Medical Negligence Personal Legal Services
This information relates to the law and procedures in England and Wales. Please contact us if you need advice about the law and procedure in other legal jurisdictions. I would like to thank you personally for your hard work, which was at times beyond the call of duty, Irwin Mitchell as a company have been outstanding, as was the whole legal team that worked on this case. - Ron 2
We have years of experience working with people who ve suffered injury or illness because of their medical treatment. Introduction We understand medical negligence. With years of experience working with people who have suffered injury or illness because of their medical treatment, we appreciate what you are going through and know exactly what needs to be done to help you get the compensation you deserve. If you have suffered illness or injury as a result of unprofessional medical treatment you may be able to claim compensation. Example cases include: Incorrect diagnosis Incorrect treatment Important symptoms ignored A delay in diagnosis or treatment Failure of a medical product or device. We have one of the UK s largest and most experienced teams of specialist medical negligence solicitors. We have helped thousands of people claim compensation and this experience means we can give you the support, understanding and advice you need. As well as fighting fearlessly to help you get the compensation you deserve, we can arrange for medical reports to be written and seek expert opinions on your treatment and injuries. We can also try to get you an early payment from your compensation so that you can pay your bills or for private treatment to help you to recover as quickly as possible. 3
What is medical negligence? Medical negligence occurs when doctors or other health professionals cause illness or injury by doing something wrong. There may have been a breach of their duty of care or a violation of human rights. Duty of care Medical professionals owe their patients what is known as a duty of care. As a patient you are entitled to expect reasonable standards and if these are not met, you may be able to claim compensation if it can be proved that your doctor or other health professionals have committed a breach of their duty of care. Faulty kit Not all medical accidents happen because a professional has done something wrong. Sometimes a medical product such as a drug or a device like a heart valve or pacemaker can be faulty or fail. Human rights Everybody has human rights. In cases where an injury has occurred as a result of medical negligence, these rights have often been compromised. Here are a few examples of what the Human Rights Law states: Article 2 protects the right to life and can be cited when patients have received below-standard care, have been refused expensive drugs or have not been fed. Article 2 also demands that any untoward or unexpected deaths must be fully investigated, usually through an inquest We have a wide range of experience in product liability claims in areas including: Blood products Breast implants Cataract lens implants Drugs Heart valves Human Growth Hormone Replacement hips. For help with any of these types of claims give our friendly professional staff a call. 4
Article 3 forbids inhuman or degrading treatment. This may be relevant if you did not give proper consent for treatment. It can also support cases where vulnerable people, such as the elderly or mental health patients, did not receive adequate treatment Article 8 states that there must be respect for private and family life and can be quoted in cases where confidential medical information has been disclosed Article 14 bans discrimination of any kind and can be important in cases where age-based rationing of healthcare has taken place or patients have been discriminated against in any way. To talk to a specialist advisor today simply call free on: 08000 23 22 33 or visit: www.irwinmitchell.com you can also follow us on Twitter: @IMMedNegligence 5
Why choose Irwin Mitchell? Irwin Mitchell is one of the largest and most experienced personal injury law firms in the country. Our reputation for helping people with medical negligence claims is second to none and every year we recover millions of pounds of compensation for people who have suffered in this way. Our service Employing many of the country s finest personal injury lawyers, our highly specialised team combines powerful legal arguments with care and consideration to ensure the best possible outcome for you. Our friendly professional service includes: An early investigation of who is to blame Early compensation payments where possible to pay for private healthcare and rehabilitation Expert advice on state benefits, your employment rights and other financial issues Expert support for you to access rehabilitation and therapy services Help if you need it from solicitors in our other departments, such as financial planning, personal injury trusts, wills advice, power of attorney, education and social care needs advice. Campaign for improvements At Irwin Mitchell we have a long history of campaigning for improvements to medical care. Our aim is to help develop medical procedures and improve quality of life and levels of compensation for those who have suffered. We are also sponsors and fundraisers for several leading charities and support groups - and a large number of our team volunteer their skills at national, local and individual level. 6
