Getting into a car accident can be nerve wracking for pregnant women, as even minor fender benders can end up harming the baby and disrupting the pregnancy. Upon getting into a car accident, it is vital that you seek medical attention immediately to ensure the safety and condition of the fetus. In the event that you are injured or in the event that the unborn baby is injured, you can seek legal compensation with the help of a car accident attorney. To strengthen and build a case, here are 3 things you should do after getting into a car accident.
Get a Medical Report Documenting Any New Symptoms or Injuries
Even a minor fender bender can cause unnecessary stress and harm to the unborn baby. The seven most common car accident injuries that result from car accidents include a miscarriage, premature birth, birth defects, a high-risk pregnancy, coup and contrecoup injuries, a placental abruption and fetal trauma. The pregnant mother may lose consciousness, exhibit vaginal bleeding, swell up and possess a wide array of other symptoms.
Even if your baby is not in any immediate danger, you should still seek medical attention immediately, so that you have medical reports that document any new symptoms or injuries that have emerged. These documents can be presented later on to prove that the car accident may indeed have caused injury to your baby.
Have a Medical Professional Examine the Baby After Birth
It's not unusual for the baby to have suffered some type of complications as a result of the car accident. These injuries may not be apparent while the baby is still in the womb. Upon filing a claim, your car accident attorney might recommend that you wait until the baby is born to determine whether you would like to continue with your claim. Have a medical professional examine your baby after birth. If your baby suffers from any defects or complications, you should escalate your claim.
The medical profession should be able to provide further insight as to how the car accident caused the injuries that are witnessed. If you have been diligent in going to all of your medical appointments, it should be easy for the medical professional to prove that your baby was healthy and fine before the accident. This is especially true if your baby developed a birth defect after the accident.
Keep Receipts for Any Additional Medical Bills Accumulated
Even if your baby is fine, there's a good chance that you had to spend a lot of money on examinations to make sure that your baby is indeed fine. With that said, there's no reason for you to have to pay for these medical bills out of your own pocket. Instead, keep all of the receipts, as you can ask the responsible party to compensate you for these additional charges when you file a claim.
In the event that your baby was injured, it is even more important that you keep all receipts that are involved with the additional medical treatments that you and your baby needed. For example, if the car accident caused a premature birth, your baby will require additional medical attention, which can be rather costly. They might need to stay in the hospital for an extended period of time until they are strong and healthy enough to be discharged.
Conclusion
A car accident can be an even more traumatic experience for a pregnant woman than an ordinary passenger. If you're the pregnant woman involved in the car accident, make sure you protect your position legally by speaking with a car accident attorney as soon as possible.
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