If a woman falls pregnant following a botched sterilisation procedure should compensation just cover expenses relating to the pregnancy or should consideration be given to the costs to raise that child through to adulthood?
This question is currently being discussed in the courts with women claiming that their lives have been significantly affected in terms of financial costs involved with raising a child and lost earnings.
The essence of their claim is that the unwanted child should also be seen as a 'treatment injury' as well as the actual pregnancy.
"Eleven women who have fallen pregnant following botched sterilisation operations are seeking compensation from ACC. The women came forward following the Supreme Court's ruling that ACC must cover expenses stemming from failed sterilisation operations.
Wellington lawyer John Miller, who is representing the women, said they were entitled to compensation for the expenses incurred by medical negligence. He said the compensation should cover more than just the term of the pregnancy.
"We see that ACC should cover losses and expenses that go beyond that. And this question of how far beyond that, and what costs and expenses are involved and entitlements, such as home help and childcare."
Mr Miller said Inland Revenue had estimated it would cost $250,000 to raise a child until the age of 18.
One woman, who became pregnant just over a year after a botched sterilisation operation, said it had affected her ability to work and earn an income.
She found out about her pregnancy two weeks after returning to work following the birth of her second child, she said. "My career has definitely been damaged. I was offered a job yesterday at the company I used to work for. "I left there four years ago and they wanted me to start on Tuesday. I can't get nanny cover ... it has changed a lot of things in my life."
Another woman, who became pregnant with twins after a failed sterilisation procedure, said the ACC should pay something towards the costs of raising them.
"It sounds like we're being horrible and putting money on our children. It's not it at all. You can't put money on children," she said.
"But (by) the same token this doctor did not, in my eyes, do his job correctly and it has made a huge, huge change to my life."
www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/255474/compo-sought-for-failed-sterilisations Do these claims put a monetary value on a child's life?
How might this compensation be explained to the child?
Or is this a reasonable request to make, given the child was not planned?
Image:
www.occupycorporatism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/120209085344-teen-pregnancy-belly-baby-story...It is proposed that reasonable costs of raising a child to the age of 18 should be given to women as compensation for pregnancies arising from botched sterilisation procedures