When can I make a claim? Normally adults must make a claim within three years of the date they first knew or suspected that they were injured as a result of medical negligence. Variations However, that limit can vary and may be shorter or extended depending on the circumstances of your case. You should also be aware that any claims brought under the Human Rights Act must be started within one year of the incident taking place. Do I have a case? If you are unsure whether you have a claim, you or a family member just needs to pick up the phone and talk it over with us. We ll assess your case free of charge, tell you what we think and then you can decide if you want to go ahead. What are my chances of winning? We have a long track record of winning compensation cases where the client initially thought they did not have a claim. When you contact us we will give you realistic advice on the chances of winning based on the information you provide. It is not possible to give a definitive answer on any case. However, the more information we have the more accurate an assessment we can make. We are also able to take cases over from other lawyers. We have helped many people who have been dissatisfied with the advice or service they have received from their lawyers, achieving the best possible outcome in all aspects of their claim including access to medical care, rehabilitation and compensation. 7
What if someone has died? If a person dies whilst receiving medical treatment and those treating them failed to provide the necessary care, an inquest may be held to find out how and why they died. If this happens, relatives should seek legal advice before the inquest takes place. Inquests If someone you love has died in the course of medical treatment, it is likely that their death will be investigated by an inquest. Inquests can prove vital in helping to highlight problems within the system and as a result, make sure that medical systems are changed to avoid other families having to suffer in the way that you have. They also play an important role when the deaths of patients who are kept in hospital or in secure units under the Mental Health Act are investigated. Depending on what evidence comes to light during the inquest, you may be able to pursue a subsequent claim for bereavement and economic dependency arising from the loss of life. Your solicitor will go through all the options with you after the inquest. It is crucial to seek legal advice before an inquest takes place. This will give your solicitor the chance to get medical records and other documents from the coroner before the court hearing. They will also be able to ask witnesses questions during the hearing and because inquests are public hearings, often attracting press and media attention, they will ensure your interests are properly protected. 8
How much will it cost? Don t worry about legal costs. Contacting us for initial advice on your claim will cost you nothing even our phone number is free to call. If we advise you to pursue a claim with us, we will review all the options for funding it. Options for funding your claim There are a number of ways in which you could fund your case. These include: Conditional Fee Agreement commonly known as a No Win No Fee agreement Public Funding this is no longer available for clinical negligence claims with the only exception in cases for children who suffer a severe disability as a result of neurological injury caused by clinical negligence which occurred during pregnancy, birth or the postnatal period up to 8 weeks after birth Legal Expenses Insurance as part of your household or car insurance you may have legal expenses cover to help with any legal costs Trade Union if you are a member of a trade union they may provide assistance for some legal issues. If you do not have access to legal expenses insurance, public funding or trade union assistance, your best option is to consider a No Win No Fee agreement. Even if you do have access to other funding options, a No Win No Fee agreement may still be the best option for you. When we discuss your claim in more detail we will tell you if the No Win No Fee option is available or if we need to look at the other funding options above. New Legislation The Government introduced some changes to how legal costs and funding for personal injury claims will work from 1 April 2013. Due to these changes you will no longer be able to recover all of your legal costs from your opponent. Whilst all of your legal costs can no longer be recovered from your opponent, it is likely that you will still recover the substantial majority of your basic legal costs. 9
How a No Win No Fee agreement can work for you If after reviewing all of the funding options with you and we recommend that our No Win No Fee agreement in combination with an insurance policy designed to protect you is your best option, you can be reassured that there is no financial risk to you if you are unsuccessful*. If you win: Your opponent will pay the majority of our basic legalcosts and disbursements (e.g. court fees, medical reports) and in clinical negligence claims part of your insurance premium If you win, any costs not payable by your opponent will include: Part of the premium for your insurance policy to protect you fully against any risk of legal costs Some of your basic legal costs which cannot be recovered from your opponent A success fee which compensates us for the risk that if it was unsuccessful then we would not recover any legal fees at all If you win, you won t have to pay a penny out of your own pocket until your claim has successfully come to an end and then any of the costs not paid by your opponent will be deducted from any compensation awarded to you If any disbursements cannot be recovered from your opponent these will be covered by your insurance policy There are no hidden costs. You will receive regular updates about the costs being charged to your case and any costs not recovered from your opponent will be deducted from any compensation awarded to you at the end of your case To help you with your legal costs, the Government has provided a 10% increase in the amount awarded to you for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity. If you lose: We can promise you, there is no financial risk to you if your claim is unsuccessful* You won t have to pay a penny out of your own pocket whilst your claim is being pursued We would make no charge whatsoever to you You will be fully covered by your insurance policy for any disbursements You will be fully protected by your insurance policy from any of your opponent`s legal costs There are no hidden costs. You will receive regular updates about the costs at key stages throughout your case so you are fully aware of the charges involved if you win. If unsuccessful there is no financial risk to you.* We will do everything we can to protect and support you to proceed with your claim and we will keep you updated at all times. Remember, there is absolutely no financial risk to you or your family if you are unsuccessful.* * Subject to entering into a No Win No Fee agreement in conjunction with our Allianz Litigate insurance policy and complying with your responsibilities under its terms. 10
