Can I Make A Claim For Retained Placenta Compensation?
100% No Win No Fee
If a medical professional failed to remove your placenta after you gave birth, this guide explains how you may be eligible to start a retained placenta compensation claim.
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Can I Make A Claim For Retained Placenta Compensation?
100% No Win No Fee
If a medical professional failed to remove your placenta after you gave birth, this guide explains how you may be eligible to start a retained placenta compensation claim.
Excellent Reviews On
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Up to 3 out of 100 women are diagnosed with a retained placenta. For some women, this condition can have serious consequences and potentially be life-threatening. In certain situations, that suffering can be avoidable and the result of substandard medical care. If you have experienced that, keep reading to see if you could be eligible to claim retained placenta compensation.
Essential Information
- If you suffered unnecessarily from a retained placenta due to substandard medical care, you may be eligible to claim compensation.
- Besides your pain and suffering, you may be compensated for any financial loss caused by the harm.
- You typically have 3 years to start a medical negligence claim, but some exceptions may apply.
- You must obtain evidence to prove that inadequate medical care was responsible for your harm.
- One of our solicitors may help you make a retained placenta claim on a No Win No Fee basis.
If you would like to see if you can make a medical negligence claim with one of our specialist solicitors, please reach out to our helpful advisors today by:
- Visiting our ‘contact us’ page
- Calling them on 0333 091 8589
- Submitting a claim enquiry online
What Are Retained Placenta Compensation Claims?
Retained placenta claims are cases where a medical professional has caused a patient to suffer unnecessary harm due to substandard care. The claim gives someone the opportunity to pursue compensation for their pain and suffering, as well as any financial loss connected to that.
A placenta is a temporary organ that forms to connect a baby to a mother’s uterus during pregnancy. It acts as a form of life support, providing the baby with oxygen, glucose, and essential nutrients. Shortly after the baby is born, the placenta is expelled; this is known as afterbirth.
However, in some cases, the placenta is retained. This means that all or some of the placenta becomes stuck in the womb. Although there can be natural reasons why this may occur, it is sometimes due to the negligent actions of a medical professional. We’ll explain how that might give rise to a retained placenta compensation claim shortly.
Are There Different Types Of Retained Placenta?
Yes, there are 3 main types of retained placenta:
- Placenta adherens – Occurs if the contractions during birth are not robust enough to remove the placenta.
- Trapped placenta – Happens when the placenta detaches from the uterine wall but fails to leave the body.
- Placenta accreta – Develops if the placenta becomes attached to the muscle walls rather than the uterine walls.
If you have suffered from a retained placenta, call our advisors to share your experience in confidence and see if you might be eligible to claim compensation.
How Much Compensation Can I Get For Placenta Retention?
Since every claim is unique, how much compensation you may get for placenta retention will depend on 2 heads of loss:
- General damages – Compensation for the physical and psychological harm you experienced
- Special damages – Compensation for any financial loss stemming from the harm you suffered
General damages is calculated using an independent medical record that assesses the extent and severity of someone’s harm, amongst other factors. Additionally, solicitors may inform their calculations by using the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). They sometimes do so because the JCG pairs suggestive compensation with many forms of harm.
What Special Damages Can Be Covered In Retained Placenta Compensation?
In a successful retained placenta compensation claim, special damages can cover any financial loss you incurred as a direct result of your harm.
Some examples of the special damages that may be covered by your compensation include:
- Lost wages, if you were unable to return to work
- Additionally, missed work benefits, such as holiday entitlement and pensions
- Medical expenses, if you required private treatment or medication
- The cost of mental health services, such as counselling
- Child care if you needed extra support with your newborn or other children
- Travel going to and from medical appointments
If you are claiming special damages, it is important to obtain evidence of your financial losses. This proof may include receipts, bank statements, payslips or bills.
If you would like to learn more about compensation for a retained placenta, please contact our advisors.
You can also use our free compensation calculator below. Simply click on the drop-down menu to see a specific harm and one of the JCG’s suggestive brackets. Since those brackets are only guidelines, it’s important to note that the tool is not a guarantee of compensation.
Compensation Calculator
Can I Make A Claim For Retained Placenta?
