Pregnant Woman Receives Maximum Compensation After Car Accident
Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers recently obtained a settlement for a client in the amount of $321,857.56 following an injury accident. The client, a resident of Myrtle Beach, was heading north along Oak Street in town when another driver was turning left illegally. As a result, our client T-boned the other driver’s car. Because the at-fault driver committed an illegal maneuver that caused the car accident and did not grant the right of way to our client, they became liable for damages.
Because of the collision, our client suffered pain in the right wrist. However, she was also pregnant, and the accident caused the infant to be born prematurely, which not only increased the risk of injury and health problems to the unborn child but caused great stress and anxiety in the mother. Attorney Ian Taylor, a member of the Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers, settled the case out of court after successfully demanding that the involved insurance companies grant the full limits of the underinsured and liability policies. By doing so, the injury victim received full compensation for both bodily injury and property damage.
Dangers of Preterm Labor
In the above case, the dangers to the pregnant woman and her unborn child were real and could have concluded badly. Healthy pregnancies last around 37 weeks, and preterm infants face a much higher chance of complications, which can be lift-endangering and require long-term hospitalization in an infant ICU. In addition, the mother’s health is adversely affected by stress, worry and anxiety.
Fortunately, this premature infant survived the auto accident. Others are not so fortunate, and the pregnant woman may experience placenta abruption, miscarriage or an injury directly affecting the fetus.
Accidents Involving a Pregnant Woman
The University of Michigan did a large study showing that 170,000 car accidents involving pregnant women occur yearly in the United States. Of this number, 116,000 women were injured at varying degrees. Sadly, car accidents are a leading cause of death for unborn fetuses and their mothers, with between 3,000 to 5,000 unborn babies dying every year due to trauma of this kind.
Types of Injuries Suffered by Pregnant Women
The following are injuries commonly associated with the trauma of a car accident involving a pregnant woman:
- Miscarriage
- Fetal death
- Going into early labor
- Heavy bleeding
- Increased risks to the fetus
Placenta Abruption
A major injury suffered by a pregnant woman is called placental abruption. Generally, this occurs when the pregnant woman's abdomen is struck or collides with a hard object such as the steering wheel. When this happens, the placenta is detached from the wall of the uterus, and it can no longer receive oxygen and nutrients from the mother. Common symptoms of placental abruption are:
- Pain in the lower back
- Uterine contractions
- Heavy bleeding
- Abdominal pain
- The mother may experience dizziness or faint due to loss of blood
- The fetus may move erratically
- The mother may experience chills and fever
Fetal Damage
Injuries to the fetus in a car accident are rare but do happen. It is an intrauterine version of the shaken baby syndrome and can result in brain injuries. The result is that the baby’s cognitive ability may be affected, resulting in long-term care. In some cases, this care may be needed for the lifetime of the person. The cost of extended, special care may be costly and outside of many parents’ ability to pay. A lawsuit folded against the at-fault party may result in the financial resources necessary to handle the cost.
Morris Law
We at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers are honored to have assisted our client in obtaining the compensation she deserves. Although it will not make up for the trauma and worry she faced, it can help her move forward and provide the funds for the medical care her new baby may require. If this happens to you, call us at (843) 232-0944 to schedule a free case review. We can also be reached online.
