We’re never more vulnerable than when our health and wellbeing is put in the hands of others.

While we fear the worst and we’re racked with uncertainty, they are tasked with treating and caring for us at critical points in our lives.

We put our trust in the professionals. And, when those people fail to provide the right care, accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment, we may suffer as a result with potentially devastating consequences. Medical negligence can lead to prolonged suffering or a worsening in existing conditions – all of which leaves a patient facing fear and uncertainty about their future.

You may have suffered due to a medical professional’s failures and wondered if there’s anything you can do to redress the balance, safeguard your and your family’s future, and see that justice is served. Well yes, you can – you can look to claim compensation for medical negligence.

We know that the process of submitting a legal claim can be arduous and complex, but if you have been injured or otherwise harmed as a result of a medical practitioner’s failures, you do have recourse to justice, and we have a team of legal experts here to help you.

General assessments are made to assess your claim prospects by examining the four main elements of medical negligence:

• Duty of care – whether they are NHS or private, healthcare professionals owe a duty of care to their patients.
• Breach of duty – this focuses on whether the provider fell below the standards of care you are entitled to expect.
• Causation – this requires proof that the patient’s harm and/or suffering is directly linked to the negligent care they received.
• Damage – proving the result of the negligent treatment in measurable damages. This may not just be physical either, as damages can extend to the emotional and financial harm caused.

The satisfying of these four points is likely to determine whether you have a case to bring a medical negligence claim. In short, if a medical practitioner breached their duty of care to you, and you suffered injury and/or financial losses as a result of their actions, you should have a case for claiming compensation.

Medical negligence claims look to hold the responsible party accountable and examine what can be done by way of reparations. These will be based upon the circumstances surrounding your care and treatment and the effects, such as the pain and suffering you’ve had to endure and the impact on your health and wellbeing.

Medical negligence takes several forms and covers a wide range of conditions and sectors. The one thing they have in common is that the effects can be life-changing for a patient and their family. Some of the more common examples are:

• Misdiagnosis, failure or delays to a diagnosis – A practitioner diagnosing the wrong illness can lead to the wrong treatment. An incorrect or delayed diagnosis can also have devastating effects and can negatively impact a patient’s long-term prognosis.
• Surgical and anaesthesia mistakes – Some of the more serious errors can occur in operating theatres, and some of the more common procedure errors include problems with administering anaesthesia, leaving foreign objects inside the patient and a failure to monitor their vital signs during procedures.
• Incorrect medication prescription – When patients are prescribed the wrong medication, or the wrong dosage, this can cause them varying degrees of harm, such as adverse reactions or a worsening of their condition.
• Maternity, pregnancy and childbirth mistakes – Errors at the earliest stage of a life, i.e. prior to or during childbirth, can have a catastrophic effect on baby and mother. Mistakes in this field could involve the improper use of medical tools, oxygen deprivation or a failure to act (such as performing a necessary C-section).
• Ambulance, paramedic and A&E failures – These could include extensive waiting times and misdiagnosis.
• Care home and nursing home issues – Claims in this area would look at any mistreatment or negligence in residential care that affects a patient’s health and quality of life.
• Dental mistreatment or misdiagnosis – This includes a failure to diagnose gum disease or poor treatment of any conditions.

While the above are just some of the more everyday examples, negligence can occur at any stage of a patient’s medical care, from initial diagnosis to treatments and programmes of rehabilitation.