When Faced with Medical Negligence
As economic cuts hit our public services ever harder, medical institutions face greater demands on their time and energy. Standards have been slipping for some time now, with more and more cases of medical negligence occurring across the country.
While, without doubt, the blame does not necessarily rest on the individual medical staff, mistakes made in this fragile area of healthcare should not be readily tolerated.
Take, for example, the recent news of an elderly woman in Bradford Royal Hospital whose daughter paid out large sums of money simply in order to get her mother the care she needed. Without these extra carers who went into the hospital undercover, the 82 year old woman who was suffering from kidney and liver failure is unlikely to have lived. Cases like these are becoming all too common, especially concerning the care of our elderly relatives. Busy hospitals are often stretched to breaking point and services and resources don’t always find their way to the older patients, despite having just as much need of them as others in the institution.
So what are you expected to do in these circumstances? If you suspect medical negligence is ongoing, the first port of call is always to the institution in question. Most issues can be resolved quickly, and you probably won’t have to resort to employing private carers, as in the case above! You also have every right to request a different doctor, nurse, or medical professional to look after you, and of course, a second opinion over any contested results. But if, after approaching the problem by yourself, you still know that medical negligence is occurring concerning either yourself or a family member, or has occurred during time spent under the care of an institution, you should pursue a medical negligence case with the appropriate solicitor.
For most people, medical negligence is unlikely to ever be an issue, and we can only hope that we avoid it for as long as possible.
However, things do go wrong, people make mistakes, and individuals (whatever their age) can suffer from the negligence of medical professionals. In the unfortunate event of suffering due to medical negligence, you have every right to pursue a claim in order to gain compensation – or even simply peace of mind. While it might seem easier to approach a cheap, all-purpose legal firm, employing a professional medical negligence solicitor will ensure a greater chance of success in your claim, as well as providing you with continual support throughout the legal process.
Most often, medical negligence claims are settled out of court, with appropriate compensation going some way to help the victim. However, with the support of a medical negligence solicitor, if the case does proceed to court, you can be assured full and knowledgeable support throughout the process.
