Damage to Bladder During C-Section

The urinary bladder is the nearest organ to the uterus, and an injury to the bladder has occurred in 0.2% of cases of C-sections.

It is therefore, a known risk of a C-section and in most instances, damage to the bladder is unavoidable.  For example when a C-section is done during full dilatation of the cervix the babys head lays deep down in the pelvis which greatly increases the chance of injury to the bladder. Secondly if the patient has an abnormal anatomy for example if the bladder is high up over the uterus then an injury to the bladder can happen inadvertently.

When does bladder injury during a C-section amount to medical negligence:

There are some instances, when an injury to the bladder during a C-section delivery can amount to medical negligence. In the absence of an abnormal anatomy and the obstetrician makes an incision through the normally situated bladder then this will amount to medical negligence.

A negligence claim can also arise if the bladder is damaged during a C-section but it not identified at the time of the operation. A number of very serious complications can arise such as blood clots, sepsis and infection and further surgery would therefore, be required. Recognition of the injury intraoperatively and immediate repair is required and if this is not done it may and amount to medical negligence.

A typical bladder injury claim arising from a C-section will involve the following steps

• We will investigate every minute detail of your case and from there we will build your case by obtaining all of your medical records, taking full witness account from you and we will consultant the best experts in their field to give an opinion on whether negligence arose in your care or treatment.
• We will contact the relevant hospital or doctor advising them that we believe there was negligence in your care and treatment and asking them to admit liability.
• We will serve proceedings on the relevant medical institution or doctor and ensure that they reply to your claim in a timely manner with full details of any defence that they wish to make.
• We will represent your claim in the courts robustly to secure the appropriate level of compensation for your injuries.

Our experienced team will assist you in reviewing your medical records to identify if an error occurred. We will instruct experts who are the best in their field to provide an opinion on whether the treatment you received was negligent or not and we will progress your claim through the courts with skill, experience and knowledge and robustly represent your case so we can secure the best compensation for you or your loved one.

What level of compensation will I receive for a bladder injury claim:

The level of compensation payable to you is directly related to the level of injury and trauma that you suffered together with the impact that the negligent treatment has had on your quality of life. Compensation is usually broken down into two parts:

1. General damages. This is compensation for the pain and suffering that you have endured to date together with the likely pain and suffering that you will endure into the future.
2. Special damages. These are items of expenditure and financial loss that you have incurred up to the date of the court award and possible likely future financial losses, for example the cost of any private treatment, medication, aids and appliances, loss of earnings to date, loss of earnings into the future, the cost of any ongoing care and treatment required.

How can we help:

Our experienced team of medical negligence lawyers at McElhinney & Associates Solicitors have dealt with compensation claims in respect of obstetrics medical negligence claims involving episiotomy medical negligence claims.

Our experience in obstetrics medical negligence claims involving bladder injury claims:

Our experienced team at McElhinney & Associates Solicitors have worked on various types of obstetrics medical negligence claims involving episiotomy claims over the years ranging from the simple to the most complex. We have developed an expertise in the area and so we know how to prepare and progress your claim to achieve the optimum level of compensation.

What level of compensation will I receive for a obstetrics medical negligence claims involving episiotomy medical negligence:

The level of compensation payable to you is directly related to the level of injury and trauma that you suffered together with the impact that the negligent treatment has had on your quality of life. Compensation is usually broken down into two parts:

1. General damages. This is compensation for the pain and suffering that you have endured to date together with the likely pain and suffering that you will endure into the future.
2. Special damages. These are items of expenditure and financial loss that you have incurred up to the date of the court award and possible likely future financial losses, for example the cost of any private treatment, medication, aids and appliances, loss of earnings to date, loss of earnings into the future, the cost of any ongoing care and treatment required.

How long do you have to make a claim:

Any person who wishes to pursue a claim for medical negligence through the courts must do so within 2 years of the mistake being made or 2 year that they had knowledge that a mistake was made.

Once proceedings are issued the case can take approximately, 2-3 years to come before the courts for hearing, depending on the complexity of the case, the number of experts that are required together with the defence delivered by the healthcare provider to your claim.

Early legal assistance can be vital as the time limits for bringing an action are very strict therefore, if you believe that you have suffered as a result of a substandard episiotomy then you may be able to make a claim for compensation against the hospital in question and we are happy to have an initial consultation with you where we will give you an initial assessment and advise you of your options.

Tell us about your case:

If you believe that you have been the victim of substandard medical treatment and care then contact the experienced lawyers at McElhinney & Associates Solicitors for sound advice on your options. We are available to take your call or answer your email, so please do not hesitate to contact us on  074 91 75989 or 01- 871 7571 or complete our online enquiry form or email us at admin@mcelhinneyassocaites.com

*In contentious business a Solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement