Maternal Death Lawyers
When considering making a claim for the death of a mother due to negligence, you’ll want to know you’re in expert hands and have the support of understanding and empathetic solicitors. We’re proud to have a team who take the time to get to know you and your case, offering a personalised approach.
Maternal mortality compensation claims
The loss of a mother due to pregnancy or delivery complications is devastating for the whole family. But if the cause of death relates to poor pregnancy management or medical negligence at the time of birth, then it can be even harder to accept.
If your partner or family member has lost their life due to a lack of care during pregnancy, while giving birth or in the postpartum period, our maternal death lawyers might be able to help you claim compensation.
We understand it may be extremely difficult to discuss the experience but our empathetic team of professional solicitors are here to help you get answers and seek the settlement you and your family deserve.
To speak to one of our team, with no obligation to proceed, call us on 0330 100 1014 or fill out our online form.
- What is maternal mortality?
- What are the causes of maternal mortality?
- Maternal mortality legislation
- Why choose Freeths to help with your claim?
- Client testimonials
- Maternal death FAQs
- Our accreditations
What is maternal mortality?
Maternal mortality refers to the death of a mother during pregnancy or up to six weeks (42 days) after the end of pregnancy.
Thankfully, maternal mortality is a rare occurrence in the UK, with the most recent report from the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU) showing that 229 women died during or up to six weeks after the end of their pregnancies from 2018-2020. However, this maternal mortality rate demonstrates a 24% increase compared to the previous two years.
Direct vs indirect maternal death
Maternal deaths are classified into two subgroups:
- Direct: these refer to deaths that occur due to complications or conditions directly related to pregnancy or treatment during pregnancy.
- Indirect: these are deaths which occur due to an existing condition, or one which was brought on by pregnancy, but not directly related to obstetrics
What are the causes of maternal mortality?
According to data from the NPEU, the leading cause of maternal death in the UK in 2019-2021 was Covid-19, followed by cardiac disease. Thrombosis and thromboembolism are the most common causes of direct maternal death, followed by mental-health-related problems and sepsis.
Other causes include organ rupture due to birth injury, infection, eclampsia, haemorrhage or caesarean complications.
Sadly, in some situations, maternal death could have been prevented through proper monitoring, correct treatment and the right standard of care. In these cases, a breach in the duty of care and maternity negligence are often found to have been the cause.
If your partner suffered a maternal death due to a lack of medical care, our understanding expert maternal death lawyers could help you make a claim for compensation. Speak to us on 0330 100 1014 or contact us online and one of our team will get back to you.
Maternal mortality legislation
Recent reports have shown that the maternal mortality rate among Black women in the UK is four times as high as it is for white women, suggesting huge differences in the care that those from ethnic minority backgrounds receive.
According to the confidential enquiry into maternal death reports, women in deprived areas are also more likely to suffer from maternal mortality.
On the back of these reports, a new task force was set up by the government to tackle these issues and level up maternity care across the UK.
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Maternal Death Claims
Why choose Freeths to help with your claim?
When considering making a claim for the death of a mother due to negligence, you’ll want to know you’re in expert hands and have the support of understanding and empathetic solicitors. We’re proud to have a team who take the time to get to know you and your case, offering a personalised approach.
There are a few other reasons why you might want to consider us to help with your maternal death claim:
- We’re ranked by The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, leading companies within the law industry.
- Your initial chat is FREE and there is no obligation to proceed beyond it.
- As part of our service we offer a home visit, should that be more convenient for you.
- Alternatively, you’re also able to visit us at one of our 13 office locations across the country.
- We’re committed to providing continually high standards of customer service. Take a look at our awards and accreditations.
Get in touch on 0330 100 1014 to speak with one of our team or, if you prefer, you can fill out our form online.
“I thank you for all your help in dealing with my case. Not just your professionalism, but the kindness you showed in the way you dealt with everything, during what has been a most difficult time for me.”
Client testimonial
“Many thanks for all you have done – I greatly appreciate it and will never forget all your help.”
