We have many years' experience pursuing hospital negligence claims on behalf of clients, most of which are funded through a no win no fee agreement. If you live in England and Wales and have been a victim of hospital negligence, we can offer advice on pursuing a claim.
What is hospital negligence?
Occasionally things go wrong during medical treatment in hospital. If that treatment falls below an acceptable standard, it is considered hospital negligence and you may be able to pursue a claim for compensation.
Types of hospital negligence
The following are the most common types of hospital negligence claims we deal with, but you may have received other types of hospital treatment you consider substandard. Contact us and we will advise further:
Accident & Emergency claims
The A&E department may be someone's first contact with a hospital. It is often vital that treatment is provided without delay, including correct diagnosis to generate appropriate treatment.
Amputee claims
Failure to recognise complications following procedures such as knee replacement operations, or failing to treat diabetes appropriately, can lead to limbs having to be amputated to save a patient's life. Most amputation claims involve below, through, or above knee amputation but we also deal with claims involving upper limb amputation.
Anaesthetic claims
Hospital surgery generally involves anaesthetic. Occasionally, anaesthetist error can result in nerve damage, brain injury or death.
Birth injury claims
The cases we see tend to involve errors during pregnancy or, more typically, in the minutes leading up to or immediately following birth. Such errors can have life-long consequences for the child, the mother, or both.
Cancer claims
Most of the cases we deal with involve a delay in diagnosing cancer, resulting in more aggressive treatment being necessary at an advanced stage of cancer and where life expectancy may be shortened as a result of that delay.
Paediatric claims
Children and babies may be unable to communicate pain and illness, making appropriate diagnosis and treatment vital. Paediatric claims are wide ranging and various.
Meningitis claims
Meningitis is the infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Approximately 3,200 people in the UK are diagnosed with meningitis ever year. Delays in diagnosing and treating meningitis can lead to septicaemia and can have far reaching consequences such as permanent brain or nerve damage, limb loss or even death.
Surgical claims
The Royal College of Surgeons lists 10 main surgery specialities: trauma/orthopaedic, general, ENT, urology, maxilla facial, plastic surgery, cardiothoracic, neurosurgery, paediatric and vascular. We are experienced in dealing with surgical claims involving all.
Making a hospital negligence claim
If you believe you have received substandard hospital treatment and consequently suffered some form of harm, contact us to discuss making a claim.
You may initially want to make a complaint to the hospital to find out more about the treatment you received. Every hospital has a complaints procedure which they will explain to you. Sometimes the response to your complaint helps us understand more about your case and we can offer you better advice.
Why choose Fieldfisher?
We are one of the UK's leading medical negligence solicitors according to independent directories. Our lawyers can offer immediate advice on the phone and and are happy to visit you at home, in hospital, or at any other location convenient to you. Most of our cases progress on a No win no fee basis.
Our team recovers some of the highest compensation awards for hospital medical negligence claims, some of which you can read about on our website. You can also use our 'search by hospital' facility to read about successful claims.
Recent cases
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Latest news and insights
Read the latest news and insights from our medical negligence team.
Frequently asked hospital negligence claims questions?
The amount of compensation you will receive for hospital negligence will depend on your own individual circumstances. You are however, entitled to recover compensation for the following:
The injury itself
You will receive compensation for the injury (sometimes known as "General Damages" or "Pain, Suffering and Loss of Amenity") that you have suffered. The amount that you will receive is governed by a combination of guidelines provided to the judiciary as well as awards in other similar cases. Awards range from approximately £1,000 for minor fractures and injuries to over £300,000 for catastrophic brain damage.Past losses and expenses
You will receive compensation for the losses and expenses that you have incurred up to the point that your case concludes (sometimes known as "Special Damages"). Such losses can include, but are not limited to travel expenses, medical expenses, loss of earnings, care and other miscellaneous expenses.Future losses and expenses
You will receive compensation for the losses and expenses that you are likely to incur in the future as a result of your claim. We will require expert reports to provide evidence of such losses, which can be wide ranging depending on the nature and extent of the injuries you have suffered. These might include, but are not limited to care, case management, accommodation, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, aids and appliances, travel expenses, medical expenses, loss of earnings and pension and other miscellaneous expenses.Medical Negligence Review
DOWNLOAD OUR LATEST MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE REVIEW, FEATURING OUR CASE HIGHLIGHTS OVER THE PAST YEAR.
DownloadAwards and recognition
We are recognised in all the leading legal directories and regularly win industry awards for our work with clients.
Contact us
For a free, no obligation call with one of our medical negligence experts, please dial 0800 358 3848 or complete our online enquiry form.