My Doctor Did a Terrible Job Stitching My Perineal Tearing. Can I Sue?

 Posted on August 18, 2022 in Maternal Injuries

The unfortunate reality for many mothers giving birth vaginally is that tearing injuries can easily occur. The skin of the vagina is biologically prepared to thin and stretch during delivery, but certain situations can make perineal tearing unavoidable. And while perineal tears are usually fairly easy to repair, poor medical treatment can make a mother’s recovery excruciatingly painful, sometimes requiring expensive further treatment and causing irreparable harm. 

If your doctor committed a mistake that cause unnecessary perineal tearing, or if they improperly tried to repair perineal tearing, you may be able to take action. 

What Kind of Mistakes Cause Unnecessary Perineal Tearing? 

Mild to severe perineal tearing is common during delivery. Unfortunately, certain situations can worsen perineal tearing. These include: 

• Improperly using forceps or vacuum suction 
• Mistakenly cutting too far during an emergency episiotomy
• Mishandling the infant during delivery 

Consequences of Poor Episiotomy Treatment

If a doctor does not treat an episiotomy tear correctly, a woman can suffer serious health issues. These include, but are not limited to: 

• Painful urination and defecation
• Urinary incontinence
• Scarring and scar tissue
• Painful intercourse
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Rectovaginal fistula
• Infection

These issues can reduce life quality significantly, especially if a mother is trying to care for a newborn. 

Can I Sue the Doctor Who Performed the Episiotomy?

Just as every mother and child are different, every birth injury is unique and requires an investigation to determine what happened and who should be held accountable. In some cases, episiotomy complications are unavoidable. In others, however, the doctor or midwife may be responsible for causing the perineal tearing. The individual who botched the episiotomy repair may also be responsible, as well as nurses or other staff members who failed to notice complications resulting from perineal tearing. The hospital or birthing center employing the staff may also be held responsible for their actions, especially if staff members have a known history of medical errors or poor training. 

Contact a Chicago, IL Birth Injury Lawyer Now

Every new mother deserves to put her trust in the team of medical providers caring for her and her baby. When a doctor instead causes a mother more problems, she may suffer enormous physical pain and her trust in medical professionals may be permanently violated. If you gave childbirth and suffered an unnecessary injury because of your doctor’s carelessness or sloppy work, see if you can take action. Call the Cook County birth injury attorneys with Birth Injury Law Alliance, Ltd. at 312-462-4200 to schedule your free consultation today. 

Source: 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21212-vaginal-tears-during-childbirth