Accident and Emergency Diagnosis negligence and Compensation
Patients attending an Accident and Emergency facility frequently require prompt medical care. A failure by the medical professionals who assess them to recognise their condition or its urgency may lead to a poor patient outcome and may justify a claim for compensation.
Failings in Accident and Emergency
Accident and Emergency departments are extremely busy locations with medical professionals working under considerable pressure. Nonetheless, they have a duty of care to their patients and are expected to provide a competent response to the patient's needs and symptoms.
Failings in Accident and Emergency which may lead to a delayed diagnosis or a misdiagnosis, which may ultimately result in a claim for compensation, could include the following:
- A failure to carry out an examination of the patient or to take a patient history where this would normally be regarded as necessary
- A failure to recognise the signs and symptoms exhibited by the patient
- A failure to understand the significance and urgency of the appropriate response to the patient's symptoms
- A failure to seek a specialist opinion where there is uncertainty as to the patient's condition and needs
- A failure or delay in arranging for further tests
- Discharging a patient without necessary red flag warnings or safety-netting advice
- A misdiagnosis of the patient's condition leading to a delay in an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment
Claiming compensation
If negligent or substandard care by a medical professional has caused a patient to suffer a worse outcome than would have been the case with an acceptable level of care, that patient is legally entitled to claim compensation for the consequences of the negligence.
For example, if the long-term impact of medical negligence is a reduction in the patient's ability to work or has rendered an individual dependent to some degree on personal care, the financial costs associated with the impact would be incorporated into a successful claim in so far as they have been caused by the negligent care.
Speak to a legal specialist
If you or a loved one have been affected negatively by substandard care in Accident and Emergency, contact a legal specialist to discuss the possibility of making a claim for compensation. A solicitor who specialises in medical negligence compensation will have the expertise to support you to achieve the best settlement of your claim.
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice with a team of expert lawyers. Contact us today to speak with a solicitor, free of charge, about the possibility of making a claim.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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