Not a day goes by without signs of stress in the UK’s medical services. In 2018, the term ‘NHS crisis’ is now being described as a ‘year-round crisis’ by The Guardian. Medical services in the UK are always criticised in the media for being underfunded, understaffed, and overwhelmed. In what is supposed to be a smooth-running, beneficial service for all UK citizens, these factors combine to cause accidents and problems that are paid for by you, the patient. Whether you receive medical treatment via the NHS or privately, you should not have to pay for mistakes and damages to you, especially when they were not your fault. If people make mistakes during your treatment, filing a medical negligence claim could be the answer to receiving fair compensation for the harm caused to you.
The purpose of a medical negligence claim is to get compensation for a personal injury or any suffering you experienced due to the negligence of a medical organisation or an individual. Medical organisations and professionals have a duty of care to you during your treatment. In most cases, medical professionals are honest and want to help you receive the best treatment, but accidents do happen. Sometimes, these aren’t mistakes that you can brush off and put down to innocent human error. Medical professionals have the power to change someone’s life forever in a matter of minutes. Most of the time this is for the better. The power of modern medicine is astonishing. But sometimes these mistakes can change someone’s life for the worse, leaving them with a reduced quality of life or acute mental and physical pain.
Medical negligence includes any treatment or care that was substandard. This is not measured by what you think your level of care should have been. Rather, it is a more objective measure of the care you could have reasonably expected. This takes into account the circumstances surrounding your treatment and how severe your medical condition was at the time of the incident — creating a fair base for any claims made. If you experienced anything below a standard of care that is within the law and found reasonable, you could be entitled to claim compensation. This is where the solicitors come in.
Law professionals can help you determine whether you experienced medical negligence and whether you have a case. There are a few things to be aware of if you want to make a medical negligence claim. The first is timescale. There are strict time limits when making a medical negligence claim. It must be made within three years of the accident or negligent act, or the date that you first became aware of the defendant. The timescale may be extended if the injury you received from negligence was significant. These rules stand unless the claimant is granted an exception to put the case forward by the court — but this is rare.
Mark Reynolds Solicitors have experience in dealing with medical negligence claims and will help you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact one of our solicitors today on 0800 002 9577. Our solicitors have undertaken the highest standard of training in medical negligence claims, and they will be happy to review your case.
