As a parent, your children are your top priority. Their health and well-being are most important, and it can be devastating to see your child in pain. It’s even worse knowing that their discomfort and injury could have been prevented, and sadly things can go wrong during medical procedures, including when you’re giving birth. Going into labour is challenging enough, but when issues arise that cause it to be traumatic and lead to injuries for your baby, this is an incredibly heartbreaking experience. If this has happened to you and you want to seek justice for your child, here are some important steps you need to take.

Keep a record

The first thing is to make sure you’re keeping an accurate record of any exchanges between you and the medical staff in question. Keep note of any verbal conversations, save letters and emails, and ask your relatives to act as witnesses to these communications as well. The more records you have of these correspondences, the more you have to use in a lawsuit if that is the path you choose to take.

Seek legal advice

Seek legal advice as soon as possible to make sure you understand your rights and how the process of legal action against medical negligence works. Seek a solicitor that specialises in birth injury compensation, and they will be able to advise you on what to do next. Bring any records you have with you when you meet with them so they can have a better understanding of what has happened, and can see the evidence you have so far from the incident.

Find the right treatment

Your child’s health is essential, which means you must find the right treatment for their injuries or illness that have occurred as a result of a traumatic birth. Talk to your GP about the issue and ask them for advice on specialist treatments, physiotherapy, or medications your baby might need. It’s important to get a second opinion to make sure you’re exploring the right options and getting the best treatment for your child.

Counselling

While your baby’s health is a priority, don’t forget to look after yourself, too. Going through a situation like this is very stressful and upsetting, and you may need to talk to a professional about it. Counselling services could be a good place to start, and your GP should be able to point you in the right direction for this as well. You can also look at online forums and services where you might be able to talk with other parents who are experiencing the same thing as you.

Childcare

Finally, going back and forth to solicitor’s offices and chasing down information to help you with your case will take up a lot of time. This is difficult for anyone, but particularly if you’re a parent with a newborn. Ask family and friends for support, or find reliable childcare to help you look after the baby while you try to get compensation for their injuries.

No parent wants to see their child suffer, especially when injuries or illness could have been avoided. If you’re experiencing this difficult situation, use the above as a guide to help you cope and get the justice you and your child deserve.