Medical negligence is a term used to describe when a medical professional’s action or inaction results in an injury or illness. This could be the emergence of a new condition, or it could be that an existing condition is made worse. Of course, when we go to the hospital or see the GP, we expect them to diagnose our condition and give us the advice and medical attention we need to get better. We don’t expect things to go downhill. However, on a rare occasion, this can happen.
There are many different examples of medical negligence. We will give you a few of them to get a better understanding of this type of claim. One of the most common medical negligence types is when a medical professional fails to realize certain symptoms and misses a potential condition altogether or misdiagnoses the symptoms as something else. Both instances can mean that the correct condition goes undetected and, therefore, the right medical attention is not given. Another example is when you fall ill because of general poor standards within a medical establishment, such as a hospital or a care home. This could be someone falling unwell because of poor sanitary practices. It’s important to note that medical negligence relates to anything from dentistry to general health.
How do you go about making a claim with a medical negligence solicitor?
- Make sure you have a claim – The first step is to make sure that you have a medical negligence claim to begin with. There are several things to consider here. Firstly, you need to ensure that the medical professional is to blame for your condition getting worse or a new condition developing. You could not claim if the condition got worse because you did not follow medical advice, for instance. Also, there tends to be a three-year time limit when it comes to personal injury claims. This means the incident should have happened within the past three years. There are exceptions to this, though, so don’t let this prevent you from further exploring the possibility of a claim. For instance, if you were under the age of 18 when the incident happened, you would also have three years from your 18th birthday to make a claim if your parents did not make a claim on your behalf before this.
- Make a complaint against the surgeon – The next step you need to take is making a formal complaint against the surgeon in question. To claim, you need to prove that your treatment was not to the standard required in the accepted standards of care.
- Get hold of your medical records – It is also important to obtain your medical records. You will want to review and sort your medical records before you proceed with the claim process.
- Contact a medical negligence solicitor – Once you have made the formal complaint, you should contact a medical negligence solicitor. You need a company that has a team of experienced no win fee solicitors. Take the time to read reviews online and find someone that has a good reputation. Once you find a good legal firm, one of their advisers will match you to the best specialist solicitor for your case specifically. Therefore, you can be sure that you are going to be in the best possible hands.
- Gather evidence that can support your claim – You should also gather any evidence that will help support your claim. We have already mentioned gathering your medical records. There may be other forms of evidence, depending on the nature of what has happened. For example, if the medical facility has abysmal standards and is unhygienic, you may have taken some photos, or you may be able to gather witness statements from anyone else who was in the hospital at the time. You may also want to get copies of your X-rays, for instance. This can be beneficial if, for instance, the medical professional has missed something on the X-ray or any other type of scan that they should not have.
- Keep proof of any expenses encountered – Last but not least, it is vital to keep proof of any costs you have encountered as a direct result of your injury. This can be anything from medical costs, such as prescription costs and treatment expenses, to income loss because of your inability to work. You can also claim for the likes of travel expenses, childcare costs, and accommodation fees.
You can make a claim for cosmetic negligence.
The cosmetic surgery industry in the UK is booming at present. In fact, did you know that tummy tucks and breast augmentation are up by around 30 percent? This is a huge increase! In fact, the industry itself is worth somewhere in the region of £3.6 billion per annum. These statistics are incredible, and we are definitely much more accepting of cosmetic surgery than we may have been in the past. Yet, there are sadly incidents that occur whereby cosmetic procedures can go wrong! However, this definitely is not something you should just accept. Many people do not realize they can make no win no fee claims for cosmetic surgery negligence, but you certainly can. Various regulations are in place protecting you in such circumstances. This includes the likes of the National Care Standards Commission and the Care Standards Act.
So there you have it: the full guide to medical negligence. Hopefully, this gives you a better understanding of the steps that you need to take if you’re going to make a claim for medical negligence. The best thing to do is get in touch with an experienced medical negligence solicitor who will advise you on your claim’s strength and the steps you should take to do so.