Anaesthetic awareness, where a patient is conscious during surgery, can be a painful and frightening ordeal, with long-term psychological consequences. If you’ve suffered anaesthetic awareness because of negligent medical treatment, our expert lawyers could help you make a No Win No Fee* compensation claim.

Cases of anaesthetic awareness are relatively rare, but when they do happen, there might be a number of causes, including:

Incorrect dose or technique when administering anaesthetic
Failure to monitor patient awareness during surgery
Problems with equipment

The effects of anaesthetic awareness can vary, but may include:

Pain during surgery, which you are unable to communicate to the medical staff
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Anxiety, sleeplessness, nightmares
Fear of medical treatment and hospitals

If you’ve experienced any of these symptoms after suffering anaesthetic awareness, we could help you make a claim for compensation. We have the largest medical negligence team in the country and have helped thousands of people make a claim against both the NHS and private organisations.

Call the team today on 0800 121 6567 for a free consultation or fill out /sitecore/content/Irwin Mitchell Com/home/personal/medical-negligence/defective-medical-device-claims/faulty-defibrillatorsour online form and we’ll get back to you.

No Win No Fee*

Free initial consultation

Offices across the country

The UK's largest medical negligence team

Call our experts FREE on:

0800 121 6567

Or we can call you back at a time of your choice

Phone lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year

Freephone

0800 121 6567

Prefer not to call?

Use our form

Your name*

Your email*

Your phone number*

How can we help?*

This data will only be used by Irwin Mitchell for processing your query and for no other purpose.

Rosie Charlton Solicitor Meet the team

Anaesthetic Awareness Claims - More Information

- 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 what 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 Long Will A Claim Take?
- We try to make every claim run as efficiently and smoothly as possible, getting the best outcome for you as soon we can. However, every claim is different and the time they take to settle will depend on the exact nature of your case.
  
  Complex cases can take longer because we need to fully understand the long term consequences of your negligent treatment before your claim can be concluded. This is to ensure we are working to get you the right amount of compensation to reflect your pain and suffering, and help you get the support you need to make the best recovery you can.
  
  Because claims can take some time to settle we can try and get you early compensation payments (known as ‘interim payments’) to pay for care while your claim is ongoing – though unfortunately this is only possible if the other party accepts responsibility early on in the case.
- What compensation can I expect?
- The amount of compensation you could receive depends on a number of factors, including the severity of your injuries and the rehabilitative treatment you need to recover, as well as your ongoing needs in the future.
  
  We’ll work hard to secure you compensation that reflects your:
  - Pain and suffering
  - Loss of earnings
  - Healthcare costs
  - Rehabilitation and therapy needs
  - Expenses such as travel to and from medical appointments
  If the medical professional or organisation responsible accepts responsibility for your negligent treatment, we may be able to get you early compensation payments, known as interim payments. This money will be taken from your final settlement and can be used to pay for ongoing therapy, care and expenses (such as travel costs).
- Can I Make A Claim On Behalf Of Someone Else?
- In some circumstances you might be able to make a claim on behalf of someone else, including:
  - On behalf of a child who has experienced negligent surgery before their 18th birthday
  - For someone who doesn’t have the mental capacity to handle their own case
  - On behalf of a loved one who has unfortunately passed away
  If you’ve sadly lost a loved one because of negligence during surgery, our lawyers can help you with:
  - Getting compensation for your loved one’s pain and suffering, to account for financial losses caused by the death and to cover funeral expenses
  - Representing you at inquest
  - Getting you the answers and apology you deserve from those responsible
  Our lawyers could also help you access a statutory bereavement award, which is separate to a claim for compensation 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.
  
  If a loved one has passed away as a result of hospital negligence, please call us on 0800 121 6567 for more information about making a claim.
- 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 your injury happened (or the date you first became aware that your injury was a result of negligence). For children, this three year period begins on their 18th birthday, so you have until you’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.
- Meet Our Experts
- Our team of experienced medical negligence lawyers have in-depth medical knowledge which can help your case run as efficiently as possible. We know what it takes to get the best outcome for you and will always focus on your needs.
  
  As a full-service law firm, we can help with a number of challenges you may face because of your negligent treatment.
  
  Benefits
  Our Court of Protection team can advise you on what benefits you’re entitled to and can help set up personal injury trusts to ensure that your compensation isn’t taken into account when calculating what benefits you can receive.
  
  Employment
  We can help with any employment-related problems you might encounter relating to time off work, your ability to complete your role and sick pay.
  
  Planning your care
  Our client liaison managers can help you access the care and support you need in order to make the best recovery you can.
  
  Allocating compensation
  Having a limb amputated can mean that you have life-long care needs so our asset management team can make sure that you have funds available to pay for treatment throughout your life.