Client testimonial
Maternal death FAQs
Whatever your background, if you suffered the loss of a partner during pregnancy or birth, or shortly afterwards, and it was due to a substandard of care, you could be entitled to claim compensation.
Bringing a child into the world should be a joyous event and to have to deal with the unexpected loss of a loved one can be hugely distressing. You might be wondering if the maternal death could have been prevented and questioning the actions of the medical team.
If you believe there was a failure in their duty of care and the death could have been prevented had the correct treatment or management been administered, then our maternal death lawyers could help.
In some instances, the baby might also have suffered alongside the mother due to a birth injury or infection. If this is the case, we might also be able to help make a claim for your child too.
Your initial conversation is free and there’s no pressure to proceed with a claim should you choose not to do so. Give our team a call on 0330 100 1014 and we can discuss the next steps with you.
We know that thinking about making a claim can be extremely difficult. You might be in a situation where you now have sole responsibility for a new child while grieving the loss of a partner. The last thing you might want to consider is going through a claims process.
But people choose to make a maternal death compensation claim for a few reasons:
- It can be a step towards holding someone responsible and ensuring the same errors don’t happen again in the future.
- It can help highlight any gaps in the standard of maternity care, whether by particular trusts or departments or in the community.
- Making a claim can go some way towards achieving closure and offering support in moving forward with your life.
- Although money will never make up for any loss, receiving the compensation you and your family deserve can help with aspects such as childcare, counselling, loss of income and future support for you and your family.
Only you can decide whether making a claim is right for you but, if you do choose to go ahead, our team will approach your case with sensitivity, empathy and professionalism to get the best outcome for you.
If you choose to make a claim under our ‘no win no fee’ agreement, there’ll be nothing to pay up front. You will only pay if your claim is successful, with the fee being a pre-agreed percentage of your settlement.
There are other ways that your claim can be funded. If you’d like to know more about these, our team can discuss the details during your free initial chat.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to compensation amounts; every case is treated individually, depending on the particular circumstances. There are, however, some factors which will likely be taken into account in maternity mortality cases:
- The overall health of the mother
- The pain and suffering endured
- Loss of income
- The family’s needs
- The impact on the child’s (and any other dependent’s) life
We understand that no one can put a price on the loss of a loved one, especially in such traumatic circumstances, but claiming the compensation you deserve can help relieve any financial burden your family might face due to maternal death.
To calculate the figure, the Judicial College Guidelines will be referenced to ensure a fair and accurate representation. Our friendly team will be able to answer any questions you have relating to compensation amounts during your call.
It can sometimes be difficult to prove that maternity or medical negligence played a part in the death of a mother, especially in complex cases. Our team can help gather evidence to demonstrate that, had correct protocols been followed, the outcome could have been different.
If you feel that the circumstances surrounding the death of your partner suggest a failure to uphold a duty of care, we can discuss the details of your case with you and help you come to a decision about whether you should proceed with a claim.
All claims are different and it is difficult to put a specific time on the process. However, our expert team aim to make proceedings as smooth as possible and will explain each step along the way. They can give you more of an idea on the timeline during your first call.
It’s impossible to put an exact time on how long your claim could take as every case is unique and some will be more complex than others. However, our team might be able to give you more of an idea once they know the details of your case and they will make sure to keep you updated at every step of the way.
The majority of our maternal mortality cases don’t go to court and are settled before they get to that stage. In the event that the relevant trust fails to admit liability, our expert solicitors will support you and let you know what to expect should your case end up going to court.
Who pays any compensation awarded?
NHS Resolution exists to deal with medical negligence cases so any compensation awarded will come out of its budget.
If you’re entitled to compensation, a legal panel will award any settlement based on a variety of factors. One of these could be related to any psychological trauma or suffering you and any dependents have endured due to the death of your partner.
Our accreditations
We are celebrating another year of accreditations and rankings.
Meet the team
Carolyn Lowe
Partner & Head of Clinical Negligence for the South
Karen Reynolds
Partner & Head of Clinical Negligence for Derby, West Midlands & North West
Jane Williams
Partner, Head of Medical Negligence, East Midlands & North East
Phillip McGough
Clinical Negligence Executive
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