Last Updated 12th November 2025. How much compensation could be awarded for successful MRSA claims will depend on the severity of the harm suffered, how this has impacted you life, and whether any financial losses have also been incurred. MRSA is a type of bacteria that usually lives harmlessly on the skin; however, if it gets inside the body it can cause a serious infection that requires immediate treatment. If you have suffered physical and psychological harm due to MRSA that was caused by receiving negligent medical care, you may be wondering, ‘Can you sue a hospital for MRSA?’. That’s why we have created this guide on the steps you could take to claim MRSA compensation.
You can contact our advisors to discuss the specifics of your case and receive free advice on what steps you could take next. If they think you may have a strong medical negligence claim, they could connect you with one of our expert No Win No Fee solicitors who could help guide you through the claiming process, and ensure you receive the maximum compensation that you could be entitled to.
Your Questions, Answered:
- How can I tell if I have an MRSA infection under my skin? You may have an area of skin that is swollen, painful, leaks pus, looks red and feels warm to the touch.
- How can MRSA be treated? MRSA can be treated with antibiotics. Mild forms can be treated with tablets, but more serious infections may need treatment in a hospital via an injection or drip.
- What can cause an MRSA infection? Those who have had long stays in hospital, have a break or opening in the skin, or have a weakened immune system are more at risk of suffering an MRSA infection.
- Could MRSA compensation claims be made on behalf of a loved one? Yes, if the harmed person is a minor or lacks the required mental capacity, you could claim on their behalf as a litigation friend.
- What evidence could help support an MRSA claim? Your medical records, test results and a symptoms diary could all be used as evidence.
Contact our friendly team today to discuss your case.
4.8 (466 reviews) How Much Compensation Could I Claim For MRSA?
There’s no fixed amount of compensation one could claim for MRSA. This is because every medical negligence claim is unique in its facts. If your claim is successful, your MRSA compensation may include 2 heads:
- General Damages: This head denotes compensation for your actual injuries and pain and suffering.
- Special Damages: This head denotes compensation for the monetary losses you’ve suffered.
The person calculating your claim could use the Judicial College guidelines (JCG) for your general damages. The table below contains some of the JCG figures pertaining to MRSA claims. Please note that the first row isn’t taken from the JCG, and this table is meant only to provide guidance.
| Injury Type | Compensation Bracket |
|---|---|
| Multiple Serious Illnesses/Injuries Plus Special Damages | Up to £500,000+ |
| Kidney (a) | £206,730 to £256,780 |
| Very Severe General Psychiatric Damage (a) | £66,920 to £141,240 |
| Very Severe Facial Scarring (a) | £36,340 to £118,790 |
| Less Severe Facial Scarring | £21,920 to £59,090 |
| Skin Conditions such as dermatitis (a) | £16,770 to £23,430 |
| Skin Conditions such as dermatitis (b) | £10,550 to £13,930 |
| Skin Conditions such as dermatitis (c) | £2,080 to £4,820 |
MRSA Claims – Examples Of Special Damages
If you acquired an MRSA infection due to the negligent action of your healthcare provider and have suffered financially as a result, you may also include special damages in your MRSA claim. Some examples of special damages are:
- Medical expenses
- Loss of earnings
- Any aids to help with your injury
You can use payslips, bank statements, and receipts to prove any special damages.
Reach out to our advisors for further guidance in calculating MRSA compensation.
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What Are The Criteria For Claiming MRSA Compensation?
In order to be eligible to make a medical negligence claim for MRSA compensation, you must meet the following criteria:
- A medical professional owed you a duty of care.
- This duty was breached.
- You experienced harm as a result of this, such as an MRSA infection. Together this is known as medical negligence.
All medical professionals owe a duty of care. Per this duty, they must ensure that they provide the correct standard of care when treating you as their patient. Failure to do so could be considered as a breach of their duty of care, and you may be eligible to make a medical negligence claim. For example, if you contracted an MRSA infection during surgery due to unhygienic practices, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.
If you have any questions about making an MRSA claim, please contact one of the advisors from our team.
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What Is MRSA And How Could I Catch It?
Usually, MRSA lives on the skin as a harmless bacteria. When it stays on the skin’s surface, it causes no symptoms and does no harm.
The problems with MRSA begin when you get an infection under your skin. This can happen if the bacteria comes in contact with an open wound or broken skin or if you touch someone who has the bacteria, so it’s most common in places like hospitals and care homes.
When MRSA gets under the skin, it can cause rashes and painful abscesses. If the infection progresses into your blood or lungs, it can cause serious symptoms like dizziness, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
Keep reading to learn more about MRSA claims, or contact our team of advisors today to find out if you could be entitled to compensation.
