What Will Happen When I Make A Claim?
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 for your illness. 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.
What Are The Time Limits For Making A Claim?
In most medical negligence cases, you have three years to make a compensation claim, starting from the date the negligence happened (or the date you first became aware that you’d suffered because of negligence). For children, this three year period begins on their 18th birthday, so they have until they’re 21 to make a claim.
However, it’s important to contact us as soon as possible so that we can begin to investigate your claim. If you have questions or concerns about the time limits, please call us for free initial advice on 0800 121 6567 .
Who Can Make A Claim?
All medical professionals have a duty of care to make sure that your condition is diagnosed as soon as possible and that you’re given the right treatment. If this doesn’t happen, your cancer could go undetected and spread to other parts of the body, making it harder to treat.
You might be able to make a compensation claim if the medical professional taking care of you didn’t:
Link your symptoms to breast cancer
Diagnose you with the correct condition
Provide an adequate initial investigation
Refer you for the relevant CT and MRI scans
Carry out your biopsy correctly
If a loved one has died because of the delayed diagnosis of testicular cancer, our lawyers can help you with:
Recovering compensation for their pain and suffering, to account for financial losses caused by their death and to cover funeral expenses
Representing you at inquest
Getting you the answers and apology you deserve from those responsible
Our lawyers could help you access a statutory bereavement award, which is separate to a claim for compensation and recognises your grief in the event of a wrongful death. This is available if you’re the spouse, civil partner or parent (if they’re under 18) of the person who died.
Everyone has the right to a high standard of care but avoidable medical errors do happen. By contacting us today we can act quickly to secure you specialist care and support which can make a huge difference.
Can I Make A Claim On A No Win No Fee Basis?
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.
How Our Other Teams Can Help
Because we’re a full-service law firm, we also have a number of other in-house teams with specialist knowledge in areas such as rehabilitation, Wills and asset management.
Rehabilitation
We see rehabilitation as key and will make sure that you can access the care and support services you need to lead the best life possible. Our Support and Rehabilitation Coordinators can provide support and information to you and your family, helping you with many of the “non-legal” problems you may face.
Wills
We have specialist Wills solicitors who can help with any issues surrounding Wills and who can also assist if you’re claiming on behalf of a loved one who has unfortunately passed away.
Asset Management
Our asset management team can provide advice on how your compensation could be best invested. We also have Court of Protection lawyers who can set up personal injury trusts and make sure you have access to the benefits you’re entitled to.
Meet The Team
As the largest medical negligence department in the country, our solicitors are highly rated by independent legal guides.
We have years of experience in securing compensation for those who’ve suffered as a consequence of medical errors. Our solicitors are aware that every claim is different and we make sure that we understand the care and support you need.
We appreciate that getting access to the best treatment for your cancer is a priority. We’ll aim to secure the treatment you need as soon as we can, using our connections at leading charities and specialist care providers.
For some people getting an apology and explanation for what’s happened is just as important as a compensation award. We’ll take the necessary steps to make complaints and will campaign to see that systems are put in place to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to somebody else.
