What to do if you Think you have Suffered Medical Negligence
When you seek care or advice from medical professionals, you have an expectation that they’ll make you better. However, this doesn’t always happen and your symptoms may become worse. This is known as medical negligence and there were approximately 13,000 claims reported to the NHS in 2022/23. This number is likely to be much higher if you add the negligence in private healthcare.
If you believe that you’ve suffered at the hands of inadequate medical care, you may be looking for advice on what the next steps are. That’s why we’ve put together this handy guide on what you can do if you’re in this difficult position.
What Is Medical Negligence?
Healthcare professionals have a duty of care for you while helping you overcome an illness or injury. When this is breached due to substandard care, medical negligence has occurred. You may be left with your injury failing to improve, your symptoms may have got worse or you could sadly pass away.
What are the different types of medical negligence?
- Misdiagnosis
- Surgical negligence
- Anaesthesia
- Prescription error
- Long-term negligent treatment
- Pregnancy or birthing injuries
- Dental negligence
- Cosmetic care negligence
- Negligent medical advice
What to do if you think you have been affected by it
If you believe your medical professional has failed to provide a duty of care while you were under their supervision, consider trying the following to help get your life back on track:
Gather the evidence
To prove medical negligence, you’ll need the following information:
- Proof that the doctor or nurse had a duty of care over you
- Proof that they’re at fault and caused harm to your body, mental health or personal finances
- Be assessed by an independent medical practitioner to confirm the mental or physical pain sustained
Speak to medical negligence professionals
Once you have the evidence, you may wish to speak to medical negligence solicitors who can let you know if you could win a claim against the healthcare provider. They will talk you through the process to ensure your case is in a good position and has a chance of winning.
Your case may even be taken on a no-win no-fee basis, so you’ll only have to pay if your claim is successful.
Seek help
It can take a heavy toll on your mental health when your symptoms don’t improve and in some cases, get worse. We recommend speaking to a therapist who can help you cope with your emotions to help build up your mental strength. This is vital for your road to recovery, so should be considered if you think your mental health is in a bad place.