The UK has a long-established and well-organised medical system. The NHS is one of the most efficient systems in the world and provides excellent care for millions of patients every year. However, this doesn’t mean that mistakes aren’t made or that things can’t go wrong during an operation or procedure. Surgical negligence means that something went wrong with your surgery – it could be a mistake in diagnosis or poor planning by your surgeon before they operated on you – and this led to further complications or additional problems following your operation (or procedure). If you think you have been affected by surgical negligence then we can help you make a claim against those responsible so they can pay out compensation which will cover any costs incurred due to their negligence
What is surgical negligence?
You may be wondering what, exactly, make a surgical negligence claim. Essentially, it’s when a surgeon or doctor makes an error during your operation that causes you harm or injury. You can also be considered a victim of surgical negligence if you have been misdiagnosed or given incorrect treatment by a medical professional–for example, if they fail to notice cancerous cells in your body while performing surgery on your appendix and then remove the wrong organ altogether!
To determine whether or not you have grounds for making an official claim against your doctor or hospital (and thus filing for compensation), there are several things to consider:
- Was there any negligence involved? This means looking at whether anyone did anything wrong leading up to or during surgery–for example, did they forget about something important like washing their hands before touching any equipment? Were there any warning signs beforehand (such as swollen lymph nodes) that were ignored because the doctor didn’t pay attention enough? Did someone else intervene with disastrous results later down the line? These questions will help determine whether there was indeed negligence present when dealing with specific situations such as these ones described above..
- How severe were those consequences/injuries suffered due directly back down into how much compensation should be paid out too…
How long do I have to make a claim?
The time limit on making a claim will depend on the type of claim. In most cases, you have six years to start legal proceedings against your surgeon or hospital. However, there are exceptions to this rule and they can be quite confusing so it’s best to talk through them with an experienced solicitor before deciding whether or not you want to make a claim.
The main exception is if your injuries were caused by medical negligence during an operation that took place at some point between April 2005 and March 2009 (this legislation has now been amended). If this is the case then there is no time limit on starting legal action against those responsible for causing your injuries! You may also be able to make a compensation claim if:
- The injury was caused by another person’s negligence rather than medical staff – e.g., due to poor design of equipment used during surgery;
- You were pregnant at the time of treatment;
- You were under 18 years old when treatment took place
What evidence do I need?
You’ll need to gather the following:
- Medical records. These include your post-operative notes and discharge summaries, as well as any other documents that communicate what happened during your treatment. You’ll also want certified copies of these documents from the hospital or healthcare provider holding them.
- Medical reports. If there was an independent medical investigation into your case, such as an inquiry by a clinical commissioning group (CCG) or NHS England, you should obtain copies of those reports too. They may be helpful in proving negligence on the part of others involved in your care–for example, if they state that there were issues with communication between staff members at different stages in their treatment plan; or if they highlight any gaps in training amongst staff members; or if they highlight a lack of equipment necessary for safe surgery which could have led directly back into injury caused by poor quality care being provided during surgery itself…
How much will it cost me to make a claim?
The cost of making a claim will depend on the complexity of your case and the amount you are claiming. The legal fees are usually a fixed percentage of the compensation, which means that if you win, they will get paid from your damages. You can get a free consultation with a lawyer to discuss your case and see whether it’s worth pursuing further.
How can I get the best from my lawyer?
- Attending all medical appointments:
- Keeping a diary of your symptoms:
- Being honest with your lawyer:
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even if they seem silly or trivial. Your lawyer is there to help you and can only do so if they know everything that is going on with you and your case! You will find that many people are hesitant about asking their lawyers questions because they think that it makes them look stupid or ignorant (or both), but this isn’t true at all. Your lawyer wants nothing more than for you to be comfortable with them so he/she can represent your best interests in court as efficiently as possible.
- If there’s something about the process that’s confusing or unclear, don’t hesitate–ask! The worst thing that could happen is being told “I don’t know” by someone who should know what’s going on; but most likely there will always be an explanation available somewhere if only we look hard enough for it
Making a claim for surgical negligence can be stressful, but there are ways to reduce the stress and increase your chances of success.
To make sure you are in the right frame of mind for the process, it’s important to be prepared and know what to expect. This will help reduce any stress or anxiety about making a claim for surgical negligence.
In order to achieve success, there are several steps that need to be taken:
- Make sure that you have a clear idea of what you want from your claim – this will help ensure that when it comes time to make an offer, the solicitor knows exactly where they stand in terms of compensation.
- Take time over making decisions; don’t rush into anything without thinking things through carefully first!
Conclusion
The best thing you can do to make sure your claim is successful is to work with a lawyer who knows what they’re doing. If you have any questions at all about making a surgical negligence claim, contact us today! We’ll be happy to help and will answer any questions that come up during this process.