You may be able to make a claim for a retained placenta if you meet the following criteria:
- A medical professional or facility, such as a hospital, owed you a duty of care
- That duty of care was breached
- This caused your retained placenta, which was unnecessary and avoidable
All medical professionals, including midwives, must ensure they provide their patients with the correct standard of care. That is the duty mentioned above. To help professionals fulfil their duties, bodies like the General Medical Council (GMC) set standards like good medical practice.
A retained placenta may occur even if a medical professional has taken reasonable care. That can mean, for instance, that small remnants of placental tissue remain in the uterus without being the result of negligent care.
In such circumstances, a medical professional’s actions would not be considered negligent or grounds to make a retained placenta claim.
However, if a medical professional was responsible for you suffering unnecessarily from a retained placenta, you may have grounds to claim compensation. Please contact our helpful advisors to see if you can start your claim today.
Is There A Retained Placenta Claims Time Limit?
Yes, there is a time limit for starting retained placenta claims. This is typically a 3-year period which commences on either:
- The date you experienced the medical negligence
- The date you received knowledge of the negligence
The 3-year time limit applies to all medical negligence claims under the Limitation Act 1980. However, the fact that some people may not be able to start a claim within this period is taken into account.
As such, there are exceptions where the time limit on a claim is paused if:
- The claimant is under the age of 18. Here, the time limit will commence on their 18th birthday and end when they turn 21.
- The claimant has no mental capacity. In such cases, the time limit will be indefinitely frozen unless they regain their cognitive ability. If that happens, then the 3 years will apply from the point they regain capacity.
If the time limit on a retained placenta claim is paused, a litigation friend may start the process on behalf of someone from the above groups. Anyone over the age of 18 is eligible to take on the role. However, they must act in the claimant’s best interests and perform various duties for the case.
To learn more about the time limit for retained placenta claims, please contact our helpful advisors.
How Might Medical Negligence Lead To Retained Placenta
If a medical professional fails to follow good medical practice, there are several ways their negligent conduct may lead to a retained placenta. Here are some examples of how this may occur.
- Failure to complete an ultrasound to check if the placenta was fully extracted – Sometimes it may break, and fragments may be retained.
- Failure to confirm whether the placenta has been fully removed during a C-section – Once the baby has been removed, the surgeon should then remove the placenta.
- Failure to monitor the patient – For example, a medical professional may not investigate the warning signs that the patient has a high fever or is experiencing excessive blood loss.
- Failure to check medical history to see if the patient is at risk of suffering from a retained placenta.
How Can A Retained Placenta Be Prevented?
Unfortunately, there are no specific methods of preventing a retained placenta. During some birthing procedures, they may be unavoidable, specifically during C-sections and miscarriages or depending on the woman’s age and previous births.
However, if healthcare providers adhere to professional standards and fulfil their duty of care, retained placentas can sometimes be avoidable. For example, medical professionals can:
- Check medical records to see if a patient has certain risk factors
- Complete appropriate scans, such as an ultrasound, to ensure the placenta has been removed
- Prescribe oxytocin to promote the extraction of the placenta
If a medical professional failed to take appropriate steps that led to a retained placenta, please contact our advisors to discuss your situation in complete confidence.
What Is The Impact Of Placenta Tissue Not Being Removed?
If placenta tissue is not removed following the birthing procedure, this can have serious consequences on a woman’s health. For example, it may cause:
- Postpartum haemorrhages – heavy bleeding which can be life-threatening.
- Infections such as endometrium – this is an infection of the uterus lining
- Lower abdomen problems – such as pain, swelling and discomfort
If treated quickly, retained placentas generally do not cause any serious complications. However, if they are not extracted following birth, a retained placenta can be life-threatening.
If a medical professional failed to remove your placenta, please contact our advisors to find out if you are eligible for compensation.
How Can I Prove That My Retained Placenta Was Due To Negligence?
You can prove that your retained placenta was due to negligence by obtaining evidence. This documentation should illustrate how the medical professional provided substandard care, causing you to suffer unnecessary harm.
