"
skip to Main Content
    • Medical Negligence
    • Women’s Health
          • Women’s Health

            We know that there is disparity in women’s health care, treatment, and support. We are committed to improving the lives of women and strongly advocating for their wellbeing.  That is why we take a stand and hold medical professionals accountable when medical care falls short of expected standards by delivering the best outcome in medical negligence claims affecting women.

            Read More

    • Hospital Negligence
          • Hospital Negligence

            We understand you may feel let down because you have experienced inadequate or negligent care and treatment in a hospital or medical facility. Your wellbeing is most important to us and we are committed to supporting you with compassion and holding medical professionals accountable for breach of duty and negligent care.

            Read More

    • Clinical Support
          • Clinical Support

            Experiencing poor or adverse outcomes from allied health treatment can be distressing and life changing. We are here to support you through your claim and it is our aim to hold allied health professionals accountable for their breach of care by delivering the outcome you deserve to your negligence claims.

            Read More

    • I need help
          • Not Sure where to start?

            Hello, I’m Jade. I’m here to help you with a quick call that will help us better understand your legal concerns. This way, I can connect you with the lawyer who is best suited to assist you with your situation.

            Your well-being is important to us, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

            Call me on 1300 808 933 or email admin@conradcurrylaw.com.au

    • Personal Injury
          • Personal Injury

            If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, our specialist team of Personal Injury Lawyers is here to support you with compassion and understanding providing you with the right advice. Our team has substantial experience and expertise in these matters to deliver the outcomes you deserve from your claim.

            Read More

    • Work Injury
    • Motor Vehicle Accidents
          • Motor Vehicle Accidents

            We are here to support you and give you the clarity, guidance and the right legal advice if you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident. Our compassionate team of professionals in Personal Injury law have the technical expertise and a wealth of experience to win you the compensation you deserve.

            Read More

    • Public Liability
          • Public Liability

            Our specialist team in Personal Injury law is here to support you in accessing proper compensation if you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence. We have cutting edge expertise and experience in public liability claims to deliver the outcome you deserve.

            Read More

    • Abuse
          • Institutional Abuse

            We strongly believe that educational institutions must be held accountable when failing to protect children while in their care. If you have experienced institutional physical or sexual abuse, our specialist team in Personal Injury law is here to support you with compassion and offer our technical expertise and experience to deliver the best outcome in your case.

            Read More

    • Workers Compensation
          • Workers Compensation

            When you sustain an injury or illness because of work, you may be entitled to  compensation. Our specialist team in Personal Injury Law is here to support you with compassion and understanding with the right advice. We have substantial technical expertise to deliver the best possible outcome from your claim.

            Read More

    • Total & Permanent Disability (TPD)
          • Total & Permanent Disability (TPD)

            Are you unable to work because you have suffered a serious and permanent injury?

            You may be able to claim on the insurances under an existing superannuation policy for either or both income payments during the period of disability (income protection/salary continuance) and/or a lump sum for Total and Permanent Disablement (‘TPD’).

            Read More

    • School Negligence
    • I Need Help
          • Not Sure where to start?

            Hello, I’m Jade. I’m here to help you with a quick call that will help us better understand your legal concerns. This way, I can connect you with the lawyer who is best suited to assist you with your situation.

            Your well-being is important to us, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

            Call me on 1300 808 933 or email admin@conradcurrylaw.com.au

    • Wills & Estate Planning
          • Wills and Estates

            When we provide advice on estate planning, we believe  in giving advice on options to mitigate the risks of litigation by potentially unhappy family members and protecting your assets from claims. Our legal team is here to support you and address your concerns regarding your estate planning. We have immense experience in these matters, providing you with advice and representation for your unique situation and delivering the best outcomes for your case.

            Read More

    • Powers of Attorney
    • Contest A Will
          • Contest A Will

            We have immense experience and specialised knowledge in family provision and wills disputes Where you have not been properly and adequately provided for under a will or where you suspect that the person making the will may not have had capacity or exercised their own free will, you need a lawyer with extensive experience and expertise. Our team of Lawyers will  provide you with advice and representation for your unique situation and deliver the best outcomes for your case.

            Read More

    • Probate & Deceased Estates
    • Enduring Guardian
    • Family Provision
    • I Need Help
          • Not Sure where to start?

            Hello, I’m Jade. I’m here to help you with a quick call that will help us better understand your legal concerns. This way, I can connect you with the lawyer who is best suited to assist you with your situation.

