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What Is Medical Negligence?
Medical negligence, or clinical negligence, happens when a healthcare provider fails to provide the expected level of care. This can lead to harm for a patient. This failure can lead to injuries, illness, the aggravation of existing conditions, or even death.
Medical negligence claims are usually complex. They need an understanding of both law and medicine. A medical negligence solicitor can help achieve this.
Are you concerned about making a claim against the NHS? Claims are typically managed by NHS solicitors. Your local hospital or doctor does not handle them.
Types Of Medical Negligence Claims
All doctors, nurses, and other medical workers must take care when diagnosing and treating their patients.
Medical negligence can take many different forms, and this includes:
– Hospital negligence, including claims against NHS hospitals and private institutes
– Poorly managed pregnancy and labour that result in birth injuries or injuries to the mother
– Delayed diagnosis that can cause ailments to get worse, or even cause death
– Infections caused whilst staying at a hospital, such as sepsis
– Mis diagnosis of medical conditions that lead to incorrect medical treatment
– Medication errors and prescription error claims
– Care home claims because of neglect or abuse
– Claims against negligent GP’s
– Inquests investigating deaths caused by medical negligence
– Cancer claims due to delayed or mis diagnosis
Medical malpractice is severe and extremely rare. However when it does happen it can be life changing, devastating and stressful. Our team of medical negligence experts want to hear your story and offer you the correct support possible.
Fill out an assessment form or call us on 0114 2496 611 to book your free assessment today.
Specialist Medical Negligence Claims Advice You Can Trust
When you pursue a medical negligence claim, things can get complicated. It’s important to choose a specialist medical negligence solicitor. Look for one with a strong history of handling complex clinical cases.
Our medical negligence solicitors pride themselves on the breadth of cases we can investigate. We have a national medical negligence team who only practice in medical negligence. This helps us provide you with expert advice. We want to make sure you get the rehabilitation, support, and compensation you deserve.
From the start of your claim, our medical negligence lawyers will help you through the process. We offer support with care and understanding. We provide a free consultation to discuss your story. We will guide you to the best support for your situation.
If we take your case, we will explain everything in simple terms. We will offer support and help you find a good funding option to make your claim successful. We will give clear advice that avoids legal and medical jargon. This will help reduce any stress and anxiety about the claim.
Our medical negligence team will be with you every step of the way. We want to make sure you receive excellent care. We focus on you, your recovery, and your medical negligence claim.
We understand that contacting a solicitor can be worrying, but our team is approachable and easy to talk to. You can find a number of client reviews on our Review Solicitors profile. Remember, we are on your side and can help you rebuild for the future.
Fill out an assessment form or call us on 0114 2496 611 to book your free assessment today.
Hospital Negligence Claims
Hospitals are busy places designed to make you and your loved ones better. You do not go to the hospital expecting to leave feeling worse. You also do not expect a longer recovery time.
Hospital negligence can happen in many ways. This includes mis diagnosis and delayed diagnosis. It can also involve hospital infections, like sepsis.
Other forms include pressure sores and medication errors. Negligence can occur in A&E and during surgeries. Routine procedures can also go wrong and even lead to death.
Learn more more on our hospital negligence claims page.
Birth Injury Claims
Birth injury cases involve injuries to the mother, the baby, or both. These injuries can be serious. This is especially true if a medical professional makes a mistake that they could have avoided. You may be able to make a birth injury claim.
However, these cases can be complex. This is because the legal and medical details involved.
Learn more on our birth injury claims page.
Inquests
If someone dies suddenly or without warning, someone may notify a Coroner, who may conduct an inquest. Our specialist team can provide advice on inquest procedures. They can represent you during the inquest and help with all the paperwork involved.
Learn more on our inquest solicitor’s page.
GP Negligence Claims
It may be difficult to consider bringing a claim against someone you may need to see regularly, such as your GP. Our team can help with any GP mis diagnosis, prescription errors and delayed diagnosis by a GP.
Learn more on our GP negligent claims page.
