Medical and Healthcare Abuse Claims
If you or a family member has experienced abuse in a medical or hospital setting, then our solicitors could help you claim compensation.
Types of abuse in healthcare
Abuse in a healthcare setting involves a violation of a person's human rights, physical safety, or dignity.
This will commonly be done by a staff member or carer, but can be done by other patients.
The types of abuse in healthcare we can help with includes
- Physical abuse
- Psychological abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Neglect
- Financial abuse.
This list isn't exhaustive, and we can help with other types of abuse in a healthcare setting.
How can Irwin Mitchell's solicitors help with hospital abuse claims?
Our abuse solicitors are ranked amongst the best in the UK by leading independent legal guides, The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. Their expertise will be used to get you or your loved one the best outcome for your claim.
If you or loved one has been abused in a hospital or another medical setting, we’re here to help. We’ve a track record of helping individuals claim against vulnerable people who've been abused by:
- Doctors
- Nurses
- Health professionals
- Hospital employees or volunteers
- Other patients.
If your loved one was abused, and you’re worried about their welfare or ability to make their own decisions, our Court of Protection solicitors can help.
Alongside our expert legal team, you’ll be supported by our Support and Rehabilitation Coordinators. They’re trained clinical experts who’ll be there to help you identify support you or your loved one could benefit from. The support will always be local to you.
Meet a specialist from our team
Our market leading team will help you understand your rights, secure the compensation you’re owed, and access vital support – from rehabilitation to long-term care.
What is the process of making a hospital or healthcare abuse claim?
There are several steps to making a hospital or healthcare abuse claim, these are:
- We will arrange a free initial consultation, where you can discuss your potential claim in a private and confidential meeting room. We will use this time to discuss funding options with you as well.
- If you do decide to use our services, we will start by gathering evidence to build your claim. This could be your medical records, witness statements, or CCTV if it’s available.
- We will present your claim to those responsible, if they accept liability, we will begin working to settle your claim.
- If they deny liability or disagree with the compensation amount that we feel you deserve, we can start court proceedings. We will always try to avoid this, but sometimes it can be the best way to settle an abuse claim. However, we find it’s rare a hospital abuse claim goes to court.
Who can I make a complaint to?
If you or a loved one has been abused in a healthcare setting, you will either need to complain to the healthcare provider or the regulatory body.
If you don't want to raise the issue directly to the provider, you can raise your complaint to:
- Police - contact the police if you're in immediate danger
- Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) - free, confidential service in hospitals for urgent assistance and advice on handling complaints
- Integrated Care Board (ICB) - you can complain to the ICB that commissioned (paid for) the service
- Independent Sector Complaints Adjudication Service (ISCAS) - if you're not satisfied with the provider's response, you can escalate it to ISCAS
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) - as the independent regulator for England, the CQC does not handle individual complaints but welcomes reports of poor care or abuse to inform their inspection processes.
How much compensation could I receive for a hospital or healthcare abuse claim?
If you or a loved have experienced abuse in a hospital or medical setting, the amount of compensation you could claim depends on:
- The types of injuries you’ve sustained
- Care and specialist treatment you might need now and, in the future
- Loss of earnings in the past, now and in the future
- Court of Protection fees (if your loved one lacks the mental capacity to deal with your financial affairs).
Once you’ve told us more about what’s happened to you or a loved one, we’ll be able to offer more guidance on compensation.
Speak to a Specialist
We are here to help you understand your rights and the support you need. Complete our enquiry form and one of our experts will contact you by the next working day.
Alternatively, you can call us now.
Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm (Excluding Public Holidays).
0800 0232 233
Making an enquiry
We have several ways you can contact us, either by completing our online contact form, by phone, or using our live chat. If you start your journey online, here are the first steps to working together.
Complete our online formWe need a few details to understand your situation and the kind of support you need.
We’ll contact you by phoneOn the call our experts will ask you a few more questions to make sure we connect you with the right legal advice from our team.
We arrange a full appointmentIf we’re able to support you further, the next step is an appointment with one of our specialists so we can discuss everything in more detail.
Frequently asked questions about hospital and healthcare abuse claims
Find out more about making an medical or hospital abuse claim.We find most hospital and medical abuse claims don’t go to court. Our lawyers are experienced in settling abuse claims out of court. However, if you do need to appear in court, we’ll be there to represent and support you throughout.