Medical Negligence Compensation Claims
What is medical or clinical negligence and when is it appropriate to make a claim for compensation?
Medical negligence and the right to compensation
Medical negligence is where the standard of care provided by a medical professional falls below that which should be provided by a competent practitioner. It is sometimes described as a breach of duty where the professional fails in their responsibility to provide adequate care for the patient.
Medical negligence may occur in a wide range of circumstances such as substandard surgery, a delay in diagnosis or referral, incorrect prescription or administration of medication, a failure to examine when such a course of action would have been appropriate, or a failure of safety-netting, allowing the patient to suffer a deterioration in their condition.
If a negligent or substandard act by a healthcare professional causes a patient to suffer a worse outcome than would have been the case with an acceptable level of care, the patient is legally entitled to claim compensation for the impact.
Compensation claims for medical negligence provide recompense for the financial impact which the negligence has had on the patient. For example, if a patient has suffered a loss of mobility to due to negligent care, and they are no longer able to work, a successful claim would provide compensation for the loss of income. Other costs associated with the negligence such as care costs would also be taken into account.
Making a claim
In order to investigate a claim for compensation, it is necessary for a solicitor to gain access to your medical records. This will enable them, in collaboration with medical experts, to consider the quality of your care, to identify whether any negligence has occurred and, if so, to assess the extent and nature of its impact on you. This will take account of the long-term prognosis for your health and quality of life.
If it is agreed that there has, indeed, been a breach of duty, a specialist solicitor will then be able to negotiate with the Defendant to try to achieve the best and fairest financial outcome.
Legal advice
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice with a team of experienced, specialist solicitors.
If you or a loved one have been the victim of negligent medical care, contact us to talk to a specialist, free of charge, about the possibility of making a claim for compensation.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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