Diabetes Negligence Claims & Compensation Solicitors
To speak to a medical compensation solicitor about a diabetes negligence claim, please get in touch with us at Glynns Solicitors. We are experts in this area of the law and will be more than happy to help.
Diabetes negligence claims
Diabetes is a complex illness that needs to be diagnosed and managed properly. If a patient's condition is not kept under control, it can lead to serious health problems of a life-changing nature. If these complications arise as a result of medical mistakes, there could be grounds for a medical compensation claim.
Broadly speaking, diabetes claims fall into one of two categories. Either there is a delay in diagnosing the condition, or there are failings to identify, treat and manage diabetes-related health issues. We explore each of these below in greater detail.
Delay in diagnosing diabetes
There are three different types of diabetes: type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes usually develops during adolescence for reasons that are not entirely understood. It cannot be cured and is therefore permanent. It will cause symptoms such as tiredness, frequent urination, thirst and weight loss.
It is important these classic symptoms are quickly recognised, as it will ensure the patient does not suffer diabetic ketoacidosis, a life-threatening emergency in which the body does not have enough energy and so break down tissues to use as energy instead. This will actually poison the body and the patient will fall critically ill.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops at any stage in life and is associated with poor diet and obesity. It can be reversed if detected in the early stages. It will cause the same symptoms as type 1 diabetes, namely tiredness, frequent urination, thirst and weight loss.
If type 2 diabetes is not recognised in time, the condition will be permanent. Consequently the patient will need to take medication for the rest of their lives, and will be at risk of diabetes-related health issues, such as sight loss and nerve damage. These long-term health complaints could have been avoided with an earlier diagnosis.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy and should end once the baby has been born. It will cause symptoms such as tiredness, frequent urination, thirst and recurrent infections.
A pregnant woman with gestational diabetes must be diagnosed during a routine check-up. Afterwards her condition must be carefully monitored and controlled with diet, exercise and sometimes medication. If blood glucose levels are not regularly checked, gestational diabetes can spiral out of control, causing harm to both mother and baby. Potential complications include a larger than average baby, shoulder dystocia and severe perineal tears.
Diabetes negligence claim
If you experienced serious injury because of a delay in diagnosing your diabetes, you could be the victim of medical negligence. This is because these complications would have been avoided with a timely diagnosis, making you the victim of substandard medical care.
Delay in diagnosing or treating diabetes-related complications
Unfortunately diabetes does have a large number of associated health problems. To limit the effects of these issues, diabetes patients must undergo frequent health checks. These should detect any underlying problems in the early stages, prompting effective treatment to be provided.
This is essential because diabetes-related complications are much easier to treat in the initial stages. If treatment is withheld for too long, the patient will deteriorate and their prognosis will be much worse.
If there is a failure to diagnose or treat a diabetes-related complication, the patient can experience life-changing complications. This can include:
- Sight loss – diabetic retinopathy is when persistently high levels of blood glucose damage the retina in the eye. This can have an adverse impact upon sight, and at its most severe can cause sight loss.
- Feet problems – foot amputation is commonly associated with diabetes. It happens because high blood sugar levels can reduce sensation and circulation in the feet. Consequently any food injuries can quickly develop into a foot ulcer. These can be hard to treat in diabetic patients and may lead to an amputation if a large amount of tissue becomes gangrenous.
- Kidney disease – kidney disease occurs because diabetes can damage the blood vessels, making them 'leaky and affecting blood pressure levels'. This has an adverse impact on kidney function and can cause them to lose function. Kidney disease will progress without treatment and at worst can result in total renal failure.
- Cardiac complications – cardiovascular disease is another possible outcome of persistently high blood glucose levels. Cardiovascular disease covers a range of possible complications, including heart disease and stroke.
- Nerve damage – neuropathy is when the nerves are damaged, again due to high blood glucose levels. It will cause reduced sensation, particularly in the extremities. Without early action this can lead to further complications such as Charcot arthropathy.
Diabetes negligence claim
If you developed diabetes-related complications but they were not diagnosed, treated and managed properly, you could be victim of medical negligence. This is because your injuries would have been minimised with better medical care.
Compensation solicitors
If there was a delay in diagnosing your diabetes, or there was a delay in diagnosing/treating diabetes-related complications, you might want to consider making a diabetes negligence claim. To find out more, you need to speak to a compensation solicitor.
At Glynns Solicitors we specialise in medical negligence claims – also called clinical negligence claims in the UK. We offer everyone a free initial enquiry, so you can discuss your potential case with a legal expert completely free of charge. Afterwards you will be advised whether or not there are grounds for a diabetes compensation claim. If so and you would like to continue, we will handle the process on your behalf, working to get the financial redress you deserve.
Your compensation settlement will reflect the pain, suffering and loss of amenity you have endured. It will also reflect the actual financial loss you have incurred, such as your loss of earnings or pension. To find out more, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.
Contact us today
To talk to a medical negligence solicitor about the medical care you received, please get in touch with us at Glynns Solicitors.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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