In Ireland, women are still expected to put up with uncertainty during pregnancy, to stay quiet during gynaecological treatment, and to accept poor outcomes as just bad luck. But you know your body. You knew something was wrong. And when nobody listened, the consequences were not small they were life-altering.
In Ireland, women are still expected to put up with uncertainty during pregnancy, to stay quiet during gynaecological treatment, and to accept poor outcomes as just bad luck. But you know your body. You knew something was wrong. And when nobody listened, the consequences were not small they were life-altering.
At Crimmins Howard, we have seen what happens when a heartbeat is missed, when pain is minimised, or when test results come too late. We have acted for women who were discharged before it was safe, who were never told the risks of a procedure, and who left hospital with more questions than answers.
This is not about blame. It is about truth. If your care was rushed, incomplete or simply not good enough, you are entitled to ask why and to expect a real answer. You should not have to fight to be taken seriously. But if you do, we will fight with you.
If your care during pregnancy, birth or gynaecological treatment left you harmed, overlooked or in doubt, contact Crimmins Howard. We will listen, investigate, and give you a clear path forward.
These claims arise when poor care during pregnancy, labour, delivery or gynaecological treatment causes harm that could have been avoided. This may include injuries to a mother or baby, surgical errors, misdiagnoses, or delays in recognising serious complications. In many cases, patients felt something was wrong but were not heard. If your concerns were ignored, your options were not explained, or the care you received fell below a safe standard, and you were harmed as a result, you may have grounds to bring a legal claim.
Birth injuries can occur when the labour process is not properly monitored or managed. These injuries may affect the baby, the mother, or both. We act in cases where warning signs were missed, intervention was delayed, or delivery techniques were poorly handled. Birth should never be a matter of chance. If your child was harmed due to a failure in care, we help you get clear answers and seek accountability.
Cerebral palsy can result when a baby’s brain is deprived of oxygen during labour or delivery. These cases often involve missed signs of distress or delays in performing a caesarean. We work with medical experts to assess whether earlier intervention could have prevented permanent injury. If your child has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and you suspect something went wrong at birth, we can investigate what happened and why.
Erb’s palsy is a form of nerve damage that can happen during delivery, particularly when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck. Excessive pulling or improper technique can cause lasting damage to the nerves controlling the arm. We act in claims where this condition could have been prevented with better delivery management. If your child is struggling with arm function due to Erb’s palsy, it may be linked to negligent handling during birth.
Shoulder dystocia is an obstetric emergency that must be recognised and managed without delay. Failure to respond appropriately can result in fractures, oxygen deprivation, or nerve injury. We investigate whether protocols were followed, whether proper manoeuvres were used, and whether your baby’s safety was compromised. These claims often arise when there was a lack of planning for known risk factors or a delayed reaction during delivery.
When a baby inhales meconium-stained fluid before or during birth, it can cause serious breathing problems. If this condition is not identified and treated quickly, it can lead to brain damage or long-term health issues. We act in cases where midwives or doctors failed to monitor the baby properly or delayed responding to signs of distress. If your child suffered after birth due to poor handling of meconium, we may be able to help.
A stillbirth is devastating. When it happens due to failure to monitor, delayed scans, ignored symptoms or mismanaged complications, the heartbreak is compounded by knowing it could have been prevented. We represent families who were told everything was fine until it wasn’t. If you believe your baby’s death was avoidable, we will help you understand what went wrong and whether the care you received fell below the standard you were entitled to.
Negligence does not end with delivery. Mothers can face serious injury if postpartum care is rushed, disorganised or dismissive. We handle claims involving retained placenta, untreated infections, haemorrhage, and failures to recognise early signs of sepsis. Many women report not being believed when they said something felt wrong. If your recovery was made harder by inaction or poor follow-up, we can investigate and advise you clearly on your legal options.
Forceps should only be used with clear clinical justification and proper technique. When used incorrectly or too forcefully, they can cause trauma to the baby’s head, neck, or face or injuries to the mother. We examine whether forceps were truly necessary, and whether the risks were properly managed and explained. If you or your child suffered injury from forceps that were poorly applied or avoidably used, we will help you hold the system accountable.
Some perineal tearing is unavoidable in childbirth, but many cases involve poor delivery technique, missed warning signs, or failure to diagnose the severity of the tear. We have handled claims where women were left with long-term pain, incontinence or reduced quality of life due to undiagnosed or untreated tears. If you were dismissed or sent home before receiving proper repair, we will investigate how that failure happened and what can be done now.
An episiotomy is a surgical cut, and like any procedure, it must be carried out with care. If it is performed unnecessarily, at the wrong angle, or repaired poorly, it can lead to chronic pain or pelvic floor damage. We act in claims where consent was not properly obtained or aftercare was inadequate. If your recovery was complicated by a mishandled episiotomy, we can help you explore your legal rights.
C-sections carry risks, but poor surgical care should never be one of them. We’ve acted in cases involving internal damage, retained instruments, and post-operative infections due to poor technique or hygiene. In some claims, the caesarean was delayed too long despite clear signs that intervention was needed. If your operation or recovery was affected by substandard care, we will build a case that reflects both the facts and the impact on your life.
Mesh procedures are intended to treat prolapse or incontinence, but when the wrong mesh is used or the operation is mishandled patients can suffer chronic pain, nerve injury or internal scarring. We act in claims where patients were not warned of the risks, not monitored properly, or received faulty devices. If mesh was used and you are now living with complications, we will review your records and investigate what went wrong and why.
If your child’s hip dysplasia was missed during postnatal checks or follow-up assessments, or if they underwent surgery that may not have been necessary, you may have grounds for a claim. We act for families affected by delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis and unnecessary hip surgery across Ireland. Read more on our dedicated Hip Dysplasia Claims page.
