Pregnancy And Car Accidents: What You Should Know

Being in a car accident is scary. If you're pregnant, you suffer the additional stress of worrying over whether or not your unborn child is okay. This is what you should know about how to handle the situation, and any future personal injury claim.

Get Medical Attention Immediately, Even If You Think You Are Okay

Being pregnant puts you at risk for injuries that you wouldn't ordinarily suffer, and they may not manifest immediately. The sudden jolt of the accident, even if it's just a fender bender, can lead to:

• Hemorrhage
• Broken Water Sac
• Miscarriage
• Early Labor
• Stillbirth
• Premature Birth
• Placental Abruption

The biggest risk to your unborn child is that the jolt will cause the placenta to detach from the uterine wall. Around 80% of fetal deaths after a car accident are caused this way. Your risk of suffering this type of injury increases if you are the driver, because contact with the steering will is the usual cause. In addition, the more advanced your pregnancy, the bigger the risk.

The Emotional Distress May Continue Long After The Accident

Even if you and your baby initially seem okay after the accident, you still have to constantly monitor your health and be on the lookout for symptoms that indicate that there might be a problem - from the time of the accident until your baby is born! 

Your baby is also going to need examined after birth for any signs of injury that occurred during the accident. It's not possible to do a full evaluation on your baby until after you give birth.

The emotional distress that you experience during this time is actually part of your injuries, and are an important aspect of your future claim for compensation.

You May Also Suffer Additional Injuries That Can't Be Treated Until After You Give Birth

Unfortunately, you may also have injuries to your own body that can't be effectively treated until after you give birth, because of the risk to your child. If your back or neck was injured in the accident, you may have to delay treatment for weeks or months while you wait on your child's birth.

You should document your own pain and suffering during this time period, as well as any recommendations made by doctors who examine you. Make sure you take note if a doctor tells you that your injuries are worsening due to a lack of treatment, and how the pregnancy interferes with your ability to get appropriate medical treatment for yourself.

Don't Wait Until After You Give Birth To Contact An Attorney

If you've been in a car accident while pregnant, don't wait until you give birth to contact an attorney. Your attorney will help make sure that you properly document both your physical pain and emotional distress for your case.

In addition, your attorney will help you keep track of and document any additional testing or treatment that you have as a result of the accident. If something does happen, and you end up having a premature birth, your attorney will help you document the connection between it and the car accident.

This could be very important to your baby's future as well, because you will need to ask for damages to cover both the current and future medical care for your child.

Hopefully, everything will be okay in the long run. However, being pregnant automatically puts you in a special situation, and you need to consult with an attorney like Naomi G. Drake P.C. in order to best protect your rights.