            Your well-being is important to us, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

            Call me on 1300 808 933 or email admin@conradcurrylaw.com.au

    • Other Services Overview
          • Conrad Curry Can assist you with a variety of services

            Our solicitors are highly experienced in providing you with expert legal advice and will keep you informed every step of the way. It’s good to know that our firm is trusted and effective with a high success rate.

            Read More

    • Professional Negligence
          • Professional Negligence

            We rely on professionals in all aspects of our lives to provide us with proper advice on which to make decisions about our financial and legal affairs. When you are let down by poor advice the results can be devastating.  We are here to support you in your claim for compensation with clarity, guidance and the right advice to achieve the outcome you deserve.

            Read More

    • Malicious Prosecution
          • Malicious Prosecution

            We believe in standing up for those people who are falsely accused and prosecuted. Our experienced legal team is here to support you with compassion and provide you with clarity, guidance, and the right advice in your claim for compensation.

            Read More

    • General Litigation
    • I Need Help
          • Not Sure where to start?

            Hello, I’m Jade. I’m here to help you with a quick call that will help us better understand your legal concerns. This way, I can connect you with the lawyer who is best suited to assist you with your situation.

            Your well-being is important to us, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

            Call me on 1300 808 933 or email admin@conradcurrylaw.com.au

    • What to Expect
          • What to expect

            We are your law firm for life. You can count on us for the best legal advice and compassionate support. We understand the challenges you are facing and we want you to know that you don’t have to navigate the often daunting process alone. We are here when you need us. Let us help you find your way forward with our empathetic and efficient approach. Contact us. You can call us on 1300 808 933 for a free initial no-obligation consultation or book an appointment online for an in-person consultation or an online video appointment.

  • No Win/No Fee Options

Birth trauma – what women need to know

For most women the delivery of a baby is a wonderful and positive experience. But, some women can experience severe physical and mental trauma during the delivery process.

For Wendy Shi, her story, as told in the Sydney Morning Herald, was not the experience she had hoped for. After being in labour for 48 hours without progress, she was told she would be having a caesarean section. Unfortunately, there was a last-minute change and forceps were used to complete the vaginal delivery. The doctor didn’t ask her if forceps could be used. The consent forms she signed didn’t warn her about the risks associated with instrumental delivery.

The resulting birth trauma left her with a third-degree anal sphincter injury, postpartum infection, shock, acute stress, anger, depression and ongoing pain. She remained in bed for four months recovering from the injuries.

Birth trauma like that which affected Wendy, can impact women in a variety of ways. They can be affected both physically and psychologically by birth trauma. For many women there is a disconnect between what their expectations of labour will be and what actually happens.  As a result this can cause emotional trauma coupled with disorientation, which can lead to procedures and outcomes that were not consented to.

According to the Australian Journal of Medical Practice, more than 85% of women who undergo a vaginal birth will suffer from some degree of perineal tear with 0.6-11% of all vaginal deliveries resulting in a third degree or fourth degree tear. It also cites the risk factors which contributed to severe perineal tears included ethnicity, age, large foetal weight and instrumental delivery, epidural and oxytocin use.

In 2010 the Towards Normal Birth Policy was introduced, aimed at reducing the costs on public hospitals of caesarean sections. The result of this policy saw a coordinated effort by state health departments and hospital managers urging obstetricians to reduce their caesarean section rates. This led to an increased use of forceps and with that, potential birth trauma.

Another major issue that has stemmed from the 2010 policy, is the increasing care that is being provided by midwives alone. Midwives only deal with vaginal births. They are not legally allowed to provide informed consent regarding caesarean sections or instrumental deliveries.

Overall, there is a lack of education being provided to mothers in relation to caesarean sections and instrumental deliveries, including forceps and vacuum extraction.

With less caesarean sections occurring and less people in the room who can provide adequate and up to date information, there is an increase in intervention during birth and some is without consent. Many doctors do not see the use of forceps as intervention and therefore do not ask the mother to consent to their use nor highlight the risks of their use for both the mother and the baby.

An injury to a mother or baby before, during or after birth can be devastating.  Many questions get asked, how did it happen, was it avoidable, did somebody make a mistake?  At The Law Office of Conrad Curry, we have acted for many women who have been affected by or whose babies have been affected by birth trauma and require financial compensation for present and future costs such as loss of income, ongoing medical treatment and psychological/psychiatric support. 

Recent Articles

Stay Updated With Legal News
Subscribe To Our Newsletter

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.