Cancer Negligence Claims
Our medical negligence solicitors have helped many clients. These clients suffered from delays in cancer diagnosis or were misdiagnosed and want to file a cancer claim for compensation. This includes several types of cancer. They are:
– Breast cancer
– Bowel cancer
– Brain tumors
– Lung cancer
– Gynecological cancers
– Bladder cancer
– Kidney cancer
– Skin cancer
Learn more on our cancer negligence claims page.
Serious Injury Claims
A serious injury is generally defined as an injury that results in permanent or life-changing disability. We can help with many serious injury claims.
These include fatal injuries, spinal injuries, and cerebral palsy claims. We also handle birth injuries, deaths from medical negligence, and brain injuries.
Learn more on our serious injuries claims page.
NHS Neglect Claims
We have helped many people who have claimed against the NHS. NHS neglect occurs when your caregivers do not meet their duty of care. It also happens if they ignore rules like the NHS Constitution. This can include wrong or inadequate medical care, medical treatment, or diagnosis.
Learn more on our NHS Negligence Claims page.
Worried about claiming against the NHS? Successful claims against the NHS are paid by NHS Resolution, not NHS budgets.
How To Make A Medical Negligence Claim
Deciding to pursue a medical negligence claim can be challenging and overwhelming because of the legal complexities involved. Our experienced medical negligence solicitors specialise in managing a diverse range of cases, from simple to intricate. We offer expert support and guidance to ensure that your claim progresses smoothly and effectively.
When you reach out to Howells Solicitors for a free consultation, we will ask for some basic information. We need to know what happened and how it occurred.
We will guide you through the process step by step and at your own pace. If we think your claim needs more investigation, we will open a case. Your solicitor will discuss your claim funding options with you. They will also discuss a no win, no fee* option.
Once we secure funding, we will collect evidence from your medical records. Your expert medical negligence solicitor will review this evidence. They will identify any mistakes you made and how these mistakes have affected your current condition or recovery.
Then we’ll start legal proceedings by sending a Letter of Claim to the Defendant.
We work hard to get interim payments. These payments help people with serious injuries get part of their compensation before their case is settled.
We offer many ways to resolve disputes. This helps settle your compensation claims. It keeps legal issues to a minimum. It also helps avoid going to court.
This will usually help you settle your claim quicker and with less stress for you and your family.
Fill out an assessment form or call us on 0114 2496 611 to book your free assessment today.
No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Claims
At Howells Solicitors, we believe that everyone deserves access to justice, regardless of their financial circumstances. Our no win no fee (CFA) structure is designed to empower you to take legal action without worrying about upfront costs*. Here’s how it works:
Zero or Minimal Upfront Fees: In most cases, if accepted on a no win, no fee basis, you won’t pay a penny upfront for our legal services*. The basis of a CFA is that you will not be required to pay our legal fees if the compensation claim is unsuccessful. Meaning, you will not pay any fees to us unless we win your case for you*.
Free Initial Consultation: Begin with a free, no-obligation consultation. Our legal experts will assess the merits of your case and provide honest advice about its viability.
Transparent Communication: We believe in clear communication from the start. We will outline the potential risks and merits of your case, ensuring you have all the information needed to make informed decisions.
Focused Legal Representation: Our experienced solicitors will guide you through the claims process in a way that is tailored to your situation. We’ll fight tirelessly to secure the best possible outcome for you.
Succeed Together: the damage from medical negligence can never be undone. However, our medical negligence team are motivated to get you back to the position you were before the negligence happened, as much as we possibly can. We can help you live your life as independent as possible. Our success is aligned with yours.
Want to find out more on our no win, no fee medical negligence agreements? Find out more information, including a full list of terms and conditions on our No Win No Fee Medical Negligence page.
Legal Aid For Medical Negligence
Howells Solicitors are one of the few firms holding a Legal Aid franchise for medical negligence. In certain circumstances may be able to apply for Legal Aid Funding.
As soon as you contact us, we’ll be able to discuss your funding options. We will answer any questions you have to alleviate any worries or stress you might be feeling.
