Rising A&E negligence claims highlight the importance of getting the basics right
New figures highlighted by the BBC show a significant rise in clinical negligence claims relating to A&E care in England.
Medical Negligence
Stillbirth and neonatal death compensation claims
If you or a member of your family thinks they have a claim for medical negligence that occurred as a result of the loss of a baby during pregnancy, or shortly after their birth
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Legal support after stillbirth or neonatal death – we’ll help you seek answers
Finding answers after the loss of your baby
Losing a baby through stillbirth or shortly after birth is devastating. We understand that families want answers-what happened, why, and whether anything should have been done differently.
Our legal team has supported many families through this traumatic time. If we believe there is a strong legal case, we’ll guide you through the process of making a claim with sensitivity and honesty.
In 2015, the UK government set an ambition to half the rates of stillbirths, neonatal deaths, and maternal deaths in England by 2030. Despite these pledges, improvements in maternity services have been slow. Read our Freedom of information report which analyses the responses from NHS Trusts on patient safety and maternity care.
"Warm, approachable, supportive with professional expertise and knowledge." Legal 500 2026
Experience you can rely on
Not every stillbirth or neonatal death is caused by negligence. But when mistakes are made such as missed warning signs or delays in care, we work with independent medical experts to assess whether there is a legal claim. Throughout, we’ll explain what’s happening and support you every step of the way.
Working for lasting change
Beyond compensation, many of our clients want to help ensure this doesn’t happen to other families. Where possible, we engage with hospital trusts to encourage policy reviews and better care for families in the future.
Causes of stillbirths and neonatal deaths
Most causes are not the result of medical mistakes. Stillbirths and neonatal deaths can and do happen to babies who have been healthy throughout the pregnancy. Possible causes can sometimes be due to medical failures, but every case is different and not every condition can be treated. Where there is a medical error, this is often related to failure to diagnose or treat a condition effectively. Causes, which may or may not be due to negligence, include:
- issues relating to the placenta which impacts on the baby
- failures in monitoring; CTG and sonography
- failures to manage small for gestational age (SGA) babies and fetal growth restricted (FGR) babies
- bleeding (haemorrhage) during or before labour
- pre-eclampsia – HELLP syndrome or hypertension – high blood pressure in the mother
- issues with the umbilical cord
- physical or genetic problem with the baby
- pre-existing diabetes or gestational diabetes
- failures to escalate high-risk mothers for consultant-led care
- failures to manage those at risk of pre-term labour
- an infection in the mother can cause the death of the baby as they do not have a developed immune system.
- Failures to escalate care and failures in management of care during labour following episodes of: bleeding; fetal bradycardia (low heartrate in the baby); fetal tachycardia (high heartrate of the baby); shoulder dystocia; breech delivery.
- Failures in resuscitation at birth.
Getting support after a stillbirth or neonatal death
There is a range of organisations that offer practical support to parents including:
Petals Charity – supports parents by providing specialist counselling as a result of bereavement, trauma or loss related to pregnancy including miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons (TFMR) and neonatal loss.
SANDS – supports and promotes research to better understand the causes of baby deaths and provides bereavement support to parents.
Tommy’s – funds research to prevent complications and loss, provides specialist care and midwife-led advice for parents before, during and after pregnancy and supports those who have lost babies.
Case study: Preventable death following failings in maternity care - Arlo’s story
A coroner concluded that the death of baby Arlo Lambert was preventable, following serious failings in maternity care. Our case study examines how delays, poor communication and missed opportunities led to a tragic outcome—and highlights the urgent need for accountability and improvement across NHS maternity services.
Gwyneth recently spoke to ITV News about the opening of the independent maternity review into University Hospitals Sussex.
Drawing on her experience as a former midwife and medical negligence solicitor specialising in maternity care, Gwyneth highlighted the importance of listening to families affected by harm and loss, providing answers and ensuring that the review leads to meaningful, lasting improvements in maternity services.
Read Gwyneth’s feature on ITV News →
NHS maternity and neonatal care failings: latest England update
Failings in maternity and neonatal care continue to make headlines, raising serious concerns about patient safety across England. Our latest article explores the findings of Baroness Amos’ investigation, ongoing NHS reviews, and what this means for affected families—alongside how expert legal support can help those seeking answers and accountability after substandard care.
Our experience in stillbirth and neonatal death compensation claims
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What our clients say
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“The team have displayed kindness, support and professionalism from the start to date. My case is somewhat complex with extensive medical records and events to analyse. Communication, advice and updates have been clear and helpful and I am encouraged to ask questions if unclear about anything.”
Legal 500 2026
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“Isobel Foenander is an outstanding person to work with. She rapidly understands the issues at the heart of a case and deals with them expeditiously and with great compassion for the Claimant.”
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“Tees Law’s team operates at a level that reflects deep professional integrity, careful preparation, and a genuine respect for the complexity of clinical and psychiatric dimensions in legal proceedings. ”
Legal 500 2026
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