Obstetric and gynaecological negligence is actionable when a woman suffers harm due to care that falls below the standard expected from a trained medical professional and when that harm could have been avoided through competent care. These claims are not about unfortunate outcomes alone. They are about identifying clear failures in clinical judgment, communication, or procedure that caused a worsening of health, prolonged suffering, or permanent injury.
At Crimmins Howard, we assess each case on its individual facts. We do not assume negligence simply because something went wrong, but we do take your concerns seriously. If you were ignored, rushed, dismissed or misinformed during your care and that led to physical, emotional or reproductive harm we will investigate fully and help you understand whether a legal claim should be pursued.
To succeed in a claim, it must be shown that your treatment fell below what would be reasonably expected of a similarly trained doctor or midwife. Examples of breaches include:
We do not rely on speculation. We work with independent consultants who review your records and help establish whether the care you received was substandard by medical standards.
A breach alone is not enough. It must also be shown that the failure caused injury, or made an existing situation worse. This is known as causation. We will look at:
This is especially important in childbirth cases, where trauma may be downplayed or labelled as ‘normal’. We take the impact seriously and build the claim around its full effects.
In most cases, the time limit for bringing a claim is two years from the date you knew, or should have known, that the harm occurred and that negligence may have been involved. This may not be the date of delivery or the procedure itself especially if complications were only discovered later.
We always recommend contacting us as early as possible. We can request your records, advise on whether further expert input is needed, and give you a clear and honest view of what next steps are appropriate.
Many obstetric claims involve a chain of events, not just one error. We look closely at what should have happened at each stage: during triage, in theatre, after delivery, and in the days that followed. If you were discharged without review, ignored during labour, or left to manage complications alone, we track the clinical choices that led to that outcome and build a case around them.
Too many women are told their experience was just part of the process. They are expected to tolerate pain, downplay instinct, and accept poor treatment without question. We act when you were made to feel unreasonable for speaking up when you were told “everything is fine” but knew something wasn’t. These claims begin with listening, and that’s where we start.
Obstetric harm is not limited to one side of the delivery room. You may have experienced a traumatic birth, severe tearing, surgical complications or long-term pelvic issues. Or your baby may have suffered due to delays, poor monitoring or mismanaged delivery techniques. We investigate all dimensions of harm and how they connect. Whether the injury is yours, your child’s or both, we will treat your case with full gravity.
Many clients do not discover the full extent of their injury until much later especially after mesh complications, missed tears or failed repairs. These injuries are often personal, painful and slow to be acknowledged. We act in claims where recovery was needlessly prolonged, where pain was explained away, or where consent was never truly given. We make sure the medical record reflects the full truth of your experience.
Obstetric and gynaecological claims require more than sympathy. They demand a solicitor who can manage complex medical evidence, secure credible expert opinion, and keep institutions engaged on the issues. At Crimmins Howard, we know the pace to set, the pressure to apply and the arguments that hold. We prepare thoroughly and move when the case is ready.
This is not just about a procedure that went wrong. It’s about missed time with your baby. Pain during recovery. The loss of confidence in your body. Worries about future pregnancies. Strain on your relationships. We factor these realities into every stage of the case not as extras, but as central to what you are owed.
If your pregnancy, delivery or reproductive care led to harm that should never have happened, Crimmins Howard will give you the space to speak and the legal strength to be heard.
Signing a consent form does not mean you agreed to negligent care. Consent must be informed, which means you should have been told about the risks, alternatives and expected outcomes. If you were not properly informed or something went wrong that you were never warned about, a claim may still be possible.
Yes. Obstetric negligence can involve harm to the mother, the baby, or both. Perineal tears, surgical errors, infections, retained placenta, and psychological trauma from poor treatment are all grounds for investigation. Your experience matters, even if your baby is healthy.
No. We will request your hospital and GP records on your behalf. It’s helpful if you remember key dates, appointments or names of staff involved, but we do not expect you to have everything ready. Your first step is simply to contact us and share your concerns.
Some complications are unavoidable but many are not. The law does not expect perfection, but it does expect reasonable care. If a known complication wasn’t recognised, treated or explained properly, and you were left harmed as a result, you may be entitled to bring a claim.
That depends on the complexity of the case, the quality of the records, and whether the hospital or HSE admits fault. Some claims resolve in under a year. Others, especially those involving permanent injury or ongoing care, may take longer. We will keep you updated and informed throughout.
A formal complaint through the hospital or HSE does not prevent you from bringing a legal claim. In fact, many clients come to us after making a complaint and receiving an unsatisfactory or vague response. If your concerns were dismissed or never fully investigated, we will pursue the matter independently.
Yes. If your child suffered injury due to obstetric negligence such as a brain injury, delayed diagnosis or untreated hip dysplasia you can act on their behalf. In such cases, the two-year time limit does not begin until the child turns 18, but we recommend acting well before then to gather evidence while it is still available.
Possibly. If the pain, scarring, or complications you experienced were avoidable with better care, or if your recovery was delayed by negligence, we will investigate. We often act in cases where women were told their symptoms were normal, only to discover later they were the result of a missed injury or poor aftercare.
Possibly. The time limit is generally two years, but exceptions can apply especially if you only recently discovered the harm or the connection to negligent care. If you are unsure about the timing, contact us. We will assess whether your case can still be brought forward.
This is one of the most common concerns we hear. Many women who suffered poor care were not taken seriously at the time. At Crimmins Howard, we listen without judgment. We believe your experience matters. And if the law supports your claim, we will pursue it with focus and care.
If your pregnancy, delivery or gynaecological care left you with avoidable injury or unanswered questions, Crimmins Howard is ready to help. We will take your story seriously, explain your rights in plain English, and support you at every step toward fair accountability. Contact us today.
