If a Georgia car accident caused your miscarriage, you can hold the at-fault party responsible. State law allows parents to recover compensation after the death of an unborn child to cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.
While no amount of money can make up for the loss of your baby, financial awards can provide needed resources during a challenging time. A compassionate and experienced car accident attorney with our firm can help you seek justice.
What Types of Car Accident Injuries Can Lead to a Miscarriage?
Studies have found that motor vehicle accidents are the most frequent cause of traumas requiring hospitalization during pregnancy. Common crash injuries to pregnant motor vehicle occupants causing fetal loss include:
- Placental abruption – Placental abruption is the separation of the placenta from the uterine wall, which cuts off the fetus’s supply of oxygen and nutrients. It happens more often in vehicles without airbags.
- Uterine rupture – Uterine ruptures are rare but extremely dangerous and potentially fatal to both the mother and fetus. They involve all three layers of the uterus separating.
- Direct fetal injury – Some car accidents can result in direct fetal injury (DFI). DFI can cause skull fractures, brain injuries, and splenic rupture.
- Premature delivery – Trauma and injuries from a car accident can cause premature labor and delivery. Injuries may also require a doctor to deliver a baby by emergency means, such as a cesarean section. If a baby is born too early or their birth weight is too low, they may not survive.
How Can a Georgia Car Collision Cause a Miscarriage?
There are many ways a car crash could result in a miscarriage. A pregnant woman and her fetus can become injured due to the blunt force impact of a collision. Injuries can also occur when a pregnant woman’s abdomen strikes the steering wheel or an airbag.
Where your seat belt sits can make a difference, as well. Placing the seatbelt across the belly, rather than under, can lead to injuries in a car wreck.
What Are the Signs of Miscarriage After a Georgia Car Accident?
According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of a miscarriage after a car accident may include:
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- Bleeding or spotting
- Pain or cramping in the pelvic region or lower back
- Tissue, fluid, or clots passing from the vagina
- Elevated heart rate
If you are pregnant and experience any signs of a miscarriage, see a doctor immediately.
Is a Miscarriage from a Car Accident Considered a Wrongful Death in Georgia?
Georgia law allows parents to pursue a wrongful death claim for a miscarriage after a collision resulting from another party’s negligent actions. However, the unborn child must have had a detectable human heartbeat.
Negligence in a motor vehicle accident may include:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Speeding
- Running a red light or stop sign
- Making an improper turn
- Improper passing
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Tailgating
In addition to a wrongful death claim, car accident victims who suffer injuries due to negligence can pursue compensation. You may be able to recover money for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering related to a miscarriage and other injuries. A personal injury attorney can help you determine what claims you may be able to file after a car wreck.
What Should You Do If You Are Pregnant and Involved in a Car Crash?
There are several things you should do to protect your health and rights if you are involved in a car accident while pregnant in Georgia.
Seek Medical Attention Immediately
The first thing you should do after an accident is get medical treatment if you did not receive emergency medical assistance at the scene. It is especially important to check on your health and the health of your fetus if you are pregnant.
A doctor can check you and your baby for injury and signs of fetal distress. Seeing a doctor will also create a medical record that will be an essential piece of case evidence.
Act Quickly on Your Claim
In Georgia, drivers must carry auto insurance to pay for collisions they cause. You should file claims against liable drivers immediately to avoid missing insurance policy deadlines.
If you cannot recover full and fair compensation with a settlement, you can sue for an accident that caused your miscarriage. You must file your case within the period set by Georgia’s statute of limitations, though. You have two years from when the miscarriage occurred to file a wrongful death lawsuit.
If you or another party suffered harm in the crash in addition to a miscarriage, you have two years from the accident to sue for personal injury.
Consider Hiring Legal Help
Proving that a car accident was caused by negligence and led to a miscarriage can be difficult. You must gather evidence, including medical records, police reports, and eyewitness statements. You will also need to draft and file paperwork, communicate with involved parties, track deadlines, and negotiate.
Handling all of the legal details can be overwhelming at the best of times. While coping with an injury and grieving the loss of a pregnancy, it can seem impossible. You may want to enlist the help of an attorney who can manage your case and advocate for you.
Our team can investigate the accident, build a solid case proving your claim for compensation, and fight for the maximum settlement or verdict possible. We do the work so you can focus on your health and family.
Contact a Georgia Car Accident Lawyer
At Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., we fight because we care. If your car accident caused a miscarriage, we offer our sincerest condolences for your loss. We are here to help you seek justice and get your life back on track.
Our caring team has over 85 years of combined legal experience and a reputation for respectfully advocating for injury victims and getting meaningful results. Past clients say we “were compassionate, caring and professional in handling” their case. Above all, we will treat you like family.
Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about working with our Georgia car accident lawyers on your personal injury and wrongful death claims.
