What is Medical Negligence?
All medical professionals have a duty of care towards their patients, and when that duty of care is breached – the medical body in question should be held to account. Processing a medical negligence claim can also help prevent the same mistake from happening again; as this forces a thorough investigation to be organised and the mistake is subsequently examined and reported.
Medical negligence is substandard care provided by a healthcare professional that directly causes harm to a patient. The care must have fallen below what is reasonable for a healthcare professional under those circumstances, and is usually assessed by an independent expert in the field. Medical Negligence can happen in a number of ways. The patient could be misdiagnosed, or could have been victim to mistakes during surgery. They might have received incorrect treatment, aggravating their existing condition. When medical negligence results in unnecessary suffering and causes further injury or distress for you or your loved ones, you may be entitled to seek compensation.
How do I make a medical negligence claim?
How long can a medical negligence case take?
How it works:
STEP 1 – INITIAL ENQUIRY
Contact us, free of charge. Chat to our team of experts who are fully trained to ask the right questions, so that our legal teams can quickly advise if you have a case.
STEP 2 – CASE ACCEPTANCE
Our medical negligence specialists assess your case and get back to you quickly with a decision.
STEP 3 – MEDICAL RECORDS
If your case is accepted, our legal team will request all of your medical records.
STEP 4 – MEDICAL EVIDENCE
Medical evidence will be obtained to confirm that the treatment you received was negligent and that this treatment caused an injury or contributed to making an existing condition worse.
STEP 5 – NEGOTIATION
Once supportive medical evidence has been obtained a claim will be submitted to the defendant and they will be invited to admit fault. We will then negotiate with the defendant to obtain a suitable award of compensation so that you can get back to a similar situation as you were in before the negligent treatment occurred.
STEP 6 – COMPENSATION
It is often difficult for any amount of compensation to fully compensate for pain and suffering. Compensation can, however, allow you to live a life as normal as possible. You could be awarded financial aid for all out of pocket expenses, loss of earnings, and any potential private treatment costs to put things right. It also covers rehabilitation costs and compensation for your injuries and the impact they have had on your day-to-day life.
No Win No Fee medical negligence claims
At Patient Claim Line, we believe that everyone should have the right to seek fair compensation and get the justice that they deserve, without being deterred by financial worries during an already distressing time. That’s why we will never ask you for an upfront payment, so you can focus on recovery without the pressure of paying for our service out of your own pocket.
All medical negligence claims are handled on a no win no fee basis. This is basically a legal agreement that makes it easier to pursue financial compensation for medical negligence, no matter what your personal financial status. This arrangement means that if your case is unsuccessful, and you have cooperated fully during the process, you won’t have to pay a penny for your legal representation.
How is my medical negligence compensation worked out?
The type of financial compensation granted for your medical negligence claim will differ from case to case, but broadly can be split into two categories. The first is general damages, which compensate for the pain and suffering that you have endured due to an error from a healthcare professional. This will be based on the severity of your injury or illness, and how much the medical negligence has affected your life.
You may also be entitled to special damage compensation, which reimburses any out of pocket loses which were a result of the negligent care you received. It also covers any future losses that may occur due to your injury or illness. This could include:
- Loss of earnings
- Medication costs
- Private treatment
- Rehabilitation costs
- Travel expenses
- Medical equipment
How much compensation could I be entitled to?
Compensation for medical malpractice will depend on your individual case. Our medical negligence lawyers will assess your claim and through due process come to an agreement on the amount of compensation you will receive. Outstanding compensation figures for the NHS stand at over £80 billion. For more information on how compensation figures are calculated read our guide to compensation calculators.
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Meet the team
Georgia Briscoe
Director of Legal Strategy and Transformation
Georgia is one of our Directors of Medical Negligence and has an impressive wealth of knowledge. She has over 15 years of legal experience and is responsible for overseeing the whole medical negligence team.
Georgia prides herself on the development of her team and aims to ensure that everyone in the department shares the same passion, tenacity and drive to get the best possible result for the injured patient.
Georgia is in charge of the day to day operational running of our largest medical negligence department, working hard to ensure a self-sustainable future for the team. Georgia is heavily involved in developing Fletchers’ nationwide reputation as medical negligence experts, alongside ensuring that all of our cases are dealt with the utmost efficiency and professionalism.
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Bilal Qasim
Team Leader/Senior Solicitor
Having joined Patient Claim Line in 2017, Bilal is a Clinical Negligence Solicitor with extensive experience in the medical negligence field. He has recently qualified as an internationally and nationally accredited mediator, recognised by the Civil Mediation Council, International Mediation Institute and Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Bilal has been recognised for his excellent client work, having received the ‘Customer Award’ at our annual awards evening.
Having had continuous exposure to medical negligence claims throughout his career, Bilal has developed a large skillset, enabling him to bring matters to time-efficient, amicable solutions. Bilal completes a formal assessment of each case and strategically plans the progression of the case, ensuring all cases within his team run smoothly and that our customers receive the justice they deserve.
Bilal was also the recipient of the Customer Feedback Champion award in 2019.
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Jennifer Argent
Medical Negligence Solicitor
Jennifer joined the team in 2018 with a wealth of experience of working in Medical Negligence in several firms across the North of England. As a Solicitor, Jennifer has an in-depth knowledge of the law and a recognition of the suffering that customers have already been through and the support that they may need through their claim. She works efficiently to achieve the best outcome for her customers. She has a wide range of experience within Medical Negligence and has particular expertise in delayed diagnoses of cancer, shoulder and eye injuries.
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Hannah Luscombe
Team Leader/Senior Solicitor
Hannah joined our Medical Negligence Department in February 2017, managing with a wide-ranging caseload with a particular interest in fatal claims.
Now, as a Senior Solicitor, Hannah supervises and develops junior members of her team and takes immense pride in delivering excellent client care and establishing a rapport with her clients to provide support throughout the claims process.
Above all, Hannah stands tall as a brilliant example of compassion and professionalism, inspiring many around her to strive for the highest standards of excellence.
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