Some examples of evidence that may support a retained placenta claim include:
- Copies of your medical records, including ultrasounds or other scans
- Details of any previous pregnancies
- Copies of prescriptions you were given, such as oxytocin
- Your birthing plan and maternity notes
- Correspondence with the hospital or a copy of any complaint you made
- A copy of the hospital’s investigation, if made
- Diary entries of your symptoms
- Witness contact details. You can pass those on to your solicitor for them to collect supportive statements for the case
To give your claim the best possible chance at success, we recommend having as much evidence as possible. If you are unsure how to go about this, one of our solicitors may be able to assist you and help piece together the evidence they obtain.
For more examples of evidence that may prove how your retained placenta was caused by negligence, please contact our helpful advisors.
Why use us?
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No Win No Fee Retained Placenta Solicitors
Our No Win No Fee retained placenta solicitors have a wealth of experience in the field of medical negligence claims. They believe that everyone should be able to benefit from their expertise without the worry of it coming with more and more solicitor fees.
That is why our solicitors represent their clients through a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This means that if you choose to start a claim with us, you will not be charged any upfront or ongoing solicitor fees. You pay these fees at all if your claim is not successful.
If your claim does win, a success fee will be taken by your solicitor for their services. However, this fee is small as it will be taken as a legally capped percentage of your compensation.
Besides the advantages offered by a CFA, all our solicitors offer a tailored service that ensures you will get:
- Constant support as you navigate the process of claiming for retained placenta compensation
- Access to a range of specialist skills and legal knowledge
- Help with obtaining evidence to support your claim
- An independent medical assessment to strengthen your case
- Rehabilitation assistance through mental health services and access to other specialists
- Dedicated, professional representation in all correspondence and negotiations
Our solicitors have already helped their clients gain over £80 million in compensation in claims nationwide. No matter where you’re based in the country, one of these dedicated professionals can help you next.
Contact Us
If you would like to start a retained placenta claim today or have any questions regarding the process, please contact us by:
- Visiting our ‘contact us’ page
- Calling them on 0333 091 8589
- Submitting a claim enquiry online
Our lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Therefore, our advisors are available to help you whenever you need support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions regarding retained placenta compensation claims.
How Is Retained Placenta Diagnosed?
An ultrasound is typically used to diagnose a retained placenta. A retained placenta is usually suspected if the organ does not naturally extract within an hour after birth.
Can Retained Placenta Be Treated?
Yes, a retained placenta can be treated using various methods that your midwife may discuss with you, such as:
- Stomach massages – Helps to contract the womb to promote placenta delivery.
- Prescribing an oxytocin injection – Speeds up the delivery of the placenta.
- Manual removal – A vaginal examination and removal of the placenta.
- Surgery – Usually for more complicated cases of retained placentas.
Are Some Women At Higher Risk Of A Retained Placenta?
Some women may be at a higher risk of experiencing a retained placenta. That risk can be influenced by certain factors or complications, such as:
- Abnormal placentation
- A history of retained placenta
- Premature birth
- A history of miscarriages
- 5 or more previous births
- Womb abnormalities
- Previous abortion
If you believe you may be at risk of a retained placenta, you should discuss any concerns with your midwife or obstetrician.
How Long Will A Retained Placenta Medical Negligence Claim Take?
The timeframe of retained placenta claims varies in each case and may depend on various factors. Those factors can include:
- Whether you are still receiving treatment. If you are, it may delay the process of assessing the extent and severity of your harm
- The time it takes to obtain evidence to support your claim
- Whether liability has been accepted by the defendant. If it hasn’t, then your solicitor may need to spend more time gathering evidence to prove your case
- How straightforward negotiations are. In some cases, compensation can be agreed upon fairly quickly. However, disagreements may result in multiple counter-offers or even lead to negotiations failing
Regardless of the specifics of your case, you can rest assured that one of our solicitors will use their specialist skills to help your claim reach a settlement in a reasonable timeframe.
More Information
If you would like more information about how we can support you at No Win No Fee Solicitors Co., it may be worth reading the guides linked below:
- Learn how to start a personal injury claim
- Read about accident at work claims
- A guide on road traffic accident claims
References:
- Learn more about women’s health, NHS.UK
- Find your nearest urgent treatment centre, NHS.UK
- Access information about pregnancy, NHS.UK
We appreciate you reading our guide, which explains how to claim retained placenta compensation with the help of our excellent solicitors.