While being involved in a car accident is a dangerous and stressful experience for anyone, it’s even more threatening for an expectant mother who has not only herself but also her unborn child to worry about. Women in their second trimester of pregnancy are four times more likely to be injured in a car accident than others.
If you or your baby were injured in a Texas car crash that was not your fault, you need an experienced Houston car accident attorney to demand fair compensation from the at-fault driver.
Potential Car Crash Injuries for Expectant Mothers
In addition to the injuries commonly suffered by all car crash victims, the conditions below are frequently sustained by pregnant women, in particular:
Placental Abruption
Half of traumatic injuries to pregnant motorists or vehicle passengers involve placental abruptions. When the placenta is detached from the uterine wall as a result of a car crash, blood flow to the fetus is cut off, and the lives of both mother and child are threatened.
Maternal Shock
When an expectant mother goes into shock after a car wreck, her body reacts by rerouting blood from the uterus to other organs in order to keep the mother alive. Fetal mortality results in more than three-quarters of such cases.
Uterine Rupture
Contact with a steering wheel, seat belt, or dashboard during a crash can cause an expectant mother’s uterus to rupture. If it does, fetal death is almost always the result.
Other Threats
Cuts or lacerations suffered in a car wreck can lead to a loss of blood, which is especially dangerous in the case of a pregnant woman. Other common car accident injuries can bring on premature labor and delivery or cause a miscarriage.
Reduce Your Chances of an Accident
The less time you spend behind the wheel, the lower your chances of being in an accident, so it’s a good idea to do essential driving only and stay off the roads as much as possible while pregnant. When you must drive, heeding the advice below can reduce your risk of a wreck that could injure both you and your baby:
- Eliminate distractions. Resist distractions like your phone, food, cigarettes, makeup, and conversations with passengers so that you can concentrate on the road and other vehicles.
- Obey traffic laws. Slow down and obey all traffic laws.
- Resist driving while exhausted. Never drive when you’re tired, nervous, or preoccupied.
- Click it or Ticket. Wear your seat belt.
- Maintain a safe driving distance. Sit back in your seat to keep as much distance as possible between you and the steering wheel.
- Don't ride with an unsafe driver. Don’t ride with a driver who is tired, distracted, or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
What to Do If You’re Involved in a Wreck
Even if you’re being very careful, some other drivers may not be, and you could find yourself the victim of an accident. If so, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible, even if you don’t feel that you’re hurt. You could have internal injuries with symptoms that won’t surface right away. There could also be damage to the fetus that should be diagnosed immediately. If you’re not transported by police or EMTs to a hospital, see a doctor right away on your own. If you’ve called 911 and are awaiting law enforcement or medical assistance, try to take as many of the following steps as you’re able to take while waiting:
- Collect evidence. Get photos of the scene and the vehicles involved.
- Exchange information with the other driver. Exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver.
- Collect witness contact information. Get contact info from witnesses.
- Contact your auto insurance company. Inform your own insurer of the accident.
- Seek legal counsel. Contact an attorney.
- Have your lawyer handle communication. Do not communicate with adjusters from the other driver’s insurer; refer them to your lawyer.
- Do not apologize or admit fault. Do not admit any fault for anything to anyone.
- Stay off social media. Do not post anything on social media about your accident or injuries.
If you’re physically unable to take the steps above, ask someone to assist you. Doing so will help your attorney to gather evidence about your crash and work to get a fair settlement for your property damage, lost income, and pain and suffering, as well as any medical expenses for treatment of injuries to you and/or your unborn child.
Are You an Expectant Mother Who’s Been Involved in a Car Crash in TX?
An experienced Houston car accident attorney can work to get fair compensation for you and your unborn child. Contact us online, start a chat, or call us at 281-688-6880 to schedule your free consultation. You pay no attorney fees until we win your case.
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