hospital

Medical negligence

Claims against NHS Hospitals

When you’re treated at an NHS hospital, you expect to receive the right care. When mistakes happen and you are injured or suffer illness as a result, you are entitled to make things right. Our medical negligence solicitors are here to help you secure the compensation you deserve.

Meet our medical negligence solicitors

Many of our lawyers are considered leaders in the field with a significant amount of expertise.

Emma Doughty, our Head of Medical Negligence

Emma Doughty

National and London Head of Medical Negligence

Ben Gent, our Principal Lawyer and Interim Head of Medical Negligence for Manchester

Ben Gent

Head of Medical Negligence - Manchester

Yvonne Agnew

Yvonne Agnew

Head of Medical Negligence - Cardiff

John Doyle, our Principal Lawyer for Medical Negligence

John Doyle

Head of Medical Negligence - Liverpool

One of the UK’s leading specialist law firms.

We are proud to have partnerships with national charities and be recognised in the latest legal directories.

The times best law firms 2023

Making a claim against NHS hospital

If you are considering a medical negligence claim against an NHS hospital because you feel the treatment you received fell below and acceptable standard, it is important to understand that every medical negligence claim is unique.

The process can be very complex and the effects of the medical negligence devastating. It is therefore essential that you seek advice from a specialist medical negligence solicitor to ensure your claim is properly investigated and that you receive the compensation you deserve.

Slater and Gordon has a large specialist medical negligence team that are available to help you through this difficult time.

Start your claim today

What types of medical negligence claim can I bring against an NHS Hospital?

Claims against NHS hospitals are extremely varied and can result from almost any type of medical treatment the NHS hospital provides. Some of the most common types of medical negligence claims we pursue against hospitals include:

Our Medical Negligence Services page provides a detailed list of some of the more common claims we investigate. However, we are always on hand to discuss your potential medical negligence case, should you prefer.

How in-house medical experts support your medical negligence claim

Our in-house medical experts play a critical role in medical negligence cases. Here, Litigation Midwife, Kim Burns and Litigation Nurse, Matthew Brown explain their roles and how their medical experience translates to medical negligence claims.

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What do claims against NHS hospitals entail?

To bring a successful medical negligence claim against an NHS hospital, you must be able to prove the following:

  • The hospital owed you a duty of care. In most hospital settings, where treatment is being provided, it is relatively easy to show the healthcare professional in that hospital owed you a duty of care.
  • The healthcare professional breached their duty of care to you by providing negligent treatment i.e. treatment that fell below an acceptable standard.
  • This negligent treatment caused injury, illness, the worsening of an existing condition or even death.

To establish the above, we’ll need to obtain access to your medical records, as the hospital’s records will be a key piece of evidence in your case. Once this has been received, your expert medical negligence solicitor will review these to identify what, if any, mistakes were made, and what impact these mistakes have had on your current condition and recovery.

A statement may then be taken from you and any other witnesses, and medical experts will be instructed and questioned on potential allegations medical negligence. We’ll then assess all complex legal and issues, and if it is felt substandard care was provided and that this caused additional injury, then we’ll start legal proceedings by sending a Letter of Claim, in accordance with the Pre-Action Protocol for the Resolution of Clinical Disputes, will be sent to the Defendant (that is, the party responsible for your negligent care).

In all the cases we pursue, we aim to establish liability as soon as possible. Once liability is accepted, we can usually apply for an interim payment. Interim payments allow those who've suffered serious injuries to receive part of their compensation before their case settles. This is something your medical negligence solicitor will be keen to explore with you as these payments can often help pay for rehabilitation, care or even the purchase of a more suitable property.

For more information about how medical negligence claims are pursued, see our medical negligence claims guide here. Alternatively, if you think you have a claim and would like to speak to us, you can contact our specialist medical negligence solicitors on 0330 041 5869 or arrange a call back online.

How much compensation can I claim?

Every medical negligence claim against an NHS hospital is different, even when the negligence and injuries are similar. This is because the impact an injury can have on someone’s life is personal to them. Therefore, the amount of compensation that could be awarded can only be determined after careful consideration of the evidence.

During the course of investigating a claim, your specialist medical negligence solicitor will consider the following key elements when assessing your claim’s value:

  • What injuries, and to what part of the body, the negligent hospital treatment has caused you.
  • How much pain and suffering you have endured, for how long, and whether you are likely to recover from these injuries, or whether they are likely to be lifelong.
  • As well as the pain and suffering related to the injury, you’ll also be able to claim any financial losses that have been caused by the negligent injuries. Such financial losses may include lost earnings, the cost of rehabilitation, long-term care, and any necessary house adaptations needed to maximise the chance of a recovery and independent living.

Why choose Slater and Gordon?

Given the complexities that can arise when pursuing a claim against an NHS hospital, it is vitally important you choose a solicitor that specialises in medical negligence claims.

At Slater and Gordon, we pride ourselves on the breadth of cases we are able to investigate. We have a national medical negligence team, all of whom only practice in this area of the law. This ensures they can offer dedicated and specialist advice to guarantee you receive the rehabilitation, support, and compensation you deserve.

As well as a large team of over 85 specialist medical negligence solicitors, Slater and Gordon also employs highly experienced in-house midwives and litigation nurses to work collaboratively with those solicitors. This results in an excellent team that can be relied upon to investigate a medical negligence claim correctly and effectively.

From the very beginning, our medical negligence solicitors will guide and support you through the claims process. They will also aim to provide straight forward advice that seeks to limit both legal and medical jargon, to ensure any stress and anxiety relating to the claim is kept to a minimum.

Slater and Gordon has offices all of the United Kingdom, which ensures we are always able to offer face-to-face appointments. However, if your injuries are too severe, or travel to our offices too difficult, then we also offer home visits and online meetings.

We strive to keep our client’s needs at the front and centre of the medical negligence claims process and over the years our dedication to protecting the rights of the individual have resulted in thousands of 5 star reviews and an “Excellent” rating on Trustpiloy.

Talk to us about your case

Call us now on:   0330 041 5869

Why choose Slater and Gordon?

No Win No Fee

We offer 'No Win No Fee' funding on cases of medical negligence, meaning there's no financial risk to you.

Talk to the experts

We have teams of legal experts who specialise in representing those who’ve suffered injuries as a result of medical negligence.

In-house medical experts

Our in house medical team provide us with advice and assistance allowing us to determine when and where your medical treatment became substandard.

Your local law firm

We’re a reputable National law firm with expert lawyers in local areas across England, Scotland and Wales.

Speak to one of our medical negligence experts today

Call us now on:   0330 041 5869
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