Failed Sterilisation Claims

A vasectomy is the male form of sterilisation that prevents the sperm from being able to reach the egg, eliminating the risk of pregnancy. Vasectomies are less invasive and safer than female sterilisation, involving the tubes being cut...

...that carry a man’s sperm from the testicles to the penis. Things can go wrong during this method of sterilisation, which can either lead to unwanted pregnancies or unnecessary pain and suffering.

You might be able to make a claim if your surgeon or doctor failed to:

• Cut the correct body part (sometimes ligaments are cut instead of tubes)
• Inform you about the risk of intractable pain (severe, constant pain)
• Tell you about secondary bleeding and the need for time off work (especially manual labour)
• Examine your scrotal sack before the procedure to check for conditions
• Warn you that you’re likely to be fertile for three/four months after the procedure
• Provide checks on the presence of semen in the sperm after 12 weeks

Vasectomies have a number of side effects that can occur both naturally and because of negligent treatment, including:

• Haematoma – clots forming around broken blood vessels in the scrotum causing swelling and pain
• Granulomas forming – sperm leaking out of the cut tubes creating hard lumps
• Long-term pain in the testicles – this can vary in frequency and at which stage it occurs. You could be advised to undergo further surgery to minimise the pain.
• Infection – bacteria can cause infection in the cuts made in your scrotum
• Testicles feeling full – the epididymis (tubes in each testicle) can become full with stored sperm
• Fertility – the vas deferens can reconnect meaning this procedure will no longer act as contraception

As well as helping when failed vasectomies result in unwanted conception, we can also assist with your claim if you’ve suffered excessive pain because of your doctor’s actions (or another medical professional) or weren’t informed about the risks and side effects of your vasectomy.

After you’ve contacted us, we’ll set up a free initial consultation to discuss your case and whether you have a legal claim. We’ll discuss what funding options are available to you to pay for your claim, including No Win No Fee agreements.

We’ll then get in touch with those responsible for your negligent treatment at an early stage to see if they accept the blame. If they accept responsibility, we’ll try to secure interim compensation payments which can fund private medical care and ongoing expenses, before your claim fully settles. Any interim payments will be taken out of your final compensation award.

Our experts will look into your case in detail, gathering evidence from independent medical professionals. These experts evaluate what care you should have received and can determine any future implications to your health. They’ll also advise us on the care you’ll need in the future.

We’ll always try and negotiate claims out of court, keeping the claim process as short as we can. However, if your opponent doesn’t accept responsibility or doesn’t agree with the amount of compensation we feel you need, we’ll start court proceedings.

Even when trial dates have been set, claims are still often settled before reaching court. If your claim does need to go to court, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way, talking you through what will happen so you feel as comfortable as possible.

If your failed sterilisation was performed by an NHS organisation and there was negligence, we help you make a claim. You might have concerns about claiming against the NHS and may feel that by seeking compensation you will be depriving the NHS of funds for patient care.

By making a claim you’re highlighting important issues about the medical care you received, ensuring that someone else won’t suffer from the same mistreatment. Often the appropriate NHS trust will start its own internal investigations to find out how your negligence happened. This can lead to changes which can help protect future patients and raise the standard of care. We also believe that you are entitled to compensation to account for the pain and suffering you have encountered as a result of the negligence and any associated financial losses.

If you’re still receiving medical treatment from the NHS organisation you’re making a claim against, you have the right to continue treatment with them and any decision about where you can get medical help shouldn’t be affected.

Our medical negligence lawyers can also help if your negligent sterilisation was performed by a private practitioner, or at a private hospital.

You will generally have three years from the date you find out you were pregnant to make a failed sterilisation claim. If you’re making a claim relating to negligence which meant you suffered unnecessary pain and suffering because of errors during your procedure, you’ll have three years from the date of the surgery or from when mistakes were discovered to be the reason for your discomfort.

The sooner you contact us, the sooner we can begin investigating what happened in order to get you the compensation you deserve.

Many of our cases are funded with a No Win No Fee agreement. This means that there’s no financial risk* to you when making a compensation claim.

At the start of your case we’ll discuss funding options with you, advising you which we think is most suitable. If you have legal expenses insurance (LEI) or are covered by a trade union policy, these may be best for you. Legal expenses insurance is included in many household insurance policies, so it’s always worth checking whether you’re already covered.

If we think you’re best supported by a No Win No Fee agreement, we’ll explain the process clearly. This involves setting up an insurance policy that will protect you, at no cost to you. You’ll only have to pay anything when your claim is successful – your opponent will pay most of our fees.

Please visit our No Win No Fee page for more information on how it works.