Our Medical Negligence Solicitors
Our medical negligence team cover the entirety of England, and have physical offices in:
– Sheffield
– Barnsley
– Rotherham
You can arrange appointments face to face, or we offer telephone or video call options available. If you can’t reach our office, we could arrange for a member of the team to visit you at home.
Free Medical Negligence Initial Appointment
Do you think you have a medical claim? Our medical negligence team offer a free initial appointment on all types of potential compensation claims, regardless of the size.
The medical negligence team are friendly and compassionate, and will discuss your concerns with you. They will let you know as soon as we can whether we can help. We will first ask you to provide some basic information about what has happened and how.
We will then take you through the medical negligence process step by step, at your own pace. If we feel your claim warrants further investigation, a case will be opened, and your solicitor will go through your claim options with you.
Your initial appointment will be made by telephone, offering you complete flexibility. The appointment can be arranged to fit around lunch breaks or work commitments.
Fill out an appointment form or call us on 0114 2496 611 to book your free appointment today.
Medical Negligence Frequently Asked Questions
How long do medical negligence claims take?
The length of medical negligence claims varies considerably. They are quite often affected by external factors, such as waiting for medical records to be provided and for experts to complete their reports.
It can also depend on how complex the case is. Issues will need to be investigated, and there may be lots of evidence to gather. In all appropriate cases, we will apply for interim payments.
The duration of a medical negligence claim is largely influenced by the defendant’s actions. Claims can be resolved before reaching court; however, if the defendant disputes liability, the process could be significantly prolonged.
Even when liability is acknowledged, rushing a settlement is not advisable. The full impact of injuries might only become clear after several years. Therefore, it is crucial that your medical negligence solicitor keeps you informed about your case’s progress and advises on whether additional time is necessary before your claim can be accurately valued and settled.
How long do I have to make a claim?
There are strict time limits for medical negligence claims in the UK. All claims involving medical negligence are subject to a three-year time limit. The time limit starts from the date of negligence or when you first knew your injury was caused by the poor care. Three years isn’t a long time, so if you’ve experienced medical negligence, contact a solicitor right away.
Will I have to go to court?
Many medical negligence cases either settle before court or are discontinued. Your solicitor will usually try to settle the case before going to court, so you don’t have to testify.
Our medical negligence solicitors have a reputation for using dispute resolution options and are known for working to resolve claims without going to court. This helps keep costs low and can speed up the claims process. It also reduces stress on the family involved. If your case does go to court, our solicitors will be with you every step of the way.
Solicitors For Medical Negligence
The Howells medical negligence team is well-respected in the UK and specialises in helping families get the compensation and support they deserve. The team are often praised for their compassion, empathy, and their friendly and caring nature. They are ranked the top medical negligence solicitors in the UK on Review Solicitors, thanks to their consistent five-star reviews.
They can support families through inquests, serious injuries, negligence at the hands of a medical professional, mis diagnosis claims, birth injury claims and late diagnosis claims, to name a few areas of expertise.
The team are highly skilled, down to earth, and extremely diligent medical negligence lawyers who scrutinise every aspect of a compensation claim and represent their clients tirelessly. Their aim is to help them continue their lives with the financial and medical support they need and deserve.
They understand that traumatic incidents can devastate lives, physically, emotionally, psychologically, and financially. They will listen, be supportive understanding and then use their technical skills to explain everything about your case in an easy to understand, removing the jargon and confusion involved with a medical negligence compensation claim.
The medical negligence team is led by Michelle Gyte, a respected specialist with over 20 years of experience. She is passionate about ensuring everyone has access to justice. She has handled a variety of complex cases involving GPs, dentists, opticians, pharmacies, walk-in centers, and hospitals.
The team consists of senior solicitor Jenna Kisala who has over 14 years’ experience in cases involving delay in diagnosis, delay in treating cancer, surgical negligence, fatal accidents and injuries during birth. She acts for clients consistently from initial instructions throughout the entire process and prides herself on remaining accessible to clients.
Jenna has represented families at inquests and assisted them in preparation for inquests. These involved sensitive cases dealing with a death occurring in care homes or during or following detention under the Mental Health Act.
