No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Claims
Do you have a strong case for a medical negligence claim? Arrange a FREE consultation and discuss your claim with the experts at First4Lawyers to find out.
Medical Negligence Claims
All medical professionals have a duty of care to their patients. They must act in the patient’s best interest during any examination or treatment. However, there are times when this isn’t what happens.
If you or a loved one has suffered harm due to substandard – ‘negligent’ – medical care or treatment, you might have a medical negligence claim.
Medical negligence, also referred to as clinical negligence, is an infrequent occurrence. However, when it does occur, the impacts can be severe. Regardless of whether the treatment was provided by the NHS or in a private setting, you could be entitled to compensation and support.
Do I have a Medical Negligence Claim?
All situations are different and your individual experience will need to be reviewed by a solicitor so that they can advise you on whether you have a strong case for making a medical negligence claim. Contacting solicitors who specialise in negligence claims will enable you to get started with some advice about your particular circumstance.
You could search for a local solicitor who includes Medical Negligence in their list of services. You could also learn more by arranging a FREE consultation with a specialist company – you can often work with these by phone or online so this can be a good option when there isn’t a specialist solicitor in your area. For example, First4Lawyers offer a FREE initial consultation – they will ask a few questions and be able to let you know their professional view of your case.
Examples of medical negligence claims include:
Cancer Claims
Cancer claims often arise from misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, where the failure to detect cancer in a timely manner can lead to a worsened prognosis or, in some cases, a fatal outcome. Early diagnosis is critical to successful cancer treatment, and when healthcare providers fail to follow diagnostic guidelines or dismiss symptoms, patients may miss out on life-saving treatments. These claims can involve both NHS and private healthcare providers and often include failures in communication or misinterpretation of test results.
Childbirth and Gynaecology Claims
These claims relate to injuries to either the mother or the baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or postnatal care. Negligence can occur in a variety of ways, including improper monitoring of the mother and baby, failure to perform a necessary caesarean section, or mistakes during gynaecological procedures. Such negligence can result in severe conditions like cerebral palsy in the baby or lasting damage to the mother.
Cosmetic Surgery Negligence
Negligence in cosmetic surgery often involves surgical errors or insufficient aftercare that leads to scarring, disfigurement, or further medical complications. Since many cosmetic procedures are elective, patients may not be given full information on the risks involved, making informed consent a critical part of these claims. Claims against cosmetic surgery providers can be complex, involving issues of both physical and emotional harm.
Dental Negligence Claims
Dental negligence claims can arise from a range of errors, including incorrect diagnosis, improper treatment, or surgical errors such as damaging nerves during extractions. The consequences can lead to long-term pain, infections, or even facial disfigurement, impacting both physical health and appearance.
Fatal Negligence
Fatal negligence claims are made when a patient dies as a result of substandard medical care. These claims may involve misdiagnosis, surgical errors, or failure to provide critical treatment. The claim is typically brought by the family of the deceased and may involve compensation for loss of life, emotional suffering, and loss of financial support.
Hospital Negligence Claims
Hospital negligence encompasses a wide range of issues, from inadequate hygiene leading to hospital-acquired infections, to poor post-surgery care, or administrative errors like incorrect medication being administered. Claims may target either NHS or private hospitals and often involve a systemic failure to provide proper care.
Misdiagnosis Claims
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis is one of the most common forms of medical negligence. Whether it’s a failure to recognise the severity of symptoms or incorrect interpretation of diagnostic tests, this type of negligence can lead to a significant delay in receiving the correct treatment, worsening the patient’s condition.
NHS and GP Negligence Claims
Claims against NHS hospitals and general practitioners (GPs) often involve failure to follow standard medical procedures, such as not referring patients to specialists, misdiagnosing illnesses, or providing incorrect treatment. These cases can range from relatively minor errors to life-threatening mistakes.
Surgery Negligence
Surgical negligence occurs when a surgeon or their team makes errors during surgery, such as damaging organs, performing the wrong procedure, or leaving instruments inside the patient. These errors can have long-term consequences, including the need for further surgery or lifelong health issues.
Other Medical Negligence Claims
The above are only examples. There are a broad range of medical negligence cases, such as failures in aftercare, improper administration of treatments, or neglect in care homes. Each case must prove that the care fell below an acceptable standard and directly caused harm to the patient.
How long do I have to make my claim?
In all cases, starting the process of making a claim as soon as you can is advisable. Medical negligence claims usually have to be made within three years. This could be three years from the date of the negligence, or three years from the point at which you realised that there had been negligence – often this is when another medical professional diagnoses the resulting problem.