When a baby is born, we must rely on the skills and expertise of nurses, doctors and midwives. Once the baby has been born, medical professionals must continue monitoring for any problems such as a retained placenta. They must then act to resolve any such problems quickly. If they fail to do so, and you suffer as a result, you could sue the hospital for medical negligence. As we progress, we’ll look at when a medical negligence claim might be possible and how much compensation for a retained placenta might be awarded.

Our team can help if you’d like to make a claim. They will provide free legal advice after reviewing your options during a no-obligation consultation. If it appears that your claim has a chance of success, we could ask a medical negligence solicitor to speak with you. If they agree to help, your retained placenta claim will be handled on a No Win No Fee basis so you’ll only pay legal fees if you are awarded compensation.

Please read on to find out more about retained placenta compensation claims. Alternatively, if you’re ready to discuss your case right away, please call us on 0800 6524 881 today.

What Is A Retained Placenta?

The placenta is the organ that helps your baby grow and develop while it is in the womb. The placenta is usually delivered after your baby has been born (the third stage of labour). However, according to the NHS, the placenta or parts of it can remain in the womb. This is called a retained placenta. There are techniques that midwives can use to try and help the womb push out the placenta. These include injection of oxytocin (which usually results in delivery within 30 minutes) or natural delivery (which can take up to an hour). If these are not successful, surgery may be required.

Importantly, a retained placenta can lead to infections or life-threatening bleeding.

The three types of retained placenta are:

• Trapped Placenta. Where the placenta separates from the womb but cannot be delivered.
• Placenta Adherens. Where the uterus does not contract fully so the placenta cannot be delivered.
• Placenta Accreta. Where instead of being attached to the uterine lining, the placenta is attached to the uterine wall.

What Injuries Can A Retained Placenta Cause?

A retained placenta might lead to:

• Sepsis and other serious infections.
• Ongoing pain.
• Psychological suffering.
• Life-threatening bleeding (primary postpartum haemorrhage).

If you or a loved one has suffered because of a retained placenta, you could be compensated for your injuries. Please call and we’ll assess your claim for free.

Am I Eligible To Claim Compensation For A Retained Placenta?

A medical negligence solicitor will always try to help claim compensation for a retained placenta where possible. Before they accept your claim, though, they’ll check whether you’ve got a fair chance of being compensated. The criteria they’ll check are whether:

• The standard of care you received fell below what you could reasonably expect of a competent doctor, nurse, midwife or another medical professional (negligence); and
• As a direct result of negligence, you were injured or made ill because of a retained placenta (causation).

To check your eligibility to make a claim please contact us today for free advice.

Can You Sue For Retained Placenta Compensation?

So, based on the criteria in the previous section, you must be able to prove that a medical professional’s negligence caused you to suffer. This could be something they did or didn’t do. Some examples of why you could sue for a retained placenta include:

• If there was a delay in treating a retained placenta.
• If the fact that the placenta had not been fully delivered was not spotted.
• Where surgery wasn’t performed to remove the placenta when needed.
• If you suffered avoidable injuries during surgery to remove the placenta.
• Where a retained placenta occurs following a caesarean section delivery.

Proving medical negligence is not something solicitors can do alone as they are not medically trained. Therefore, before your claim can proceed, an independent medical expert will be asked to review what happened. If they believe that the defendant in your claim acted appropriately, your claim probably would not be able to continue. However, if they state that they’d have acted differently (i.e. the defendant was negligent), you could claim compensation for a retained placenta.

Don’t worry if you’re not sure whether you have a valid claim as this is something our advisors and your solicitor will be able to verify for you.

How Much Compensation For Retained Placenta Could I Claim?

How much compensation for a retained placenta you could claim will typically be based on how you’ve been affected by your injuries (general damages) and any expenses you’ve incurred (special damages).

Each retained placenta negligence claim is unique but if yours is successful, the compensation you’re paid could cover:

• The physical pain and suffering caused by a retained placenta.
• Any psychological injuries you suffered such as distress, depression or anxiety.
• The impact your injuries had on your everyday life (hobbies, family, social activities).
• Loss of earnings.
• Care costs to cover the time somebody else spent supporting you while you recovered.
• Travel costs.
• Medical expenses (sometimes this could include private medical care).
• Future loss of earnings if your injuries reduce your long-term earning capacity.
• Modifications to your home if your injuries leave you with a disability and the changes will improve your quality of life.

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when claiming compensation for a retained placenta. If you decide to make a claim using a medical negligence solicitor from our team, they’ll try to fully understand how you’ve suffered in an effort to secure the maximum compensation possible.

Retained Placenta Compensation Calculator

To calculate the amount of compensation for a retained placenta you might be entitled to, your solicitor will consider factors such as:

• Your prognosis.
• The severity of your injuries.
• Whether you’re still receiving treatment for your injuries.

Therefore, it’s not possible to say exactly what settlement you might receive for a retained placenta at this point. However, our compensation calculator does include some potential compensation figures for a range of different injuries.

Please bear in mind that the amount you receive if your case is won could be higher or lower than the amounts listed here.

Evidence To Support A Retained Placenta Compensation Claim

In any type of medical negligence claim, solicitors will try to improve your chances of being compensated by proving how the defendant’s negligence caused you to suffer. In most retained placenta claims, the medical professional, hospital or NHS trust will be represented by NHS Resolution. The types of evidence your solicitors may use to support your claim include:

• Medical records. These could help to show a) the injuries you sustained as a result of a retained placenta and b) what went wrong during your treatment.
• A personal statement. You’ll be asked to describe what you remember happening, what was said by those treating you and how you suffered because of the retained placenta.
• Witness statements. Similarly, if you had a birthing partner, they may be asked to provide a statement of what they saw or heard during your child’s delivery.
• Independent medical reports. Your solicitor will arrange for an independent medical expert to examine what happened. They’ll also discuss how you’ve suffered because of your injuries.
• Financial documents. If you’ve been left out of pocket because of your injuries, you should provide any receipts or invoices to prove your losses.

Please get in touch if you’d like to know more about the types of evidence that could help you to win compensation for a retained placenta.

Retained Placenta Negligence Claims Time Limits

In the UK, all medical negligence claims have a 3-year time limit. If you fail to claim in time, you might miss out on any compensation you’re entitled to because your case could become statute-barred. For retained placenta negligence claims, your limitation period will start from:

• The date your child was born; or
• The date your injuries were diagnosed if this is later.

Time is of the essence when making a claim as your solicitor will need to collect evidence and book medical assessments. Therefore, we’d suggest that you start the claims process sooner rather than later.

Starting A Retained Placenta Compensation Claim

The simplest way to begin a retained placenta compensation claim is to call our team on 0800 6524 881 today. During your free consultation, we’ll review your options and provide legal advice about your next steps.

Remember, you won’t pay any legal fees if your case is taken on because your solicitor will represent you on a No Win No Fee basis.

We hope this guide has explained how much compensation for a retained placenta might be paid, and if you have any further questions, please contact us by phone or via our live chat service.