If your GP failed to diagnose your condition or made a mistake in treating you, the effects can be devastating. If you’ve suffered an injury as a result of medical negligence, Slater and Gordon’s specialist GP negligence solicitors can help get the compensation you deserve.
Your GP is often the first place you go for medical help. It's important at this early stage that your symptoms are taken seriously and that you receive the correct diagnosis, the right medication, the most appropriate treatment and, if necessary, you are referred to a specialist for further investigations.
If you have been provided a poor standard of care and suffered from an injury or illness as a result, you may be entitled to make a GP negligence claim.
How do I know if I have a claim for GP negligence?
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has guidelines in place to help GPs provide the appropriate standard of treatment and to advise them when to make referrals to specialist colleagues. Failure to follow these guidelines can result in the GP failing to properly diagnose and treat your condition, resulting in further injury. Examples of poor care may include:
Failing to perform a physical exam where needed
Failing to take account of your medical history
Failing to refer you to a specialist to obtain a diagnosis
Failing to refer you for further tests that would result in the correct diagnosis
Failing to read test results correctly
Failing to prescribe the correct medication
If you’ve suffered as a result of a diagnosis error or treatment error, you may have the right to GP negligence compensation. Contact our specialists for advice on making a No Win No Fee claim.
Can I make a GP negligence claim?
If you believe that you have suffered an avoidable illness or injury due to GP negligence, you could be entitled to make a GP negligence claim for compensation. To do so, you’ll need to be able to prove that the standard of care provided by your doctor was negligent, and that this directly caused or contributed to your injury.
A few things to think about when trying to determine if the care you received was negligent include:
Duty: all medical professionals have a duty of care to their patients, and when this is breached, there can be significant consequences. Breaches could include failing to refer patients to a specialist for further investigations or dismissing health concerns prematurely.
Breach of Duty: this refers to instances where doctors fail to meet the standards reasonably expected of them, such as misdiagnosing, delay in diagnosing, or failing to treat conditions correctly.
Causation: this means proving that your doctor’s actions caused your injury, pain or suffering, or significantly worsened your condition.
Damage: this takes into account physical and psychological injuries and any financial hardship caused by these injuries.
When you contact our GP negligence solicitors, we’ll talk you through the process of making a claim and discuss your case in detail with you to determine whether we think you have a claim. To start your claim, get in touch with a member of our team today for a confidential, no obligation discussion.
I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything Slater and Gordon have done to fight this case for us. I appreciate it has involved a lot of people. Please can you also thank the expert witnesses who have provided their expertise and help.
Mr and Mrs H (medical negligence client)
I cannot recommend Slater and Gordon enough, throughout the entire period of the case, all the staff have been both very professional, and supportive.
Mr Q (medical negligence client)
Kept informed regularly as to how my claim was going, prompt replies to any questions I had, excellent customer service at all times. Excellent service from all staff that have been involved in my claim.
Ms S (medical negligence client)
The impact of GP negligence can be wide reaching and have long term consequences for you and your family. We understand that making a claim against your GP can seem quite daunting, but it’s important to remember that if you’ve suffered because of negligent treatment, it’s only right you gain access to the financial support you need to recover. This support may be used to ease any financial hardship caused by your injury or illness, or it may provide the funds needed for further treatment, rehabilitation, or adaptations to your home that you need.
What’s more, raising issues regarding negligent treatment (whether in the NHS or within private medical settings) can help to bring significant issues to light and ensure that no one else suffers from the same unsafe practices you did.
Taking the first step can be difficult, which is why our team of friendly and approachable medical negligence solicitors are here to support you when you are ready. To talk about your case, contact our team for a confidential, no-obligation conversation on 0330 041 5869 or get in touch online.
Why should I choose Slater and Gordon?
At Slater and Gordon, our expert medical negligence team is one of the best in the country, and our industry-leading team are consistently ranked highly in independent legal directories, such as Chambers and Partners, and the Legal 500.
Not only do we have many years' experience securing compensation for GP negligence, we also have the utmost sensitivity to handle your case with great care.
Crucially, our solicitors know the importance of supporting you and your family through this most difficult time. We understand your needs and the challenges you face and are dedicated to fighting for your rights.
Frequently asked questions about GP negligence claims
How much can I claim for a GP negligence case?
Every case of negligence is different, and the final amount of compensation awarded will be based on the severity of the injury and the affect the injury has had on your life.
You'll also be able to claim for any lost earnings and long-term care and rehabilitation you may need to maximise your chance of recovery and independent living, where these needs have been caused by the injuries you have negligently sustained.
To establish your full legal position, call us on 0330 041 5869.
How much time do I have to make a GP negligence claim?
If you believe you have a GP negligence claim, it's important that you seek advice from a solicitor who specialises in medical negligence cases as soon as possible, as there are time limits in place in England, Scotland, and Wales.
Generally, a GP negligence compensation claim should be made within three years from the date the negligence occurred or the date you were first aware that you'd suffered a significant injury or illness due to negligence. However, there are exceptions.
How long will my GP negligence compensation claim take?
It can be difficult to determine how long it will take to settle your GP negligence claim, as there are a variety of factors that can influence the timeline. For instance, one of the first things our solicitors will aim to do is establish liability, which is receiving an admittance of at least partial blame by the other side. How long this takes can vary quite a bit and is dependent on the attitude of the defendant.
Also, in general, the more complex your case is, the longer it will take to reach a settlement. It is therefore strongly advised that you speak to a specialist medical negligence solicitor as soon as you feel ready. You can speak to a member of our team by calling 0330 041 5869 or reaching out to us online.
Can I make a No Win No Fee GP negligence claim?
The majority of our GP negligence claims are funded by a Conditional Fee Agreement, otherwise known as a 'No Win No Fee' agreement.
This means if you lose your case, you won’t have to pay any fees and therefore, there should be no financial risk to you. For further information about 'No Win No Fee' agreements, read our medical negligence fees page.
I just wanted to say thank you so much for everything Slater and Gordon have done to fight this case for us. I appreciate it has involved a lot of people. Please can you also thank the expert witnesses who have provided their expertise and help. Mr and Mrs H (medical negligence client)
I cannot recommend Slater and Gordon enough, throughout the entire period of the case, all the staff have been both very professional, and supportive. Mr Q (medical negligence client)
Kept informed regularly as to how my claim was going, prompt replies to any questions I had, excellent customer service at all times. Excellent service from all staff that have been involved in my claim. Ms S (medical negligence client)