What is the role of a hospital?
Hospitals are a core part of any healthcare service – public or private. They are establishments at which a range of specialist professionals work and provide treatments under one roof. There are many reasons why a person might attend hospital too. You may be receiving treatment for a condition or a disease. Or you may have suffered a general injury that needs attention.
Some hospitals are described as ‘specialist’. It means they will specialise in a particular field of healthcare – such as paediatrics, orthopaedics, or neurology.
What is considered hospital negligence?
No matter what type of hospital you attend, you have the right to receive a reasonable level of care. All medical staff and practitioners who look after you will owe a ‘duty of care’ to you. This applies from the moment you arrive. So, what are the potential situations in which you might have grounds to make a hospital negligence compensation claim?
First, it is expected the level of care you receive is that of a ‘reasonably competent professional’. The same applies in both an NHS or private hospital. If your claim relates to treatment provided by a nurse, for example, you expect the standard to be of a reasonably competent nurse.
To make a hospital negligence claim, you need to show that whatever level of care you received was not reasonably competent. So, you must prove that no other responsible professional with that specialism would that level of care.
You also need to prove that a medical practitioner was in breach of their duty of care to you. In such situations, you may be able to receive compensation if sub-standard care or treatment led to your injury or illness. And that is where our medical negligence solicitors are able to help you.
The different types of hospital negligence claims
Our hospital negligence solicitors are familiar with a broad range of claims where someone does not receive the care and treatment they are entitled to. Some of the common types of claims are:
- A delay in diagnosing a condition and/or injury
- A misdiagnosis of a condition and/or injury
- A failure to treat an injury
- Negligent surgical treatment
- A failure to correctly interpret or follow up an abnormal scan or test result
- A series of delays due to a hospital not having appropriate procedures in place. This can occur, for example, when department referrals do not take place.
Not all hospital negligence claims will fall under the above categories. There are other instances where you may suffer an illness or injury because something goes wrong at a hospital. With our expertise, we can let you know exactly where you stand. Get in touch today to find out more.
Substandard treatment affecting groups of patients
In rare cases, you may be just one member of a group of patients to receive sub-standard care at a hospital. If this happens, you will usually receive a letter from that hospital – and you may be invited to provide information so that it can be investigated.
It can be extremely distressing for patients and their families. Our hospital negligence solicitors have helped groups in such situations to get the support they need. Not only that, but we could help you get compensation for injuries caused by the actions of a particular doctor.
Why should I choose Bolt Burdon Kemp?
Our specialist and sympathetic team
Suing a hospital for negligence can seem daunting. But our dedicated team are here to help you throughout. We have more than 35 years of experience in dealing with claims like this – and we are here to guide you throughout the process.
No win no fee negligence claims
Do not let cost be a barrier to your hospital negligence claim. If we believe you have a case, we can usually represent you on a “no win no fee” basis. It means, if you are unsuccessful, you will not pay any legal fees towards your claim.
Access to the right support
Our links with support groups and charities mean that we can help you access practical support to cope with the impact of your injury. In addition, we will try to obtain interim payments during your claim to speed up the recovery process.
Complete nationwide coverage
Our team of hospital negligence solicitors can represent clients anywhere in the world who were injured in England or Wales.
Recommended for our expertise
Chambers & Partners highlights our “skilled team of solicitors advising clients on a wide range of clinical negligence matters”. Meanwhile, the Legal 500 guide details our “true clinical negligence experts” who combine “real intelligence with fantastic tactical thinking”.
