Medical negligence is a term that many people will have heard, but do you know what it really refers to, and do you know what to do if you think you might have been a victim? This article aims to start you on a journey of understanding what it is and discovering whether you or someone you know could have a claim.
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Medical negligence can also be called clinical negligence and refers to situations where medical care falls below the standards you could reasonably expect to receive. In the vast majority of cases, you will get what the law says is a ‘reasonable’ standard of care from medical practitioners.
However, there are cases where this is not the case, and injury or the worsening of an existing condition can occur. This is something that the law in the UK protects you from, and you can be helped by experts in the field, such as the London law firm https://www.forsters.co.uk/ and other specialists around the country.
When can medical negligence occur?
Medical negligence can occur within the NHS and private organisations and can happen at any point during the care process. This could mean anything from a misdiagnosis to failures in ongoing treatments. When this occurs, you may be able to make a claim for compensation, but you will require the type of specialist knowledge offered by medical negligence lawyers in order to have the best chance of success.
What areas can medical negligence cover?
Medical negligence can relate to an array of conditions and situations. Some of the most common include birth injuries, cerebral palsy, brain injuries, deaths resulting from negligence, spinal injuries, general surgery issues, pressure sores, orthopaedic injuries, meningitis and infections, cancer misdiagnosis and delays, sensory damage, urology, gynaecological conditions, and lack of treatment. Legal advice can help you ascertain if your personal situation is a case of clinical negligence.
To prove clinical negligence, you will need to demonstrate a failure in duty of care and that you experienced a loss or damage as a result.