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Attorneys for Injuries to Pregnant Women and Unborn Children in Auto Accidents
Pregnant women are forced to be vigilant and informed about all of the dangers they may be exposed to throughout their pregnancies. Whenever a pregnant woman is involved in a car or truck accident, it is possible for her injuries to have an impact on the development of the unborn child. The Chicago auto accident attorneys of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers represent the interests of many pregnant women whose children suffered serious injuries during pregnancy due to injuries sustained in an accident. It is truly unfortunate that an event such as an auto accident can have such a permanent impact on the lives of a mother and her child.
Pregnancy Complications Associated with Auto Accidents
After being involved in an accident, a pregnant woman may be focused on making sure that her own health is intact and that she has not suffered any serious injuries. During an initial physical examination, medical professionals might overlook the impact that the collision may have had on the unborn child. The womb provides very limited protection to the child and some injuries the child sustains can lead to premature birth, miscarriage or death. Our Chicago auto injury lawyers have encountered the following complications which have arisen due to car and truck accidents.
- Premature birth— It is possible for a mother’s injuries to result in birth before the baby is fully developed. A premature birth is defined as any birth occurring before 37 weeks of fetal development.
- Birth defects— If an injury has caused a premature birth, it is highly possible that the child will suffer from some form of birth defect. Complications can include underdeveloped lungs, jaundice, anemia, heart defects, an underdeveloped gastrointestinal tract, hearing problems, or blindness.
- Internal injuries— The child may suffer from internal bleeding, perforated organs or other internal injuries sustained during the accident or as a result of a premature birth. The most serious of these is hemorrhaging as it directly threatens the child’s life.
- Infection— Both the child and mother can develop an infection following an accident due to the introduction of foreign bodies into a wound. If the infection festers and spreads, the infection can shut down organs and spread into the bloodstream. An infection of the blood is referred to as septic shock and is common in unborn children with undiagnosed infections.
- Miscarriage— Unborn children are protected by the amniotic fluid contained within the wound, but this protection is very limited. If the unborn child strikes an object such as the steering wheel or dashboard, or if the mother suffers severe trauma, the baby may die as a result. Miscarriage can have a lifelong emotional impact on the mother and her emotional suffering needs to be considered when attempting to place a financial value on the loss.
- Placental abruption— The placenta carries all of the nutrients that the child needs to survive through the uterine wall and into the child’s blood through the umbilical cord. It is possible for the placenta to tear away from the uterine wall due to trauma suffered in an accident, which places the child in grave danger. It can also put the mother at risk and requires immediate treatment. The symptoms can mimic labor and cause significant pain and bleeding.
Long-Term Impact of Injuries to the Unborn
In addition to threatening the life of an unborn child, injuries sustained in car and truck accidents can forever impact the child's physical and mental development as well as their vitality. Our Chicago auto injury lawyers wish to ensure that these children have the funds they need to overcome the complications that they must endure due to the actions of a negligent driver. Studies have shown that these complications can have a marked impact on a child’s healthy growth, their ability to keep up with other children in school and on their emotional health. These injuries do not affect the child alone but have a major impact on the family who loves and cares for them.
Linking your child’s injuries to a car or truck accident can be difficult and only adds insult to the injury. Our lawyers rely on access to numerous medical experts and specialists to help develop a treatment plan and provide valuable testimony that will substantiate your claims. Along with the services and testimony of qualified social workers and economists, we have effective strategies that can help us maximize the value of your case and ensure that your child’s medical needs are met both now and in the future.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers is an award-winning personal injury law firm that places the needs of every client first. It is our goal to help you and your child recover from your injuries following an accident. We want you to be able to focus on healing while we represent your legal interests. We have helped thousands of families like yours and will review the details of your case with you at no charge.
Contact us today to arrange a free case review with one of our qualified, experienced Chicago auto accident attorneys so that we can investigate your claim, answer your questions and explain all of your legal options so that you know exactly what to expect. We work solely on a contingency basis, so we will never accept attorneys’ fees upfront. You won’t owe us a penny until we have successfully secured compensation on your behalf.
