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 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 Exeter 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.
How To Make A Medical Negligence Compensation 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.
Our Medical Negligence Solicitors
Our medical negligence team cover the entirety of England, and have physical offices in:
- Exeter
- 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 in Exeter 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 Exeter 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.