Injured While Pregnant: Car Accidents And Personal Injuries
Being pregnant can evoke strong feelings of protectiveness and the desire to stay as healthy as possible, but a car accident can place those motivations in jeopardy. Car accidents are never good, but even relatively minor accidents can cause a great deal of harm to both you and your unborn child. The sad truth is that auto insurance compensation alone is seldom sufficient to cover the host of potential problems caused by another's careless driving. Read on to learn more about staying safe on the road while you are pregnant and how to ensure that you get compensation when the worst case scenario occurs.
A Dangerous Impact
What might be a minor fender-bender could escalate into a far more serious event if you fail to seek medical attention promptly. Not only could you be placing the health of you and your unborn child at risk, but you may lose the opportunity to be properly compensated for your damages if you turn down that ride to the hospital. The cushioning effect of the amniotic fluid can only go so far, so a sonogram and other diagnostic tests are in order if you are in an accident. Just a few of the serious eventualities can include:
- Early labor; which means labor that begins prior to 37 weeks.
- Premature amniotic sac breakage (water breaking), which often means a progression to labor, sometimes preterm.
- Separation of the placental wall.
- Still birth.
- Miscarriage
Stay Safe on the Road
It's now more important than ever to use a seat belt while driving, though it may feel more uncomfortable than usual. Make sure, however, that:
- You use both the lap and shoulder sections of the belt, never just one.
- You place the lap portion just under your belly, lifting it slightly for a better fit.
- You guide the shoulder portion between your breasts; never allow it to fit under your arms.
- You keep your seat in the furthermost position from the steering wheel and the airbag area as possible, and still be able to safety see to drive. Additionally tilt the steering wheel upwards slightly to reduce the impact of airbag inflation.
Enhanced Damages
Being injured while pregnant is not only distressing, but can cause the potential for personal injury damages to multiply. It's important to know that the insurance companies will only pay out for your vehicle damage and your medical bills. The only avenue to fair compensation that includes a provision for pain and suffering is to pursue the matter through a personal injury suit. To help ensure that your claim for personal injury is taken seriously, make sure that you:
- Seek immediate medical attention and be scrupulously organized with keeping your receipts, medical records and other paperwork.
- Begin to keep a journal of the manner that the accident has impacted you, your unborn child and your family's lives.
- Seek the support and professional legal assistance of a personal injury attorney.
Cases involving an unborn child can often be far more complicated and challenging than other personal injury cases, so allow a professional to take the burden from you while you heal from your injuries.
For a personal injury attorney, contact an attorney such as Charles Aaron PLC.
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