Examples Of MRSA Negligence
Every hospital in the UK has procedures for reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections, including MRSA. If these procedures are not followed, this may constitute MRSA negligence.
Here are some examples of when a patient could be eligible to claim MRSA compensation. These examples show how a medical professional could potentially breach their duty of care, and how a patient could contract MRSA as a result:
- Inadequate wound care: Not properly covering open wounds, or failing to maintain a sterile environment when dressings are changed, can increase the risk of bacteria entering the body.
- Failing to screen patients: If patients are not screened before and after procedures, especially if patients have weakened immune systems, this can lead to the spread of an infection.
- Insufficient disinfection: Not properly disinfecting surfaces, laundry items, and all hospital equipment can facilitate the spread of MRSA.
- Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Hospital staff failing to wear PPE, such as gloves and masks, when treating a patient with MRSA can increase the risk of transmission.
- Failing to isolate patients: Not isolating patients who have contracted MRSA, or those who are at higher risk, can lead to outbreaks.
These are just a few selected examples. To discuss your MRSA claims eligibility with our team, please contact us today.
How Long Do I Have To Make A Claim For An MRSA Infection?
You may be wondering how long you have to start MRSA claims.
The Limitation Act 1980 outlines how long you have to start different kinds of claims, and states that you will have three years to start a medical negligence claim. This time limit begins on either the date the negligence occurred, or on the date you became aware of the medical negligence.
You cannot claim for yourself while under the age of eighteen, therefore the time limit does not begin until your eighteenth birthday. However, a litigation friend can start a claim on your behalf while the time limit is frozen, or you can start your own claim when you turn eighteen. In which case the 3 year time limit will begin.
Similarly, those who lack the mental capacity to make an MRSA compensation claim for themselves are not subject to the time limit. A litigation friend can claim on their behalf at any time, unless they regain the needed capacity. In these cases, the time limit is reinstated on the date of their recovery.
To learn more about time limits for medical negligence claims, contact our team of advisors. They can evaluate your hospital negligence claim for free, and could connect you with one of our expert medical negligence solicitors.
What Evidence Do I Need To Prove An MRSA Claim?
Gathering evidence to support your case is an essential step when making a claim for medical negligence compensation. Evidence can help strengthen a number of areas of your claim by illustrating how you came to harm, who is responsible, and how the harm you have undergone has affected you.
Some examples of evidence that you could collect to support your hospital infection claim include:
- A symptoms diary: Keeping a diary of your symptoms as they progress can help create a record of how it affects your life.
- Witness statements: Taking the contact details of potential witnesses, such as a family member who was with you in the hospital and saw the conduct of the professional treating you, means that their statement can be taken at a later date.
- Medical records: Your medical records can offer more insight into the treatment you received, who was treating you, and how it affected your condition.
- Test results: These could be test results from a nasal or oral swab, confirming that you suffer from an MRSA infection.
Your claim may also be put to the Bolam test. In this case, a team of professionals trained in the relevant field will assess the actions of the professional treating you and determine whether you received the correct standard of care.
To find out if one of our solicitors could help you gather evidence to strengthen your claim, contact our team of advisors today. Or, read on to learn more about MRSA claims.
No Win No Fee MRSA Claims
If you are eligible to seek medical negligence compensation, you may like to instruct a solicitor to work on your claim. One of our specialist medical negligence solicitors could help you. Generally, they provide their services under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is a type of No Win No Fee arrangement.
Under this type of agreement, you usually won’t be asked for any upfront or ongoing costs towards your solicitor’s work on your case. If your claim has a positive outcome, a success fee will be subtracted from your award by your solicitor. The law limits the percentage that can be taken as a success fee. Should your claim not succeed, your solicitor won’t ask you to pay this fee.
If you have any questions about making an MRSA claim, contact one of the advisors from our team. The advice they give is free. They can also assess whether you have good grounds for a claim and if you do, they can connect you to one of our solicitors.
To speak with an advisor:
- Call 0800 073 8804
- Receive a call back by filling in our ‘contact us’ form.
- Connect via our live webchat.
Still have questions? Feel free to contact our advisors online or on the phone to learn more.
Thank you for reading our guide on MRSA claims. You can read some of our other guides as well:
- Our guide on health spa claims.
- Information on stillbirth negligence claims.
- Details on testicular cancer misdiagnosis claims.
You can also go through these links for more information:
- Guidance from the CQC to complain about a healthcare service.
- Information from the NHS to make a complaint.
- Details on finding your nearest A&E from the NHS.
