Specialists in clinical negligence claims
In the UK we have an excellent National Health Service, which is the envy of many countries. Despite this, things unfortunately sometimes go wrong.
Mistakes made by medical professionals, whether in the NHS or private sector, can have devastating consequences, not only for the patient but also for their loved ones.
The benefit of having a successful claim is more than just financial , we can assist in arranging future treatment , arranging for adaptations to property and security for families where it is the main income provider who has been affected .
Types of clinical negligence claims
Clinical negligence is unacceptable medical treatment which has caused unnecessary illness, injury or death. Clinical negligence claims fall into a number of categories some of which are set out below ;
One in three people in the UK will be affected by cancer at some point in their lives. Correct diagnosis and prompt treatment are key to a good prognosis and a positive outcome. Unfortunately, despite the high standard of care in the NHS and private health care sectors, things can sometimes go wrong. The consequences of delayed treatment or misdiagnosis can be devastating, and if you or a loved one has suffered as a result then a cancer negligence compensation claim may be justified.
Types of cancer compensation claims
Cancer negligence claims can result from a variety of factors – from failure to investigate initial symptoms to failure to respond fast enough to test results. There have also been incidences where patients are diagnosed with cancer incorrectly and received unnecessary treatment. We have successfully dealt with claims resulting from a variety of different types of cancer including but not restricted to
- Bladder cancer
- Bone cancer
- Bowel cancer
- Breast cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Colon cancer
- Oral cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Skin cancer
- Testicular cancer
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Dentist negligence and compensation
Visiting the dentist can be a very unnerving experience for many people. Although most dental surgery is performed to a high standard there are times when things go wrong which is where we can help you claim compensation. Your dentist has a duty of care to carry out work to a good standard , if work carried out falls below this standard, then you could be entitled to make a claim for dental compensation.
The dental negligence compensation claim process
Dental negligence claims can be made for a variety of different reasons including misdiagnosis of a condition, not treating a condition correctly or careless dental work by your dentist such as extraction of the wrong tooth or injury during treatment. It doesn’t have to involve a particular treatment , it could occur as a result of prolonged failure over years .
If you have suffered as a result of careless dental work you could be entitled to claim for dental negligence compensation.
The most common types of dental negligence claims?
Dental negligence to your teeth and gums can occur in a number of ways, including:
• Damage to teeth and jaw
• Tooth decay
• Removal of teeth
• Gum disease or periodontal difficulties
• Crowns and bridges
• Root canal therapy
• Removal of teeth
• Orthodontics
• Wisdom teeth removal
• Cosmetic procedures
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Fractures are often easy to detect, especially if they are an open fracture (puncture the skin), but on occasion there are some closed fractures which are either missed or misdiagnosed. As a result this can lead to increased pain, delays in the healing time and often a poor prognosis for the future. If you have suffered a fracture and staff in the A&E department failed or incorrectly diagnosed your condition then you may be able to raise a claim. If you have had treatment for your fracture which you feel was carried out poorly or a type which, had you been aware of all of the options, you may not have chosen ,that resulted in increased pain and further surgery, then you may also be entitled to make a claim.
Types of fracture claim
Fracture claims can result from a number different circumstances including:
- Fracture misdiagnosis
- Missed fractures
- Failure to order, or misinterpretation of X- rays
- Failure to offer the correct treatment
- Failure to treat appropriately and as such increasing pain or recovery time .
- Failure to properly inform of all of the remedial options , surgical and non surgical and to explain of the risks involved.
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
GPs are considered primary care , they are generally the first point of contact for a person suffering an illness. Whilst they are not always specialists in different areas, it is their role to identify problems treat symptoms and where necessary refer patients to specialist practitioners , i.e. secondary care for further investigations.
They are also responsible for prescribing and regularly reviewing prescriptions to make sure the medication is being appropriately monitored and is still necessary.
Whilst the general standard of GP care in the UK is very high, sometimes this care can fall below an acceptable standard which can have serious consequences.
Types of GP negligence claims
• Failure to diagnose
• Failure to refer
• Prescribing incorrect medication
• Important symptoms ignored
• A delay in diagnosis or treatment
• Failure of a medical product or device
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Gynaecology claims concern the diagnosis, investigation and treatment of disorders of the female reproductive system. Gynaecological surgery is invasive and can very painful as well as making patients feel extremely vulnerable.
Vaginal Mesh cases have been in the news a lot recently and it is still a very difficult issue for some women to discuss.
Complications you can experience with vaginal TVT mesh tape can include
- organ perforations
- infections
- sexual issues
- mobility issues
- serious nerve damage.
These complications are often labelled as women`s problems and a review found that thousands could have been spared. They are only to be offered as a last resort once all other non surgical options have failed or are not possible .
Whether you were properly informed of all of the risks or whether the procedure was one that was the best option for you , if you have any concerns we are happy to chat these through in a sensitive and confidential basis.
If you feel that your treatment was poor and that you may have experienced incorrect diagnosis or substandard surgical treatment then contact us now. Below is a selection of procedures we have experience with and can discuss sensitively with you:
Types of gynaecological claims
• Cancer; including vaginal, cervical, ovarian and CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia)
• Infections; including Chlamydia and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID0
• Uterine disorders; including endometriosis and fibroids
• Ovarian disorders, including polycystic ovary syndrome
• Genital prolapsed
• Failed sterilisation
• Inappropriate technical performance of a surgical procedure eg incorrect insertion of a contraceptive coil, badly performed termination of pregnancy or hysterectomy or incorrectly sutured episiotomy.
