If you have been injured as a result of mistakes made by a medical professional, then it may be possible for you to claim compensation.
Compensation for medical negligence can cover a range of things, including:
- Your pain and suffering.
- Costs incurred for any treatment you require
- Paying for any mobility aids or home adaptations needed to help you cope with a resulting disability
- Financial losses such as lost wages and future earning potential.
You may also be able to claim compensation on behalf of a relative who has been injured or died because of a medical error.
There are strict time limits for making a compensation claim so it is important to act quickly. A claim may be possible where you or your relative have suffered a physical or mental injury, contracted a disease, developed an illness or died prematurely.
Our experienced medical negligence lawyers can help in a range of situations where injury or death has occurred as a result of mistakes made by hospital staff, GPs, dentists, opticians, cosmetic surgeons and healthcare professionals working in a hospital or care facility.
Book a fixed cost initial consultation with our medical negligence solicitors in Gravesend
We offer an initial consultation with our medical negligence lawyers for a fixed cost of £260 plus VAT.
To arrange your fixed cost consultation, please call us on 01474 351199 or use our simple contact form and we will get back to your quickly.
Hatten Wyatt also now incorporates several other firms in the local area, meaning you can also access our medical negligence expertise in Chatham, Maidstone, Tenterden and Tonbridge, Kent.
We can also offer meetings by Skype for clients who have to travel extensively or who now live abroad. In exceptional circumstances, home visits can also be arranged.
How the medical negligence team at Hatten Wyatt can help you
Our medical negligence lawyers in Gravesend can help with all types of claims, including:
- claims against hospitals and GPs for failing to spot serious illness, misdiagnosing a condition, carrying out inappropriate treatment, failing to provide the correct treatment, mistakes made in surgery, the mismanagement of pregnancy or childbirth, failing to seek a second opinion or to make a referral where justified, providing inadequate aftercare and the neglect of basic personal healthcare needs;
- claims against dentists for failing to spot gum disease or oral cancer, badly performed root canal treatment, the unnecessary removal of heathy teeth, temporary or permanent nerve damage and poor orthodontic work;
- claims against opticians for failing to spot eye cancer or other diseases likely to affect vision, unnecessarily prescribing glasses, failing to prescribe glasses where appropriate and fitting contact lenses where not recommended;
- claims against cosmetic surgeons for mistakes made in surgery or for providing unnecessary, inappropriate or poorly performed treatment or for using unlicensed products; and
- claims against care homes for failing to use specialist lifting equipment, not providing appropriate mobility aids, administering inappropriate medication, failing to provide required medication and failing to ensure general patient safety.
Funding for Medical Negligence Claims
Most medical negligence cases can be funded under a conditional fee agreement which means there will usually be no legal fees to pay unless your claim is successful.
For clients not eligible for conditional fee funding we can offer flexible payment terms to help you budget for the payment of legal fees.
We can also offer an initial appointment to discuss your requirements from £220 – £375 plus VAT depending on your solicitor’s experience.
Common Questions about Medical Negligence Claims
Do I have a claim for medical negligence?
To be able to claim compensation for medical negligence, we will need to able to show that the clinical professional or professionals who treated you:
- Owed you a duty of care
- Breached that duty of care by making errors that meant the treatment you received fell below acceptable medical standards
To support this, we will need to review various types of evidence, including your medical records, reports from independent medical experts and witness testimony.
Is there a time limit for medical negligence claims?
Most medical negligence claims will need to be brought within 3 years. This time limit is counted from the date when you were aware that you have been injured and that medical negligence may have been the cause.
However, there are some circumstances where you may have longer to claim, including where the claimant:
- Is under 18 – Their parents/guardian will have until the claimant turns 18 to bring a claim. The claimant can then bring their own claim up to their 21st birthday.
- Lacks the mental capacity to pursue a claim themselves – There is no time limit for someone to claim on their behalf.
- Has died – A representative of their estate or their dependants can bring a claim within 3 years of the date of death.
Will I need to go to court to get medical negligence compensation?
Many medical negligence claims can be resolved through negotiation between the parties leading to a voluntary settlement, meaning court proceedings may not be required. However, it may sometimes be necessary to initiate proceedings if a suitable voluntary settlement cannot be agreed.
Book a ixed cost initial consultation with our medical negligence solicitors in Gravesend
To arrange your initial consultation with our medical negligence lawyers for a fixed cost of £260 plus VAT, please call us on 01474 351199 or use our simple contact form and we will get back to your quickly.
You can also access our medical negligence expertise through out local offices in Gravesend, Chatham, Maidstone, Tenterden and Tonbridge, Kent.
We can also offer meetings by Skype for clients who have to travel extensively or who now live abroad. In exceptional circumstances, home visits can also be arranged.