A pregnant woman riding in a pickup truck when a vehicle slammed into the back of the truck with such force that it landed upside down on the pavement.
According to a Philadelphia police officer at the scene, the truck was traveling through the intersection of Haverford and Overbook avenues around 2:40 a.m., Tuesday, February 5, 2019.
The passenger of the pickup was 25 weeks along in her pregnancy. The impact caused her to go into labor, and the baby was delivered.
The driver of the Lexus who allegedly caused this horrific crash has been charged with suspicion of DUI and driving without a license.
Accidents resulting in premature delivery and miscarriages:
Thankfully, the baby in the crash above survived so far. However, babies born around 25 weeks of age will have several challenges ahead of them and a wide variety of potential long-term complications. It is highly unlikely a baby of this age would have survived just a matter of years ago.
When a child is born prior to 27 weeks, it’s called a premature delivery. In some accidents, the baby is not delivered but the mother may be placed into a high risk pregnancy category.
Another one of the most heartbreaking and traumatizing ramifications of someone’s negligence is a miscarriage. A miscarriage means the pregnancy is effectively over because the baby’s life was terminated due to the trauma associated with the collision.
DUI in Pennsylvania
Across the nation, DUI is still a serious safety concern. In 2017, there were 10,874 people killed in DUI-related crashes, according to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Although this number is down from a high of 13,000 in 2007, it represents a four-year stretch of increased yearly deaths.
In Pennsylvania, both DUI fatalities and collisions are up over the last few years (2016-2018) with and average of 10,300 crashes and 285 fatalities. This means that in Pennsylvania in one day, there are about 28 alcohol-related crashes with almost one fatality. This highlights the risks that all Pennsylvania motorist face when driving alongside impaired drivers.
Do I need an attorney if I was pregnant?
Any time a pregnant woman is involved in a crash that results in a high risk pregnancy, premature birth, or miscarriage, speaking to an attorney is extremely important. These accidents result in not only extremely expensive medical bills, but also tremendous pain and suffering as mothers are enduring trauma and agony for both themselves and their child.
If you or a loved one was involved in a crash due to someone’s negligence, call Philadelphia’s Children’s Injury Lawyer Edith Pearce for a free consultation. She is a compassionate, caring and competent attorney who has worked with parents of children involved in crashes on many occasions.
In addition to legal counsel, we work with many physicians, including those who specialize in grief counseling and post traumatic mental issues and refer clients to the best of the best when it may help them.