pregnant women after an accident.
Contact an Experienced Colorado Personal Injury Attorney Today
After sustaining injuries in an accident, you’ll want to receive the fair compensation you deserve, especially if you are pregnant and want to start building the life that your baby deserves. Unfortunately, Colorado law does not permit parents to bring a wrongful death suit unless the fetus is born before it dies. However, mothers in Colorado can pursue a personal injury case and seek compensation for damages for themselves and their unborn baby. Expecting mothers can obtain past, present, and future medical bills, lost wages, any future medical bills for congenital disabilities due to the accident by bringing forth a legal claim.
Our team of elite Colorado personal injury attorneys will do whatever it takes to fight for your rights and support you through this challenging time. You deserve compassion and understanding after an accident that leaves you and your unborn baby injured and traumatized. Contact us today for a free consultation.
