Forceps birth injury
compensation claims

If medical negligence has set you back, we'll help you move forward

Birth injuries from forceps can have lifelong consequences for the child, with compensation claims covering medical care, ongoing therapy, and support for developmental challenges.

If your life, or the life of a loved one, has been affected by a forceps birth injury, we can help. If your injuries were caused by the negligence of a doctor, nurse, midwife or other medical professional, you may be entitled to claim compensation.

You can make a compensation claim with the help and support of a specialist clinical negligence solicitor.

You are not alone

Forceps misuse in childbirth can have serious consequences. Failure to adhere to the forceps regulations could justify pursuing a medical negligence compensation claim.

Over recent years, the use of forceps in assisted childbirth has been questioned and remains a controversial subject. Around 10-13% of babies are delivered in this manner in the UK every year. During a difficult birth, forceps fit around a baby's head and are used to gently pull and aid a difficult delivery.

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists state that if delivery is unsuccessful after three attempts with forceps, the method should be abandoned. Although the use of forceps is beneficial in most cases, this method can pose a significant risk to both mother and baby.

Misuse and malpractice

Misuse of forceps can have very serious consequences and could lead to fatality. Failure to adhere to the regulations for the use of forceps could lead to a claim for medical negligence.

Medical malpractice is professional negligence by act or omission by a healthcare provider in which the treatment provided falls below the accepted standard of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient, with most cases involving medical error'.

If you decide to make a forceps birth injury claim, your medical negligence solicitor will take you through every step of the claims process. Your solicitor will be with you until you win your claim and get the compensation you deserve.

Duty of Care

As professionals, medical staff owe a duty of care to all their patients. In order to make a successful negligence claim, your solicitor must be able to prove that a medical professional failed in this duty of care, and that an individual suffered an injury as a result of the failure of duty. Your solicitor must also establish the injury was caused by substandard care.

The amount of compensation available would be dependent on the nature of the injuries inflicted by the malpractice, and on the cost of any long-term care, treatment or other support that may be required.

If you or your child have suffered as a result of medical negligence caused by misuse of forceps or birth related injury, Quittance offer a free, no obligation consultation to discuss your options and advise you if you have a claim.

Am I entitled to make a forceps birth injury claim?

You can claim forceps birth injury compensation if a medical professional's substandard treatment caused you harm.

Find out online if you can claim with our injury claim calculator. Or you can call 0800 376 1001 to speak to a specialist advisor. Find out in minutes if you have a claim.

How long do I have to start a forceps birth injury claim?

You usually have 3 years to make a forceps birth injury claim. The timelimit starts from the date you discovered you were injured by negligent care (the date of knowledge).

How much compensation can I claim for a forceps birth injury?

The amount of money you could claim for your injury will depend on:

• the seriousness of your injury, and
• any financial losses or costs you have incurred.

At the start of your claim, your solicitor will consider the many ways your injuries have affected your life. Your solicitor will take these considerations into account to calculate the correct compensation award.

General damages

General damages are awarded for pain, suffering and loss of amenity (PSLA).

Awards for general damages are set by the Judicial College and published in their guidelines for personal injury awards.

How is compensation calculated if I have multiple injuries?

Special damages

Special damages are awarded to compensate you for any costs or losses you've incurred or might incur as a result of your accident. These costs might include lost earnings, bonuses and overtime, or any other out of pocket expenses.

Special damages may also be awarded for medical treatments or procedures that you might need to treat a forceps birth injury, including diagnostic imaging tests, surgical repair and physical therapy.

Read more:

A complete list of recoverable losses in a personal injury claim

Clinical negligence claims

Forceps birth injuries may be categorised as clinical negligence. Click on the icon below for more information.

Medical
negligence

Other
accidents

FAQs

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How we can help you with your medical negligence claim

Your solicitor will fight for the best possible compensation settlement for you, and the highly-experienced panel of solicitors have an excellent track record of winning medical negligence claims.

• FREE
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Handled with the utmost professionalism... extremely kind, courteous and empathetic.

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Author:
Chris Salmon, Director

About the author

Chris Salmon is a co-founder and Director of Quittance Legal Services. Chris has played key roles in the shaping and scaling of a number of legal services brands and is a regular commentator in the legal press.