The team also has an inquest team, which includes the high regarded Amy Fiddler and Phillipa Matthews. The team are a specialist practice group driven hard by their belief that everyone is entitled to access to justice.
Client Reviews
“Amy is currently dealing with an inquest relating to my mother. She has been fantastic; nothing has been too much trouble. I have been kept update with absolutely everything. Going through an extremely heartbreaking time and Amy is very sympathetic and compassionate.”
“As a family we have been treated with the utmost respect and dignity at a difficult time. We have been kept in the loop regularly via emails and calls. I would recommend this solicitor to anyone in a similar situation.”
“From the moment we contacted Howells, the team were very responsive and accommodating of the assistance we needed.”
“I felt totally overwhelmed. I didn’t even know really what an inquest was or what the process was. I sent some documents to Howells and they replied very quickly and Amy introduced herself to me. From this point on I was reassured, and everything was explained to me in a way which was easy to understand.
Amy’s advice throughout the whole process was clear and easy to follow. As well as being extremely professional as a solicitor Amy was also friendly and showed empathy towards my circumstances throughout.”
“I have found dealing with Howells a sheer pleasure. I felt at home with them from the outset and they were always prepared to listen. The advice they have given was very professional and they worked very hard in getting information back to me as quickly as possible. I am so pleased that I went to them, and thoroughly recommend them to you.”
“Howells provided fantastic guidance through the legal system during the most difficult of times for our family. Amy was very empathetic and always proactive in everything she did. We were kept fully aware at all stages, and we would definitely recommend her services.”
“What I wasn’t expecting through this process was the very human and empathetic support Amy provided.”
“I recently went to Howells with a potential case, they assisted me massively and were so professional explaining and talking me through every step that was being taken.”
Professional Testimonials
“You have made a very fortunate choice of legal representation who have done a fantastic job of persuading the Defendants to part with a large sum of money. I am certain that no legal team could have done better.”
“Thorough, reliable, extremely knowledgeable, and approachable. Able to put clients at ease while retaining a professional manner.”
“Approachable. Excellent client care skills and ability to manage client’s expectations.”
“Complex Birth injury specialist highly regarded by clients and other members of the legal profession”
“Personable and empathetic with the client’s and family members who have lost loved ones.”
“Professional with an approachable and empathetic client manner.”
Chambers UK
The prestigious Chambers UK guide ranks the department yearly and says:
“Michelle Gyte is well versed in cases arising from delayed diagnosis leading to amputations, cerebral palsy birth injuries and fatal claims. She is additionally adept at spinal injury cases, including damage due to negligent surgery.” “A very good lawyer – technical, conscientious and hard-working.”
Legal 500
The Legal 500 guide ranks the team yearly and says:
“Noteworthy team offering a broad range of clinical negligence advice to clients, including related human rights claims. Further experience of claims concerning issues surrounding failures in hospital and A&E care and delayed diagnoses. Also acts on spinal injury claims, including cauda equina syndrome cases. The department possesses significant experience in medical inquests.”
“Michelle Gyte is noted for her adept representation of claimants in an array of clinical negligence matters, including ophthalmic and neonatal death cases. Market sources note that she is “excellent on claims of the highest value”
“A specialist in birth injury and fatal accidents, Michelle oversees a team notable for it’s expertise in niche areas”
“Notably, the firm also covers matters arising from mental health care, purported violations of the Human Rights Act and supports families during inquests”
“Howells provides a broad offering, handling both serious injury cases, including birth injuries and fatalities, and more niche claims arising from transgender treatment, plastic surgery, and mental health. Senior solicitor Michelle Gyte leads the Sheffield-based practice, specialising in complex cases involving fatal accidents, dependency claims, and multiparty actions. She works alongside senior solicitor Jenna Kisala, who has a special interest in birth injury cases, fatal accidents, and inquests.”
*There are circumstances where you would be asked to pay any outstanding costs even if you don’t win your case. Situations where dishonesty, failing to give your solicitor instructions, rejecting an offer against your solicitor’s advice, death of the claimant, cancelling your claim and relocating without informing your solicitor, are examples of where you may need to pay for services provided by Howells Solicitors, and for the defendant’s costs.
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