The fertility rate in the U.S. is approximately 62.5 births per 1000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 years of age. With over 9,754,000 vehicles involved in a police-reported collision in 2012, it is definitely not uncommon for pregnant women to be one of the individuals affected or involved. If you're pregnant and have just gotten into an auto accident, here's what you need to know.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
Did you know that a typical vehicle weighs approximately 2,000 pounds, and a standard collision with the vehicle going 10 miles per hour will result in a force of around 3.7 tons? That's a low-impact accident, so you can imagine just how much worse a high-impact accident can be for both the baby and the mother. A car accident can increase the risk for conditions and situations like:
- premature birth. Babies that are born before 37 weeks are deemed to be premature. These babies tend to run into numerous medical problems down the road, as they may have a difficult time feeding or may exhibit a stunted growth.
- a miscarriage. Unfortunately, the impact of a car accident can prove to be fatal for the fetus at times. Symptoms of a miscarriage include blood clots, vaginal bleeding and general pain or discomfort. A miscarriage may be difficult to self-diagnose.
- complications resulting in the need for a Cesarian section. Some mothers may have preferred a more natural birth, and a Cesarian section may require them to take more time to recover.
- hemorrhaging.
- birth defects.
- creating a high-risk pregnancy.
- placenta abruption. The placenta is typically attached firmly to the inner walls of the uterus; however, during a placenta abruption, the placenta exhibits premature separation. Since the placenta contains all of the essential nutrients that are needed by the baby, a placenta abruption can prove to be fatal or may result in the development of numerous medical conditions.
When in an auto accident, you want to call 911 immediately, and make it clear to the operator that you are pregnant. Self-diagnosis of potential problems can be extremely difficult, especially since you do not have the necessary equipment needed to make an accurate diagnosis. By getting immediate medical attention, you can easily determine whether the car accident put your pregnancy at risk, and also receive immediate medical treatments and attention if anything is out of the ordinary. All of this information is crucial for your car accident attorney.
Obtain Medical Reports and Expert Opinions
If the car accident did put your baby at risk, then you should most definitely seek compensation. The medical bills and treatments that are involved with raising a baby that may have birth defects or may have medical conditions that have resulted from a premature birth or a placenta abruption can quickly add up. You will want to obtain medical reports that detail how the accident may have caused the medical conditions to arise, and the type and extent of symptoms that need be treated.
Don't hesitate to put the doctor on the stand. In fact, your car accident attorney will highly advise you to do so. You want an expert who is comfortable speaking to the judge and will be able to use terminology that is easy to understand and relate to in order to increase your chances of being awarded the amount of compensation that you have requested.
Everything from all of the doctor appointments to the examination right after the auto accident needs to be documented in detail for the judge to gain a better understanding of what happened. You will also want to provide medical reports of the type of medical treatments and medications that you have opted for in an attempt to recover from the accident.
Conclusion
Having an understanding and experienced car accident attorney is crucial at this time, as you should be dedicating your time to taking care of yourself and your baby and surrounding yourself with loved ones. The car accident attorney will want to collect all of the evidence that is needed in order to start the legal proceedings on your behalf in order to request the compensation needed for providing for the baby, especially if there will be a significant amount of medical attention needed in the future.
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