Hospital Negligence Claims

What Is Hospital Negligence?

Hospital negligence occurs when you receive care while in hospital that is substandard. This includes any instances where you experienced incorrect, delayed, or substandard treatment that resulted in increased pain, delayed your recovery or worsened your condition.

We understand that it may be difficult to raise concerns about negligence caused by those who you have trusted to provide treatment, but you deserve to receive the appropriate standard of care before, during and after your hospital visit.

Types of Hospital Negligence Claims

Our hospital negligence solicitors are here for clients who have suffered the following whilst in hospital:

• Misdiagnosis of an injury or illness which has worsened.
• Have suffered because of a delayed diagnosis.
• Contracted an infection during their stay in hospital.
• Developed bedsores.
• Did not receive the correct medicine.
• Experienced a routine procedure which has gone wrong.
• Experienced a family passing away because of a routine procedure going wrong.

Worried about claiming against the NHS? Claims are generally managed by solicitors for the NHS, not your local hospital or doctor.

Hospital Misdiagnosis

Hospital misdiagnosis happens when a medical professional fails to correctly diagnose a patient’s illness or injury whilst being treated at a hospital. If you’ve suffered because of being misdiagnosed whilst in hospital, you may be entitled to make a hospital negligence compensation claim.

Find out more on our hospital misdiagnosis page.

Delayed Diagnosis

If you have been to the hospital and have experienced a delayed diagnosis that has resulted in delayed treatment, then you may be entitled to make a compensation claim for hospital negligence.

Find out more on our delayed diagnosis page.

Prescription Errors

If you have been given the wrong prescription by a doctor or nurse whilst in the hospital and you have suffered harm as a result, you may have then you may have a claim for prescription error negligence.

Find out more on our prescription error claims page.

Hospital Infections

Our hospital infection claims solicitors can help bring a compensation claim when infection has occurred where procedures were not followed. Infections could include sepsis, meningitis and clostridium difficile.

Find out more on our hospital infection claims page.

NHS Neglect

If there is medical negligence arising out of the treatment or care in an NHS or private facility such as a care or residential home, then a compensation claim could be made.

Find out more on our NHS negligence claims page.

A&E Negligence

If you have been to A&E and received treatment or a diagnosis that was incorrect or below the standard you were entitled to expect, resulting in you being given unsuitable or poor treatment that has led to your condition worsening, then you may be entitled to make a A&E negligence claim.

Find out more on our A&E Negligence Claims page.

Surgery Negligence

Surgery negligence occurs because of inadequate, incorrect, or delayed surgery. If you have suffered due to this, you may have grounds to make a surgical negligence claim.

Find out more on our surgical negligence claims page.

Pressure Sores

Pressure sores often occur in individuals who are bedridden or immobile for extended periods. In some cases, the development of pressure sores can be a sign of neglect or substandard care. If you have suffered a pressure sore which could have been avoided, you may be able to make a claim for compensation..

Find out more on our pressure sore claims page.

Birth Injuries

Birth injury cases include injury to the mother, the baby or both and all of these can have devastating consequences, particularly if the injury was caused by an avoidable mistake by a medical professional. In these circumstances, it may be possible to bring a birth injury claim  These cases are often complex because of the legal and medical technicalities involved which our experienced team could assist you with. Find out more on our birth injury claims page.

Cancer Negligence

You could make a cancer misdiagnosis claim if your doctor failed to diagnose your condition appropriate time, was negligent during your care or you have lost a loved one as result of delayed diagnosis and/or treatment of cancer.

Find out more on our cancer negligence claims page.

Failure To Monitor a Patient

Sometimes simply not keeping an eye on a condition whilst in hospital is enough to make an injury or illness worse. In some cases, fatal. Regular monitoring and assessment of a patient’s condition is a vital part of the care which should be provided  whilst a patient is admitted to hospital. This is particularly important:

• After surgery.
• During labour.
• After a head injury.
• While they are under anaesthesia.

Monitoring should include checking a patient’s vital signs such as their heart rate, temperature, urine output and oxygen levels. Additional safeguarding should be applied when the patients are vulnerable, such as those with a mental health illness who could be a risk to themselves or those who are not aware of their surroundings, such as patients with dementia.

Can You Sue the NHS For Hospital Negligence?

Bringing a case against a hospital can feel daunting. However, all NHS providers are expected to maintain a high standard of care, and those that fail to do so should be held accountable. As one of the largest and oldest national healthcare systems, the National Health Service (NHS) plays a crucial role in treating millions of patients each year.

