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Suing for medical negligence

DayDreamBeliever

Hi everyone, not exactly sure where is best to post this so if it would be better in another section please let me know.

Has anyone ever taken legal action against the NHS for medical negligence? I have a case for it but I'm just not sure if I want to go through with it or not and would love to hear any experiences of people who have gone through it

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Comments

2oldcodgers

My daughter back in 1999 lost my grandson simply because there was no doctor available to attend to her delivery with massive complications.
The little lad was perfect when they eventually delivered him dead.
The consultant some hours later apologised for what happened whilst my daughter was in the ICU due to continually losing blood. It was explained that he was in a Trust meeting and the doctor was in theatre carrying out a C section on another woman.
She was so traumatised with it all that she would not discuss what happened. Even today the only people that know she had delivered a dead boy are my wife, myself, my daughter's sister and obviously her husband. None of her other children - 2 girls and a boy no anything of this history.
However she did relent in 2020 to seek advice about claiming compensation from the hospital but was told that she was out of time.
For the past 24 years I have cleaned his headstone on his birthday and at Christmas, placed flowers and ready for my daughter to go alone to pay her respects.
I do hope that you are ready to take the fight to the NHS as they might apologise but will deny responsibility as it was just one of those things.
I would add that the hospital maternity unit has over the years been slated over similar issues. Seems that they never learn any lessons.

Sunny_D

I'm so sorry your family went through such a dreadful experience. I suffered a number of miscarriages before I eventually carried a baby to full term. I had an awful time when I had my first son, which could have ended in the loss of my baby. I suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis and have had 16 surgeries to date. I tried to sue about 5 years ago. I have had three elbow surgeries which has left my right arm in a bad state. The lower part of the prosthesis has broken through the bone. I have muddled on with my arm in this state for the last 5 years. It has reached a point where it could possibly break through the skin. The risk is serious infection if that happens. The surgeon who did my third surgery actually told me that he should not have done the last one. I will be having another surgery (No. 17), possibly in February, which will leave me with a floppy arm. The alternative is to have my lower right arm amputated - I am right handed. When I did the rounds of solicitors they were only prepared to take my case if there was a 100% chance of winning. My new consultant has been great but he isn't going to undo the previous mess made to my arm. The aim now is to save my arm. I will need to wear a sling at all times but will have a working hand.

Maybe if a group of people could be formed to add strength to the claim. There is no harm in enquiring because they can only say no, but at least you will have tried. I send you my very best wishes and lots of good luck moving forward.

Andrea111

Our medical negligence case is nearing the end, if you have a case the solicitors who you involve will let you know after they've gone through the relivant medical records. If you do decide to go ahead i'd like to advise you it can be a very lengthy case ( over 12 years my childs case has been going on) depending on the complexity of it & when it comes to money some people are not all they seem so always make sure that you keep any emails, messages etc with any1 who is involved with the case as believe it or not private therapists can & do document lies for their own needs, keep them on a need to know basis & don't let them take over your life or railroad you into something that you dont want & research anything that your unsure about. Always remember they work for you. I dont want to put you off as if it is medical negligence you deserve justice & lessons need to be learnt to hopefully stop the same thing happening to others. Im not saying all private therapists are like this as ive met some amazing therapists who are passionate about their work yet some will go to any lengths to get as much money as they can. Good luck with whatever you decide.

brysonknight

Only you can decide whether it’s worth pursuing, but getting proper legal advice doesn’t mean you’re committing to a court case. A consultation can at least help you understand whether what happened meets the legal threshold for medical negligence and what evidence would be needed.

One thing that often surprises people is that a bad outcome on its own isn’t always enough; there usually needs to be evidence that the standard of care fell below what would reasonably be expected and that this directly caused the harm. That’s why specialist solicitors tend to review medical records and obtain independent expert opinions before advising on the strength of a claim.

In Ireland, firms such as [removed by moderator - advertising] focus specifically on medical negligence cases, so even an initial discussion could give you a clearer picture of your options without any obligation to proceed. They deal exclusively with medical negligence and serious injury claims, which can be important in complex cases involving the HSE.

Whatever you decide, don’t ignore any limitation deadlines while you’re weighing it up. Even if you ultimately choose not to pursue a claim, having all the facts and professional advice may help you make peace with the decision. Wishing you the best, as these situations can be emotionally draining as well as legally complicated.