Claiming Against My Doctor - Could a Medical Negligence Lawyer Help?

As a patient you are owed a duty of care by your Doctor, Dentist, Nurse or any other Medical Professional.

What precisely does this mean? why does this differ from a car accident or a slip or fall? Well, supposing a doctor gave you a diagnosis that was wrong or delayed referral to a specialist. In so doing you became more ill, feeling more traumatised, suffering more loss of income? This is medical negligence (which can also be referred to as Clinical Negligence). Supposing a child or someone dies as a result of a failed diagnosis? Or maybe the surgeon operating made a mistake or even operated on the wrong person? What happens if the system that the hospital relies upon is faulty? All these come under the umbrella of clinical negligence.

Ok, so you feel you were not sufficiently warned about the risks involved in your treatment. If you had been told more clearly about possible effects of your operation or medical treatment, you would never have gone ahead. Well, stop a minute. Would you really have refused the treatment? Think carefully before making a claim for medical negligence. It may be difficult for you to remember exactly how bad or desperate you felt before your treatment.

An experienced clinical negligence solicitor will examine the facts carefully; he or she will contact a specialist in the medical area concerned. This expert will also take a long, detailed look at your case which can stretch over many months of long waiting. In addition you will need to undergo further medical examination from an independent doctor. Would you be able to avoid making a claim and be content with an explanation? What is your long term prognosis? Perhaps an admission of error by the medical personnel responsible would help you?

The procedure for making a medical negligence claim may be an extreme and you could save yourself and others a lot of worry and possibly more time off work by avoiding this route. Your clinical negligence lawyer may be the first person to contact for advice and he may help you to resolve in a less stressful manner. At the end of the day, if you persue a medical negligence claim, you may have to go to court and use the services of both a solicitor and barrister.

A good lawyer, who specialises in medical negligence compensation claims will support you through this but you should consider the process carefully, ask yourself some honest questions and get as much information as possible beforehand.