• Vaginal Mesh , informed consent / appropriate products/option of last resort.
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Common types of hospital negligence compensation claims
We go to hospital to get better . We do not expect to come out significantly worse than when we went in . Sometimes complications occur , medicine is not an exact science , but sometimes these complications are avoidable .
Surgical negligence can have a profound effect on every aspect of you and your family`s life. this can range from a small complication which delays your recovery time to an avoidable injury which has life changing effects, Paralysis , Incontinence , Chronic pain and Fatality.
Infection control is more important than ever in the current climate. It has always been a challenge but it is imperative that our hospitals and the staff are well informed and follow their own protocols , if not these standards become compromised and the patient suffers.
- Slips and trips
- Patients falling out of bed due to inadequate care
- Failure to review/monitor fluid levels
- Failure to carry out proper investigations
- Hospital acquired infections including MRSA and MSSA
- Doctor or nurse misdiagnosis
- Providing incorrect medical advice
- Medical errors during surgery
- Administering incorrect dose of medication
- The use of defective hospital equipment
- Failing to keep proper medical patient records
- Improper use of anaesthesia
- Making a claim for hospital negligence
Compensation for hospital negligence claims may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical and legal expenses
- Loss of income
- Loss of employment
- Loss of quality of life
- Private medical care costs
- Disability
- Loss of fertility
- Disfigurement
- Loss of a loved one
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Poor nursing care can arise in hospitals, nursing homes or in the community. When you are at your most vulnerable – whether very young, infirm or elderly, recovering from surgery or disease – you need to know that the nursing care offered is appropriate and of an acceptable standard. When something goes wrong the results can be shattering.
One group increasingly at risk is the “forgotten generation”. As our elderly population has grown, so has the requirement for nursing care to this vulnerable population and this area in particular has become under increased scrutiny.
Types of nursing care negligence claims
- Substandard nursing care can arise in a number of areas including:
- Poor hospital nursing care
- Poor nursing home care
- Poor community nursing care
- Errors in medication
Poor care can lead to loss of dignity and even loss of life. With this particularly sensitive area of law you need specialist advice from lawyers who have the relevant expertise and are sensitive to the situation.
Nursing care specialist solicitors
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Having a baby is one of the most amazing miracles you are ever involved in . It is the most anxiously awaited arrival and for the majority of women in Britain thankfully both mother and baby come through without harm . There are times when minutes can make the difference for a positive outcome or a devastating one.
The loss of a child is always a tragedy but to find out it was avoidable is heart wrenching for us as lawyers. To advise a family they have a case means the loss didn’t need to happen . It becomes our role to take on the stress of the case so that the family have time to grieve and importantly then to get the result so they can begin to rebuild.
There are a range of cases involving injury to mothers and their babies from the most serious mentioned above to the more minor , where physical recovery is quick but psychologically they can linger.
Whatever the case we are hear to listen and support .
Types of obstetric negligence
Obstetric negligence can occur due to a number of reasons including:
- Negligence during pregnancy
- Delayed diagnosis
- Incorrect monitoring
- Maternal injuries
- Cerebral palsy
- Neonatal death
Obstetric claims are often some of the most expensive and complex claims that occur, as well as being the most personally distressing to live through.. It is vital that you find a solicitor who understands both the medical and legal issues involved in such cases. also ensuring the long term requirements are carefully considered as part of the claim.
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Whether you have suffered a delay in diagnosis, misdiagnosis or have undergone a procedure that has directly resulted in the condition affecting the eye, you may need to consider an ophthalmic claim.
This is a highly specialised medical area and it is important your lawyer fully understands the medicine and the law. Specialist experts are required to give evidence and it is important to use the very best in their field.
Types of ophthalmic negligence claims
Ophthalmic negligence covers a range of areas including:
- Cataracts
- Retinal detachment
- Laser eye treatment
- Glaucoma
- Ophthalmic tumours
- Ophthalmic melanomas
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Pressure sores, also known as bed sores or pressure ulcers, are a growing area of concern so much so, that the government has introduced national guidelines in an attempt to reduce the number of patients developing them.
They are graded from 1 to 4 , with grade 4 being the most serious, where the sore penetrates through to the bone. They can develop very quickly and it is vital that those who are susceptible are closely monitored . They can go from one grade to another within 6 hours .
Not only are these excruciatingly painful, but they can also prove fatal. Many never heal which can cause serious consequences to a person’s quality of life. Complications such as sepsis, gangrene and renal failure may follow.
If you or a family member has suffered as a result of poor care or failure to follow guidelines then call us and we can advise as to whether there should be a claim.
Do you need advice or have suffered because of clinical negligence?
Although briefly mentioned under Hospital claims this is such an important area we felt it deserved a page of its own.
In the UK millions of surgical procedures are carried out each year in both the NHS and the private sector. Although the vast majority of procedures complete without incident in this types of procedures when they go wrong the effect upon a persons life can better devastating.
Patients can be left paralysed , incontinent, blind , death , brain damaged and of course the most devastating effect would be loss of life
If these complications occur as a result of surgical negligence then you have a right to a claim . We cannot turn the clock back but we can help to go forward. Arranging treatment adaptations to property , relieving financial burdens are all benefits we can provide through a successful claim.
Types of surgical negligence claim
- Anaesthetic awareness
- Internal damage to organs
- Infected wounds
- Keyhole surgery (to any part of the body)
- Nerve damage
- Objects left inside patients after surgery
- Unnecessary surgery
- Consent issues
- Surgical complications
- Poor surgical techniques