" alt="">
Child Misdiagnosis Claims
Reviewed by
Peter Rigby - Director of Medical Negligence | Last updated on: 12th September, 2024
We've got your Child Misdiagnosis Claim covered
- No win No fee
- Not just lawyers - real specialists
- No obligation
- UK's highest-rated medical negligence solicitors
When a child is sick, we trust medical professionals to accurately diagnose their illness and provide the appropriate treatment, and in most cases this happens and your child will get better with the right treatment. However, occasionally a misdiagnosis can occur and this could have serious consequences for your child.
If your child has suffered from a misdiagnosis, you may be able to claim compensation for the suffering that they have experienced. Our expert medical negligence lawyers can gather all of the necessary evidence and help you to get the compensation you deserve for your child.
Find out if you
have a claim
Take the 10-second claim test
Free Advice
03300 080 352
claim form
We're the highest-rated No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitors on Trustpilot
What Is Child Misdiagnosis?
Child misdiagnosis occurs if a medical professional, such as a GP, provides your child with an inaccurate diagnosis which can lead to the incorrect treatment and a condition that gets worse.
Because young children and babies cannot verbalise and tell us what’s wrong, or where it hurts, an exact diagnosis isn’t always easy.
In addition, a lot of childhood illnesses have similar symptoms, such as high temperature, lethargy, reduced appetite – with some illnesses being minor and some extremely severe. For medics, this makes diagnosis more difficult.
However, a misdiagnosis can have a significant impact on your child and could lead to a delay in them receiving the correct treatment. If your child has received a misdiagnosis from a healthcare professional and has suffered an injury or worsening symptoms, you may be eligible to make a claim.
Paediatric Medical Negligence
A paediatric medical mistake refers to medical mistakes involving children and these mistakes can have devastating effects for you and your family. Errors in diagnosing children can lead to physical pain, a worsening condition and potentially even life changing consequences, but they can also affect your family’s life and result in emotional distress.
If your child has suffered as a result of any form of paediatric medical negligence, whether it be misdiagnosis or an error in treatment, you may be able to claim to provide your family with the support and financial compensation needed during this difficult time.
How To Make A Claim
Although someone under the age of 18 cannot submit their own claim for medical negligence, a parent, guardian, or another responsible person, known as a ‘Litigation Friend’ can make a claim on their behalf.
The Litigation Friend will provide instruction and receive advice in connection with the case and may on occasion be able to manage the compensation that is obtained. Get in touch with us today and we can assess your child’s case to see if you can make a claim.
Is There A Time Limit On Making A Claim For Child Misdiagnosis?
When making a claim for medical negligence, if the person who the mistake happened to is or was under 18 at the time, the time limit for issuing court proceedings is 3 years from the date of their 18th birthday (i.e. their 21st birthday). It is however helpful to make the initial enquiry long before that day arrives so that all of the necessary evidence and information can be gathered to prove that negligence did occur and because of this, your child and your family suffered.
If the person the mistake happened to did not and does not have mental capacity, there is no time limit on making a claim.
What Happens To My Child’s Compensation?
If an award of damages is made or agreed for the child, approval by the court is needed. Not all medical negligence cases will require involvement of the court but in cases where a damages award is given for a minor, any settlement monies and their investment and management must be approved by a judge at a hearing. This hearing is called an infant approval hearing.
Whilst attending court can seem daunting, infant approval hearings are often informal and quick, and the purpose is simply for the court to ensure any award is fair and reasonable for the child and is to be managed correctly.
If your child was misdiagnosed and has suffered injury, speak to us today for advice – our medical negligence experts will support you through the process and help you get the answers you deserve.
How Patient Claim Line Can Help
We know that if your child has suffered then compensation might not be your top priority, however if the care your child received was below the expected duty of care, and as a result of this they have suffered, you could be entitled to the compensation you deserve.
Our specialist medical negligence lawyers can take the stress of the claims process and help you receive compensation for your family’s suffering. Our team of over 100 lawyers have dealt with many paediatric claims involving misdiagnosis, and their expertise will provide you with all of the support and advice you need when making a misdiagnosis claim for your child.
We also operate on a no win no fee basis for all of our claims so you can be assured that you will not pay a penny upfront and you will only go on to pay if your case is successful and you receive compensation.
If you want to make a child misdiagnosis claim, make sure to get legal advice as soon as possible and speak to our lawyers today.
Why Choose Patient Claim Line for your Child Misdiagnosis Claim?
Not just lawyers — medical negligence experts
Patient Claim Line was established in 2014 and consists of a team of medical lawyers specialising in cancer negligence and general medical negligence claims.
At Patient Claim Line we have more than 100 solicitors with a combined experience of over 400 years and they will work on your behalf to achieve the best result possible for you.
It’s not enough to use a solicitor who sometimes covers medical negligence. You need someone who knows this area through and through. That is what the solicitors here at Patient Claim Line do. They deal exclusively in this area of law and are experts in the field.
Frequently asked questions about Child Misdiagnosis Claims
Our expert legal team answer your questions about making a Child Misdiagnosis Claim
It may be possible for you make a claim on behalf of your child if they have been misdiagnosed. We explain everything you need to know in our guide to making a claim for someone else.
As experts in medical negligence, we secure approval from court before settling claims which involve children. This means that a Judge approves the compensation amount the child receives, without the need of the defending party admitting liability.
Once approved, compensation is placed in a Special Investment Account which the child can access when they become 18. The court, however, may release some of the funds at the time of approval prior to the child turning 18 if there are reasons to do so, such as educational or medical needs.
In cases involving anyone under 18, the legal case must be pursued within three years from the date of their 18th birthday.
Meet our Child Misdiagnosis Team
Case Study
Vincent's Story
"He's always there for us"
At the age of 2 we noticed our son Vincent had trouble with his hearing. We had this testing over a number of years and were repeatedly told there was nothing wrong.
Initially we thought this was a speech and language problem, this wasn't the case. It took 4 to 5 years of assessments, with the constant response that there was nothing wrong with his hearing. A different test was them carried on Vincent overnight where it was found he was profoundly deaf.
After years of frustration we were finally able to provide Vincent with the support he required and received an implant. This has enable Vincent to be able to hear. The support from our solicitors has enabled to to gain access to specialist which have supported Vincent in closing the gap in his speech he lost out on to his peers.
