Birth Injury Lawyers & Solicitors for Birth Injury Negligence

The Medical Negligence department is recognised in Tier 1 for the West Midlands in the 2025 edition of Legal 500, which states ‘The ‘efficient and pragmatic’ team at Lanyon Bowdler adopts a ’truly personal approach’ when dealing with cases involving birth, brain and fatal claims’. A testimonial reads: ‘Great team for clin neg work, certainly the stand out team in Shropshire and the surrounding area. Well resourced, offering high quality advice and excellent client care’. Work highlights include: ‘A £10.3m settlement was achieved in a birth injury case despite no motor disabilities but significant “hidden” cognitive impairment.’.

The Chambers UK 2025 edition ranks the department in Band 1, stating “Lanyon Bowdler has a very big presence in the Midlands. It sets very high standards and goes well beyond what is necessary.”

Lanyon Bowdler were shortlisted at the 2024 Personal Injury Awards for Clinical Negligence Team of the Year, having also been shortlisted in 2022 and previously winning the award in 2018.

Department head Beth Heath, won Clinical Negligence Lawyer of the Year in 2022.

The Personal Injury Awards provides a unique opportunity to highlight and celebrate the excellence of individuals and organisations across the sector. The team is both proud and delighted to be recognised.

Find out how the Morris family was affected by Olivia’s Celebral Palsy, which was caused by lack of oxygen at birth.

Medical negligence in childbirth means that the expected standards of care were not met, and mistakes were made that should not have happened.

This could be anything from failing to give the appropriate treatment at the right time, failing to carry out tests quickly enough during pregnancy, misinterpreting scans, misdiagnosis, to failure to act upon reduced foetal movements and failure to act when a mother’s blood pressure has been at dangerous levels.

Birth negligence can have serious physical consequences and a huge psychological impact on all involved. In the more serious cases, it can impact all aspects of a family’s life forever.

Our team of specialist Birth Injury Solicitors are here to listen, to get your questions answered and to provide all the support you need to make these difficult days that little bit easier.

In the UK, you must generally start the legal process after a birth injury within three years from the date of the accident.

We understand the traumatic nature of the experience you or a loved one have experienced. Speaking to a lawyer is unlikely to be the first thought on your mind. However, it is crucial to hold those responsible accountable for the pain and suffering you have endured, which our Birth Trauma Solicitors can help you with.

There are a number of circumstances which may affect your specific time limit. For example, if the baby suffered an injury during birth, they may make a claim with the help of a litigation friend any time before their 18th birthday, and for up to three years after.

If the injury has meant the victim has lost mental capacity, they may start legal proceedings at any point until they are deemed to have gained it back.

It is always advisable to contact a legal specialist, regardless of the time that has passed since the accident. We can provide expert legal guidance, and ensure you get justice for your trauma.

Choosing a legal specialist to guide you through the legal process of claiming against a medical entity for a birth injury should be done carefully.

Many clients come to us from recommendations, as we are renowned as one of the leading law firms in Wales and Shropshire, covering the whole country thanks to our many offices and large network. These cases should only be handled by a team of specialist Birth Injury Lawyers with many years of experience, as they deal with severe trauma and repercussions on the daily lives of victims.

You should also consider the qualifications and accreditations of the law firm you choose to instruct. Lanyon Bowdler is consistently featured on directories and lists such as the Legal 500, Chambers UK, and Law Society recommendations. We are accredited by APIL and AvMa (Action Against Medical Accidents), allowing us access to resources and networks of professionals that many other firms simply cannot match.

Cerebral palsy is the most common type of birth injury case we experience, but there are many other types. We have been successful in a wide variety of childbirth injuries, including:

• Cerebral palsy claims
• Shoulder dystocia claims
• Brachial plexus injury or Erb’s Palsy
• Perineal tear claims
• Wrongful birth claims
• Incorrect stitching of tears or episiotomy
• Wrongly performed episiotomies
• Fissures
• Child anaesthetic errors
• Errors in managing pre-eclampsia
• Caesarean section injury claims
• Foetal distress claims

There are many other injuries and serious complications which can derive from negligent behaviour during childbirth, many causing long term illnesses and disabilities. If you believe you are entitled to childbirth negligence compensation, contact us today.

Childbirth negligence is a unique type of medical malpractice, as it can have very serious effects on both the parent and the child at the same time.

These injuries can be caused by many types of accidents, such as:

• Failure to diagnose a condition developed by the child
• Negligent monitoring of the birth, including vital signs of both parent and child
• Screening mistakes before the birth
• Negligent behaviour towards complications during childbirth

Any of these circumstances, and many more, can cause serious injuries to the mother and the baby. If you have suffered as a result of medical negligence related to a childbirth, contact Lanyon Bowdler today.

The NHS Resolution Early Notification Scheme was started in 2017 to investigate cases of serious injuries to newborn babies during birth. Since 2022, the rules state that brain injuries suffered by newborns must be reported to the legal department of the hospital or practice, and then to the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) within 72 hours.

NHS Resolution will then investigate and rule whether negligence has taken place. If they decide so, you will receive financial support, as well as a written apology.

You may appeal NHS Resolution’s decision, or settlement package, with the help of our specialist solicitors.

The legal costs associated with the legal proceedings following a birth injury are often a major concern. This is why Lanyon Bowdler offers a number of options for funding, and ways to mitigate the financial stress of seeking justice for your trauma.

We can often support claimants on a no win, no fee agreement, also known as a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This means you run no financial risk if your case is unsuccessful: we will simply waive our legal costs.

We will also push to get you interim payments if it is clear you have a strong case against the hospital, trust, or medical professional. These payments have a huge impact for claimants, allowing them to get their life back on track before the end of what are often long and complex cases.