Patients rely on the NHS for a wide range of health services, from routine screenings and treatments for both mild and severe long-term conditions to emergency care and prescriptions. Given the extensive services provided by NHS trusts, it’is understandable that issues can arise. Additionally, with increasing waiting times in hospitals, it has been estimated that there have been over 4,000 excess deaths that could have been prevented. These troubling statistics underscore the importance of holding NHS Trusts accountable, ensuring they can improve and deliver better care to every patient in the UK.

If you are worried about claiming against the NHS, remember that Claims are generally dealt with by solicitors for the NHS, not directly by your local hospital or doctor.

Can Hospital Negligence Claims Be Brought Against Private Hospitals?

You can make a claim against a private healthcare trust for the same reasons you would make a claim against the NHS. However, the process may differ slightly, as not all private healthcare providers operate at the hospital where you received treatment. You may need to pursue the individual through their own indemnity insurance or the hospital’s third-party insurance, and they might be less inclined to admit liability. When you choose private healthcare, you typically sign a contract, and you will need to demonstrate that the terms of that contract were breached,  the outcome was not as expected and you have suffered avoidable harm as a result.

How To Make a Hospital Negligence Compensation Claim

Deciding to pursue a hospital negligence claim can be overwhelming due to the legal complexities involved. Our experienced hospital negligence solicitors specialise in managing a diverse range of cases, in terms of complexity and value. We offer expert support and guidance to ensure that your claim progresses smoothly and effectively.

When you contact Howells Solicitors for a free consultation, we will first ask you to provide some basic information about what has happened and the concerns that you have with the care that has been provided. We will then explain how claims are processed  step by step, at your own pace, and if we feel your claim warrants further investigation, a case will be opened, and your solicitor will go through the potential funding options available with you which will usually include a no win, no fee* option with you.

Once funding is in place, we will then gather evidence from your medical records to identify, if any and what mistakes were made, and the impact these have had on your current condition or recovery. It is also likely to be necessary to instruct an independent medico legal expert(s) to provide an option on the standard of care provided.

A Letter of Claim setting out the allegations of negligence will then be sent to the Defendant, if there is evidence to support a claim for medical negligence.

We work hard to claim interim payments, which allow those who have suffered serious injuries to receive part of their compensation before their case settles. We also offer a wide range of dispute resolution option to help settle your compensation claims, which helps keep the need to issue Court proceedings to a minimum and helps avoid the case being dealt with at Court. This will usually ensure your claim is settled quicker and with less stress to you and your family.

If you think you have a claim and would like to speak to us, you can Contact us or call us on 0114 2496 611 to discuss your story.

No Win No Fee Hospital Negligence Claims

At Howells Solicitors, we believe that everyone deserves access to justice, regardless of their financial circumstances. Our no win no fee (Conditional Fee Agreement [CFA]) structure is designed to enable you to take legal action without worrying about upfront costs*. Here is a summary of how CFA’s work:

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 Solicitors 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 will 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.

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 Hospital Negligence

Howells Solicitors are one of the few firms holding a Legal Aid franchise for medical negligence, and they ensure access to justice for all. 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 and answer any questions you may have to alleviate any worries or stress you might be feeling.

Our Hospital Negligence Solicitors

Our hospital negligence solicitors cover the entirety of England, and have physical offices in:

• Sheffield
• Barnsley
• Rotherham

You can arrange appointments face to face, or telephone or video call options may also be offered . If you cannot makes it to our office, we could arrange for a member of the team to visit you at home, if a home visit is needed due to your personal circumstances.

We will consider the merits of every claim brought to us and regardless of its size, complexity, or consequences suffered, we will give each one the care and attention it deserves.

We appreciate that worry about costs can be a barrier to getting professional help – don’t let it stop you. If we believe you have a claim, then we can potentially pursue it via one of several funding options or fee arrangements such as ‘no win, no fee’*.

If you choose us to investigate your hospital negligence claim for you, we will look after you, as here at Howells we are committed to:

• Earning the maximum possible compensation settlement for clients.
• Helping establish adequate ‘provision for life’ in terms of on-going specialist care, housing, support, and welfare.
• Easing any fear, worry or distress caused by about the legal process and communicating regularly, openly, and sensitively.
• Remaining a strong, staunch, and tireless advocate for your rights.

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 funding 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.