When you’re pregnant, you may feel unbelievably worried at every little change and start to feel anxious about all you must do to keep your unborn child safe. One of the main activities expecting mothers refrain from is driving. Even on an average day, driving is dangerous. You have distracted drivers, bad weather, and traffic. Unfortunately, there are some things you need a car for, whether it be to commute to work or attend a check-up appointment for your baby.
The next thing you know, you and your unborn child may have been struck by another vehicle. It’s terrifying, and the first thing that runs through your mind is if your baby is okay. You may notice injuries on yourself and feel significant pain. After a car accident while pregnant, you may endure a life-threatening loss, a high-risk pregnancy, a premature delivery, or months of recovery.
This type of trauma is devastating and can forever change your life. Beneath the scars that need healing, you are still here, and you have a family that is still beside you. As you begin to release grief, know that there are people here to help you. Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford will serve as your personal legal advocate through this tragedy.
Injuries to Women and Unborn Babies in Car Accidents
A woman and her growing baby are at risk of severe injuries in car accidents. Depending on how the car accident plays out, injuries can appear in many ways, shapes, and forms. But the fact of the matter is that even a small fender bender can lead to complications. In general, vehicle occupants can sustain whiplash, concussions, broken bones, burns, cuts, and other injuries.
These injuries, as well as the seriousness of the accident, can disrupt your pregnancy. Extreme force or trauma cause pregnant car accident victims to suffer injuries such as:
- Premature birth: When a baby is born three weeks or more before the expected due date
- High-risk pregnancy: The woman and unborn baby may experience medical difficulties because of the accident and need to be monitored and receive specialized care
- Uterine perforation: When the uterus ruptures, threatening the life of mother and child
- Placental abruption: When the placenta separates from the uterine wall too early
- Miscarriage: Early pregnancy loss
Injuries to a pregnant victim can result in fetal trauma or congenital disabilities. For instance, premature birth comes with several short- and long-term effects, including lung issues and brain development disorders.
How Pregnancy Complications Impact Your Personal Injury Claim
Injuries to a pregnant victim, her fetus, or both will be costly. It may be necessary to undergo medical procedures, including surgical and non-surgical methods, to treat injuries. If your car accident was caused by another’s reckless misconduct, you might be entitled to compensation for the full amount of your losses.
Besides medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, you may be able to recoup additional expenses if something happened to your baby. You will likely need extensive monitoring, hospitalization, and medical care, which can sometimes cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
In addition, it’s nearly impossible to know the full extent of your damages when your child is not born yet. Your physician may give you an in-depth rundown of what you should expect and any challenges your baby may face, but calculating their future losses or pain and suffering is a completely separate battle. That’s why timing is everything, as you don’t want to settle too early, but you also don’t want to miss the legal deadline for filing. A seasoned injury lawyer will ensure you take the necessary steps to maximize your payout.
Recovery for Fetal Injury Causing Death of Unborn Baby
Every state has its own version of when a wrongful death lawsuit can be filed. In Pennsylvania, a wrongful death claim can be pursued when the pregnant victim doesn’t survive their injuries or when an unborn child’s life is wrongfully taken, as long as the child was considered “viable” at the time of passing.
For a fetus to be viable, it must have reached the stage of maturity to reasonably survive on its own outside the womb. Scientific evidence shows that this doesn’t occur until around 24 weeks of gestation. However, under Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth code 18c3202s, given the facts of the case and using the most advanced technology for insight, the determination of viability is up to the physician’s discretion.
Pregnant During a Car Crash? Call a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer Today
Car accidents involving pregnant victims are far from simple. Medical complications to both the woman and the unborn child and complicated legal procedures make these situations entirely different from traditional car accident injury claims. On top of coping with trauma or loss, facing insurance companies who try to pay out as little as possible can feel disheartening. There’s no better way to protect your rights than with the experienced personal injury lawyers at Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford.
At Rubin, Glickman, Steinberg & Gifford, we protect Pennsylvania victims’ rights to be adequately compensated for all losses they suffer due to someone else’s negligence. The losses you face independently may be devastating on their own. Add the risks to your unborn child, and you’ll likely find yourself facing insurmountable losses. We want to help. Get in contact with our professional legal team today by completing an online contact form or calling 215-822-7575.
