What to Do If You’re In a Car Accident While Pregnant

Posted in Car Accidents on July 12, 2023

Vehicle accidents are not uncommon, but they can be incredibly terrifying for those who get into an accident while pregnant. Vehicle accidents can put incredible stress and strain on the human body, and the trauma of the incident can certainly affect an unborn child. Here, we want to discuss the steps that pregnant women need to take if they have been in a vehicle accident.

Call 911 and Report the Incident

If you are in a vehicle accident while pregnant, the first step is ensuring that you are safe and that emergency personnel get to the scene right away. You or someone in your vehicle needs to call 911 and let them know where the incident occurred and that a pregnant person was involved in the incident.

Calling emergency officials helps ensure that an ambulance gets to the scene to handle any immediate emergencies. We strongly encourage any pregnant individual involved in an accident to take an ambulance to the hospital for an immediate assessment.

Law enforcement officials will come to the scene to conduct an initial investigation and fill out an accident report. This accident report will be a crucial part of the overall claim made against an at-fault driver.

Seek Medical Assistance Immediately

In the event a pregnant individual does not go to the hospital in an ambulance from the scene of the accident, it is still critical to go to the doctor right away. The individual can have a friend or family member take them to an emergency room or other type of critical care facility. There are simply too many risks involved with an accident that occurs with a pregnant individual, and the only way to know if something happened internally is for a doctor to conduct an evaluation.

Call an Attorney Right Away

After a pregnant individual receives medical treatment, they need to contact a Seattle car accident attorney right away. If the accident was caused by the careless or negligent actions of another driver, an attorney needs to get involved so they can conduct a thorough investigation into the incident, handle all communication with insurance carriers and other parties, and prepare the claim on behalf of the injury victim.

An attorney will handle every aspect of the claim against the at-fault driver(s). Women who are pregnant when they are involved in an accident need to take the time necessary to recover from their injuries and follow any doctor’s instructions for the safety of the unborn child.

Risks Associated With a Car Accident While Pregnant

There are various types of injuries that can occur to a pregnant woman involved in a car accident, including the following:

• Miscarriage. Vehicle accidents are traumatic events, and this can place extreme stress on a mother’s body. This stress could lead to a miscarriage, particularly in the early stages of pregnancy.
• Premature birth. Vehicle accidents could lead to a woman entering labor early, or a doctor could choose to perform a C-section if the mother or fetus is showing signs of distress. Premature births can lead to a range of significant health risks for a child.
• High-risk pregnancy. All pregnancies come with risks, but if a mother sustains an injury in a car accident, this can lead to significant complications for various areas of her body. This can increase the risk of significant complications during the duration of the pregnancy.
• Placental abruption. A strong impact on a mother’s body could lead to the placenta separating from the uterus, potentially cutting off the oxygen and nutrition supply to the child.