Hospital Errors and When to Claim Compensation for Negligence
If you think that you or a loved one have been the victim of a significant error during a procedure in hospital, which has altered your long-term outcome for the worse, it may be possible to make a claim for compensation.
Substandard medical care in hospital
If a patient experiences substandard medical care, which causes them to suffer symptoms and difficulties which would not otherwise have been the case, they are legally entitled to compensation.
The variety and number of procedures which take place across a single hospital during the course of a single day can be huge. Whether it is assessments, diagnoses, tests, surgical procedures, monitoring of symptoms or the administration of drugs, the potential for an error to occur at some point in relation to a patient is fairly high. The severity of that error and its impact on the patient and their quality of life will determine whether or not it is appropriate to make a claim for compensation.
- On a rare occasion, a patient may suffer what is termed a 'Never Event' where an action which should not happen does. This may be as severe as a procedure being carried out to the wrong part of the body or a piece of surgical equipment being left inside a patient's body, or it may be the incorrect administration of a drug
- In terms of assessment in A&E, it may mean a failure of examination or a misdiagnosis of symptoms
- For an in-patient, it may mean a failure of monitoring and the missing of important symptoms or a failure of risk assessment
- In surgery it may mean an error of technique, an accidental perforation or damage to an anatomical structure or the impact of incorrect positioning over a period of time
When to claim compensation
If you suspect that you have suffered from an error whilst in hospital, it is essential to act promptly. Claims are associated with a three-year deadline and it necessary for the quality of the patient's care to be investigated before this deadline. Such investigations can be very time-consuming, requiring the input of medical professionals as well as an assessment of the patient's medical records.
Contact a legal specialist at the earliest possible moment so that they can put this process in motion.
Speak to a specialist
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence legal practice with a team of highly-experienced specialist solicitors.
Our specialisation ensures that we have the skills ready and waiting to help you in the most efficient and economical way.
It also means that we can offer No Win No Fee medical negligence funding which we will discuss with you during your free initial telephone discussion.
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