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compensation following an accident
illness or injury - nationwide
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It is clear that birth injury compensation cannot be awarded to a mother in a case where her own heroin addiction has directly caused some defect or complication in the birth of her child.
Heroin is a powerful drug with serious and lasting consequences for any unborn baby exposed to it in the womb. It can impede foetal development in profound ways. It may cause low birth weight, induce miscarriage or result in stillbirth. It is also associated with a whole raft of serious health complications at birth.
Most heroin-dependent mothers are advised to switch to methadone during pregnancy. Methadone can hope reduce the symptoms of withdrawal, in both mother and baby, and also helps ensure that drug blood levels are kept to a stable minimum.
Most mothers will be encouraged to stay on methadone for the duration of their pregnancy, though perhaps with a reducing dose, rather than quit altogether. This is generally because withdrawal symptoms have the potential to have a significant affect on the health of the unborn child, who, by even the earliest stages of the pregnancy will have developed some level of drug dependency.
Even at birth, many children, around 80%, will need some form of treatment for the tragedy of their inherited addiction. This postnatal phase is precious and, if managed correctly, can help give the child a start to life that is as close to normal health as possible.
Although there are no recorded examples of it occurring, some personal injury lawyers in the US have speculated that children who have suffered injury or ill-health as a result of their mother's heroin use may have some grounds for claiming birth injury compensation.
Leading medical negligence lawyers
No phase of life is as fragile and precious as that which encompasses pregnancy, birth and post-birth care.
If you believe that you or you child suffered substandard of medical care during this precious phase of life, you may be able to claim compensation.
Although no amount of money can ever turn back the clock and take away your pain and suffering, compensation can help recognise your pain and distress while also providing for medical costs, loss of earnings and any loss of capacity.
The no win, no fee lawyers on our panel are all drawn from select firms governed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority - a Law Society body with a strict Code of Conduct that sets the benchmark in professional legal service.
Although claims for birth injury compensation are complex and usually require the claimant to pay some minimal costs, we always advice of these in advance, ensure they are kept as low as possible and make them reimbursable in the event of a won case (as most of ours are).
We are also a 100 percent compensation provider; we never take a cut.
If you would like to speak with a legal advisor today who can advise you, without pressure, whether it might be in your interests to pursue a claim, echat, fill out an online claim form or call us now, on 0800 10 757 95.
