Specialist medical negligence solicitors

Quick facts on medical negligence claims

• Medical or clinical negligence claims occur when legal action is taken by patients who have had substandard care, resulting in life-changing injury or loss.
• For most cases, there is a three-year timeframe from the date of your injury to start a medical negligence claim.
• Common types of medical negligence claims include spinal injury, brain or head injury, GP negligence, and birth or maternity claims.
• Many claims start with a no-obligation consultation to help you understand your options, and no-win-no-fee payment options are available.
• The process of a claim begins with an initial consultation, then evidence gathering, independent medical assessment(s) and negotiating settlements or a litigated court case.
• Our medical negligence solicitors have decades of experience between them, and are recognised nationally for their expertise.
• We receive support from an in-house medico-legal advisor who can support with the intricacies of complex medical cases.

Our expertise in medical negligence claims

Medical negligence happens when substandard care from healthcare professionals results in avoidable physical or psychological harm. From diagnostic errors to negligent treatment, mistakes can happen, but it is our job to navigate the legal complexities and ensure you are appropriately compensated for a legally viable claim.

Always empathetic, our clinical negligence team care about positive outcomes for you. We have top-ranked medical negligence lawyers accredited by The Law Society and Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA), and benefit from an in-house medical advisor, who assists with the intricacies of medical negligence cases. Our team of experienced clinical negligence solicitors will support you with your claim so that you can live life as fully as possible.

How do I make a medical negligence claim?

To claim for medical negligence, you must prove that a healthcare professional has breached their duty of care, which causes you injury or harm.

The claims process involves investigating the circumstances of your treatment, and gathering the medical evidence needed to pursue compensation through negotiation or court proceedings, if necessary. We understand that revisiting clinical negligence experiences can be upsetting or traumatic, which is why we approach every case with empathy and care.

Here is our process for making a medical negligence claim:

1. Initial consultation: We will review your case, assessing how your duty of care has been breached and whether the care fell below acceptable standards.
2. Evidence gathering: Next, we begin gathering any evidence related to your case, such as medical records, timelines, or witness statements. This allows us to identify potential failures in your care.
3. Independent medical assessment: We will then instruct independent medical experts to review your case, and confirm whether there was a breach of duty and whether that caused your injury or loss. They will then produce a report on your case.
4. Letter of Claim: At this point, we decide whether to make your case a formal legal claim. The Letter of Claim will outline treatment you received, a timeline of events, causation, and any supporting evidence for the allegation.
5. Negotiation: Following a response from the Defendant, if appropriate our medical negligence solicitors calculate the compensation you should receive and seek to negotiate a fair settlement of your case.
6. Court Proceedings: If a settlement is not achievable, formal court proceedings will be pursued to seek the Court’s decision about your case.

Timing matters for clinical negligence cases, so if you have suffered loss or pain due to negligence and you need support, contact our specialist medical negligence solicitors as soon as possible so that we can start assessing your claim.

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What are the common types of medical negligence?

Medical negligence covers many different types of healthcare treatment, and treatment can be from, for example, a GP, surgeon, dentist, or nurse. Any case where the clinical care provided has failed to meet the required standard could fall under medical negligence.

Some of the most common types of medical negligence include:

• Delay in diagnosis claims
• Spinal injury claims, and conditions like Cauda Equina Syndrome
• Brain injury claims
• Amputation claims, and errors in managing infection or complication
• GP negligence claims and nursing home claims
• Cancer claims, including misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
• Time-critical conditions and general medical negligence, like meningitis or sepsis
• Birth or maternity claims
• Claims leading to a fatality

How long after medical negligence can you claim in the UK?

UK medical negligence claims must happen within a three-year time limit for adults, with exceptions for children or vulnerable adults.

The three-year timeframe for adults begins from the date that harm occurred, or the ‘date of knowledge’ which, put simply, is when you first realised your injury may be the result of medical negligence. For children, the three-year time limit starts on their 18th birthday, giving them until 21 to make claims for childhood medical negligence. For vulnerable adults without mental capacity, there is generally no time limit unless capacity returns.

From decades of experience as medical negligence solicitors, we know timing is everything. Getting legal advice as early as possible is key for preparing evidence and making your claim before the deadline.