Medical Negligence

UK standards of healthcare are generally very high, with a health service staffed by many excellent and dedicated medical professionals working hard to meet these extremely high standards day after day.

With any medical treatment, there is always an acceptable level of risk and you will usually be warned of the risks associated with any form of medication or treatment. However, if a medical professional has acted below an acceptable standard and this has resulted in further problems to your health, an injury or an illness, Irwin Mitchell may be able to help support a claim for medical negligence.

At Irwin Mitchell we understand that your experience of medical negligence is likely to have been a distressing one. For this reason we can offer a service tailored to your needs with a firm understanding of the difficulties you have faced.

We have access to a network of specialist medical negligence solicitors who can look at your case in detail and assess it professionally. By employing specialist solicitors we always strive to secure the best possible compensation settlement for your circumstances.

What are the most common types of medical negligence cases?

Medical negligence cases can vary widely, from minor injuries sustained from negligence to much more severe cases where clients suffer permanent disability as a result of inadequate medical care. Because of this, we assign a specialist solicitor to each case that has knowledge and expertise in the particular field of your claim.

Some of the most common medical negligence claims are detailed below:

• Misdiagnosis

  Misdiagnosis can occur in two different ways. The first is where a medical professional does not recognise that a patient has a specific illness or injury. An example of this is when a patient complains of symptoms over a period of time which are either dismissed or not recognised as a specific illness. In severe cases, this type of misdiagnosis can allow illnesses to develop and become worse due to the negligence of a medical professional.

  The second type of misdiagnosis can occur when a medical professional makes an incorrect diagnosis; recognising an illness or an injury as something different. In cases such as these a misdiagnosis can lead to the wrong treatment causing further problems.

• Hospital Infections and Poor Standards of Care

  Medical negligence can also include unacceptable levels of hygiene in hospitals which result in contagious infections. Infections such as MRSA can spread easily if hospitals are not kept adequately clean. Irwin Mitchell has supported clients with claims against medical establishments including hospitals that do not meet acceptable standards of hygiene, subsequently leading to illnesses of varying degrees of severity.

  Poor standards of care in any medical establishment including nursing homes are also a common cause for claims, where the elderly or disabled are inadequately cared for.

• Surgical Errors

  In this type of case, injuries or illnesses may have been sustained as a result of medical negligence during surgery. Errors in both medical and cosmetic surgery are commonly claimed for, with mistakes made during laser eye surgery also leading to claims.

• Pregnancy and Birth

  Errors made during pregnancy and birth may impact the health of both mother and baby. Common causes for claims have included complications during birth that are not adequately dealt with, resulting in injury to mothers such as second or third degree tears. Medical negligence during birth can result in a baby suffering a brain injury such as cerebral palsy after being starved of oxygen during birth.

Medical negligence can take many other forms aside from these most common claims. If you or someone in your family has suffered as a result of medical negligence, download a claim form today to see if Irwin Mitchell can support your claim.