How much compensation will I get? The amount of compensation you receive will depend on how seriously you have been injured, how that injury has affected your life, how much money you have lost or will lose as a consequence - and whether you will need extra support in the future. Individually assessed We will advise you at the outset on how courts approach the assessment of compensation and how that will apply to your case. However, it is important to bear in mind that everyone is different and the consequences of the same injury will vary from person to person. Keeping you informed As we learn more about you and your circumstances, we will be able to provide a more accurate idea of the financial value of your claim. You can be assured that we will do everything we can to recover the maximum amount of compensation available to you and organise payment terms to suit your immediate and ongoing needs. We as a family can t find the right words to thank you for everything. We are so grateful for what you have achieved for Luke and it s such a relief to know his future is secure. - Kevin 11
What happens when I claim? Once you have instructed us to claim on your behalf, we will investigate your case thoroughly by gathering witness statements and other relevant details about your injury or illness and on-going requirements. Review Once your witness statement, medical records and hospital background documents have been collated they will be referred to a number of medical experts. These experts will review your details and give their opinion on the standard of care that you received. Out of court The vast majority of cases are settled before they go to court. However, if your case is one of the few that is to be decided by a judge don t worry: it s perfectly normal and we ll be there to help you every step of the way. After this has happened it is likely that your solicitor will arrange a meeting with the medical experts to discuss all of the information and establish if you have grounds to pursue a claim against those who treated you. This will be a joint decision and based on a number of factors. You will also have the opportunity to question the experts about any aspect of your treatment. If there is not enough information for the experts to give their opinion, or if they think you were not treated negligently, you will then be given the opportunity to talk through your treatment so that they have a better understanding of the medical care that you received. If they are confident that you do have a case, your solicitor will start court proceedings. 12
What else can we help you with? We don t just specialise in medical negligence. Irwin Mitchell has dedicated teams working in all areas of personal legal services, enabling us to deliver quick and efficient legal advice on anything from settling family disputes and wills or buying a house. Our ability to offer clients a wide range of such specialism under one roof is one of the key benefits of our services. Whatever your legal issue our specialist staff will be pleased to help you sort it out all you need to do is pick up the phone and give us a call. Our friendly professional staff give straightforward honest advice in all areas of personal legal services including: Buying or selling a house Divorce, children and family matters Employment difficulties Financial planning including tax and trusts Personal injury or illness Planning or environmental decisions Questioning social, education and health care provision Support on making decisions about personal welfare and healthcare matters and how the Court of Protection can assist Wills, trust and probate services. To talk to a specialist advisor today simply call free on: 08000 23 22 33 or visit: www.irwinmitchell.com you can also follow us on Twitter: @IMMedNegligence 13
Useful contacts APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) 3 Alder Court Rennie Hogg Road Nottingham NG2 1RX Telephone: 0115 958 0585 Email: mail@apil.org.uk Website: www.apil.org.uk AvMA (Action against Medical Accidents) Freedman House Christopher Wren Yard 117 High Street Croydon CR0 1QG Telephone: 0845 123 2352 Website: www.avma.org.uk The Children s Society Edward Rudolf House Margery Street London, WC1X 0JL Telephone: 0300 303 7000 Email: supportercare@childrenssociety.org.uk Website: www.childrenssociety.org.uk Contact a Family 209-211 City Road London EC1V 1JN Telephone: 0808 808 3555 Email: helpline@cafamily.org.uk Website: www.cafamily.org.uk Cruse Bereavement Care PO Box 800 Richmond Surrey TW9 1RG Telephone: 0844 477 9400 Email: helpline@cruse.org.uk Website: www.cruse.org.uk Meningitis Now Head Office Fern House Bath Road Stroud GL5 3TJ Telephone: 0808 801 0388 Email: info@meningitisnow.org Website: www.meningitisnow.org 14
The Patients Association PO Box 935 Harrow Middlesex HA1 3YJ Telephone: 0845 608 4455 Email: helpline@patients-association.com Website: www.patients-association.com SCOPE 6 Market Road London N7 9PW Telephone: 0808 800 3333 Email: helpline@scope.org.uk Website: www.scope.org.uk 15
Freephone 08000 23 22 33 www.irwinmitchell.com @irwinmitchell For a list of our offices visit our website To see a list of our offices please visit our website. Irwin Mitchell LLP is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. PLS-PI-MN-0002-B