Medical Negligence

When seeking medical care, whether at a hospital, GP, or dentist, we place our trust in the competent and professional hands of healthcare providers. However, unfortunate incidents can occur where a medical diagnosis, surgical procedure, or hospital treatment goes awry due to the lack of judgment or incompetence of doctors, surgeons, or other healthcare professionals.

The consequences of medical negligence can be life-changing and catastrophic, often leading to a complete loss of trust in the medical profession. It is crucial to engage a specialist solicitor with experience in handling medical negligence claims, as the legal process can be complex.

At our firm, we have expertise in various types of claims, including amputations, missed fractures, gynaecological injuries, birth defects, dental claims, misdiagnosis of cancer, orthopaedic injuries, hospital injuries, and negligent prescription of medication.

To investigate the validity of your claim, we are more than happy to meet with you, either at our Plymouth office or at a location convenient to you, especially if traveling is difficult due to illness. Our initial consultation is free, and you are under no obligation to proceed.

The process of a medical negligence claim involves conducting thorough investigations. This often begins by sending a letter of complaint to the hospital or healthcare professional, seeking their initial response. In these claims, we must establish that there has been a breach of the duty of care owed to you, resulting in an injury. Often, an independent medical expert opinion is necessary to assess the breach and its impact, requiring access to your relevant medical records. It is common to obtain two or more expert reports in such cases.

If supportive expert evidence is obtained and we can demonstrate the breach of duty and resulting injury, we will write a formal Letter of Claim and await the healthcare provider’s response. Allowing sufficient time for investigation, we typically wait for four months before proceeding to Court proceedings, if necessary.

While many medical negligence claims are settled outside of Court, occasionally, a Judge’s assessment becomes necessary. The duration of a claim can vary, usually taking a few years to conclude, depending on the complexity of the issues or injuries involved. Throughout the process, we will provide regular updates to keep you informed. There may be stages where it may seem like little progress is being made, but we strive to make the process as simple and stress-free as possible.

For information on funding your claim and understanding how compensation is assessed, please refer to the “Useful Information” section on our website.

Don’t hesitate to contact us to arrange a no-obligation, free initial meeting, where we can discuss the potential of your claim in detail.