GP Misdiagnosis of Necrotising Fasciitis: Can I Make a Claim?
In essence, if a medical professional, whether a GP or hospital practitioner, makes an error during their care of the patient, the patient is legally entitled to make a claim for compensation for the consequences of that negligence.
Misdiagnosis of necrotising fasciitis
Misdiagnosis of necrotising fasciitis can be life-changing. In fact, it can be life-threatening. Such is the virulence of this appalling soft-tissue infection that a delay in treatment of even a few hours can significantly alter the patient's long-term outcome.
Early diagnosis is the key to the best outcome.
Negligence on the part of a GP can be crucial and examples that might cause a delay and justify a claim for compensation could include the following:
- A failure to carry out a thorough assessment and examination of the patient
- A failure to recognise the possible significance of the patient's symptoms such as intense pain in the region of a cut or wound, redness and swelling and discolouration of the skin
- A failure to suspect that the patient may be developing necrotising fasciitis
- A failure to seek specialist advice in the case of uncertainty of diagnosis
- A delay or failure in making a referral for specialist investigation and intervention
Making a claim for compensation
A claim for compensation aims to address the financial consequences of negligent medical care.
In the case of necrotising fasciitis, the consequences can be utterly catastrophic. Where the patient dies, their family may be deprived on the care or income on which they depended. Where the patient survives, they may face a future of severe disability.
This can restrict an individual's capacity to work and may even mean that they become dependent on external support of some kind whether for personal care or household tasks.
If a GP has caused an unnecessary delay in the diagnosis and treatment of necrotising fasciitis, causing the patient to suffer long-term difficulties, the costs of those problems, be it loss of earnings or the costs of care, would be incorporated into the claim.
How to make a claim
In the first instance, it is necessary to talk to a specialist medical negligence solicitor. They will be able to obtain copies of your medical records and engage the services of the appropriate medical experts to identify if and when there has been an act of negligence in the course of your care.
If it found that you or your loved one have, indeed, been the victim of negligence, a further assessment of its impact will clarify the costs which and financial losses which the negligence has caused.
This is a highly complex process requiring the skills of an expert.
Free legal advice
Glynns Solicitors is a dedicated medical negligence with a team of experienced solicitors and a long-standing history of success in necrotising fasciitis claims.
Contact us today to talk to a solicitor, free of charge, about the possibility of making a claim.
We can offer No Win No Fee funding for medical negligence claims which we will discuss with you during your free initial telephone discussion.
Please call us free on 0800 234 3300 (or from a mobile 01275 334030) or complete our Online Enquiry Form.
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