Types Of Hospital Negligence Claims

Our expert hospital negligence solicitors work with medical negligence claims every day. The most common issues and hospital negligence claims that we handle include: 

• Misdiagnosis – you may have been misdiagnosed during an emergency appointment or at a consultation with a specialist, for example, a cancer misdiagnosis

• Treatment or Medication Errors – if you were prescribed the wrong course or dose of treatment, you may have suffered serious side effects

• Errors of Omission – including failure to administer antibiotics or thrombo-embolic prophylaxis

• Delay In Treatment or Surgery –  certain illnesses require immediate treatment and any delay can lead to tragic outcomes. This includes dangerous infections like sepsis or injuries that could lead to cauda equina syndrome.

• Amputation Negligence – hospital-related amputations can occur during surgical errors, or if patients are not treated quickly enough 

• Surgical Negligence – something preventable goes wrong during surgery, resulting in wrong site surgery, a perforation or retained products

• Infection Negligence – often related to surgical errors where there was a failure to sterilise equipment or cases where there was a failure to isolate patients with serious infections that may spread

• Accident and Emergency Negligence – A&E negligence is usually a result of long waiting times and a lack of adequate care

Although these are the most common hospital negligence claims we deal with for patients and their families, other situations may arise that create cause for a claim against a hospital. 

Failure To Monitor A Patient 

One of the most common cases of hospital negligence that we see is a failure to monitor a patient. As part of a medical professional’s duty of care, an integral part of their duty to all patients is to regularly monitor and assess their condition. When monitoring a patient, professionals should assess any changes and act quickly and precisely if there are signs of a reaction to surgery or treatment; failure to do so can lead to serious complications in the near or distant future. Examples of monitoring a patient include but are not limited to:

• Identifying infection after surgery, or hypoglycemia in diabetic patients
• Signs of distress or illness which may help diagnose disease or injury
• Changes to mother or baby’s health during labour
• Changes during surgery to a patient’s condition
• Assessing the patient’s condition immediately after surgery and during recovery
• Monitoring a patient closely whilst they are under anaesthesia

We handled a case for a young woman who developed pressure sores after not being monitored adequately enough during labour. She was able to make a full recovery and the NHS Trust altered their procedures to prevent it from happening again.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Hospital-acquired infections can occur if hospitals don’t adhere to strict hygiene standards or equipment and surfaces are not cleaned adequately. 

“Around 300,00 people a year acquire a healthcare-associated infection as a result of NHS care in England.” 

What Can I Expect When Making A Claim For Hospital Negligence? 

Starting the compensation process is easy, following an initial phone call we will talk you through everything we need and what will happen. If your case is successful, you can expect to be awarded compensation that can help you with:

• Payment for ongoing treatment or rehabilitation
• Loss of income
• Necessary medical equipment or outside care
• The impact on your future prospects
• Pain and suffering

What Evidence Will You Need To Prove Negligence Occurred? 

There are things that you can do to help prove negligence, such as providing a detailed statement about your experience, asking for witness statements, and noting key dates & medical appointments. It can be very difficult to prove hospital negligence on your own because often the hospital or medical professionals involved are not willing to admit liability to you or your family members. It is therefore important to work with a specialist solicitor who can source your medical records and investigate the case for you.

How Much Compensation Could You Be Awarded For Hospital Negligence? 

The amount of compensation awarded for hospital negligence varies widely depending on the specifics of the case and factors including the severity of the injury, the impact this has had on your life and any financial losses you have faced. 

Each medical negligence case is different and will therefore equate to a varied amount of compensation that could be awarded. To gain a better understanding of compensation amounts received by people who have suffered from hospital negligence, you can read through compensation examples in our Compensation Calculator or our guide to NHS Negligence Payouts. 

Can You Sue The NHS For Hospital Negligence? 

Bringing a case against a hospital may seem overwhelming given the size of the institution. All trusts are expected to deliver a good standard of care, and those who don’t should be held accountable. As one of the largest and oldest national institutions for medical care, the National Health Service (NHS) plays a significant role in treating millions of patients each year.

Individuals trust the NHS to provide medical care for an array of health needs, including routine screenings, treatments for mild to severe long-term conditions, emergency services and prescriptions. Given the breadth of care services offered at NHS trusts, it is not surprising that things can, and do, go wrong. In addition, with waiting times at hospitals continuing to rise, there are now over 4000 excess deaths that could have been avoided. These alarming numbers indicate exactly why NHS Trusts should be held accountable so they can improve and offer better care for every patient in the UK.

Find out if your trust is listed in our local claims guides

Can Hospital Negligence Claims Be Brought Against Private Hospitals? 

You may have chosen to go private with your healthcare, either because of long wait times or wanting a higher standard of care.  

You can make a claim against a private healthcare trust for all of the same reasons you could sue the NHS. The process may be slightly different because not all private healthcare providers work at the hospital where the treatment was carried out. You may need to pursue the individual through their own insurance or the hospital’s third-party insurance. They may also be less likely to admit liability. When agreeing to use private health care you will often sign a contract; it will need to be proven that the terms of this contract were broken and the outcome was not as expected.

No Win No Fee Hospital Negligence Claims 

Claims for hospital infections, misdiagnosis and incorrect hospital treatment come to our solicitors every day. We deal with around 1 in 10 medical negligence claims made within the UK, which means we have helped clients face the majority of hospital trusts over the years. Our legal team has over 400 years of combined experience in fighting and winning hospital negligence claims.

At Patient Claim Line, it costs you nothing to find out if you have a case, as we always work on a no win, no fee basis with no upfront costs. If you do not have a case, or if the case is not successful once started, so long as you have worked with us and cooperated, you will walk away without having to pay a penny. That’s our promise to you and your family. Contact us today to see if you have a viable claim for hospital-related negligence.