Justice for Family Who Faced Loss of Newborn

Stephanie Prior

Osbornes Law specialises in assisting families who have experienced birth injuries. We have represented families who have faced the loss of a newborn during childbirth or where insufficient maternity care, whether it occurred before, during, or after labour, resulted in harm to the baby or mother.

Our dedicated team is led by Stephanie Prior, with over twenty-five years of experience supporting families in pursuing birth injury claims and holding NHS Trusts accountable. Before her career as a lawyer, Stephanie was a senior NHS nurse. This background equips her with a deep understanding of medical terminology and procedures, enabling her to detect any irregularities within her clients’ medical records swiftly.

Stephanie Prior is acting for a young woman who was admitted to the hospital and left unattended for significant periods during her labour. As a result, the midwife caring for her failed to appreciate that the woman’s baby was in distress. Almost 16 hours after she was admitted to the hospital, she was tragically informed that her baby had died.

Her baby was then stillborn, 20 hours after a long and emotional labour.

These cases can be complex and may involve medical experts who testify about the standard of care and whether it was breached in the circumstances. Examples of stillbirth negligence may include:

1. Failure to monitor fetal well-being, monitoring the health and well-being of both the mother and the fetus during pregnancy. Negligence can occur if they fail to perform necessary tests, such as fetal heart rate monitoring or ultrasounds, or if they misinterpret test results.
2. Failure to diagnose and address complications, infections, or other medical conditions that could harm the baby, may be considered negligence. This can include conditions like preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, or infections that affect the pregnancy.
3. Administering the wrong medications or dosages to a pregnant woman can have serious consequences for the fetus, potentially leading to stillbirth.
4. Negligence can also occur if hospitals fail to provide proper medical care or advice during the pregnancy, labour, or delivery. This may include not monitoring high-risk pregnancies appropriately or not responding to signs of distress during labour.
5. If the hospital does not offer or adequately provide prenatal care, it can lead to complications that result in stillbirth. This may include missed appointments, inadequate health advice, or lack of necessary screenings.

To speak with Stephanie about your situation and find out if it may be possible for you to bring a claim, don’t hesitate to contact Stephanie. You can fill in the form below, and we will reply.