Middlesbrough Medical Negligence Solicitors
By Lewis Cobain. Last Updated 4th April 2023. In this guide, we provide information on getting support from medical negligence solicitors for incidents in Middlesbrough. If you believe that you have been the victim of medical negligence in Middlesbrough, then you need to answer the following four questions:
Medical negligence solicitors Middlesbrough
- Was the medical professional or healthcare establishment they were working in, responsible for caring for your health?
- Did the medical professional or the healthcare establishment fail in some way to take care of your health properly?
- Did this failure to take care of your health properly lead to a decline in the level of your health?
- Was the failure to take care of your health properly something that was avoidable?
If you can answer yes to all of the questions above, then you may have a valid reason to claim compensation. Legal Expert can provide a legal service in the Middlesbrough area to help you achieve this.
Contact Details
Contacting us directly is the best way for us to help you. The information in this guide is based on general circumstances, but your claim will likely differ. This is because every claim is unique. Once we know more about your injury or illness and how it was caused, we will be in a better position to advise you.
If we think that you could be eligible to receive compensation then we may connect you with one of our solicitors for the Middlesbrough area. You can reach us in a few different ways:
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Contact us through our website and talk to us about your claim online
- Use the pop-up chat window in the corner
Select A Section
- How Do I Make A Medical Negligence Claim?
- How To Find Medical Claims Solicitors For My Case
- What are the Different Types of Medical Negligence Cases?
- Medical Negligence Compensation Payouts
- No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Solicitors
How Do I Make A Medical Negligence Claim?
There are a number of steps you’ll need to take in order to make a claim. In this section, we’ve elaborated on a few of the more important ones. However, it’s unlikely that these are the only things you’ll have to do.
Make A Complaint
You should approach those in charge of the facility where you suffered due to negligence. There will be someone you can complain to regardless of whether you were treated on the NHS or at a private healthcare facility.
Contact the most senior person at the facility that you can. Inform them of the injury or illness that you have developed due to medical negligence whilst being treated there. Tell them that you intend to make a claim for compensation.
If they admit liability at this juncture then they may even make you an initial settlement offer. We always advise that you seek legal advice before accepting any offers. This is because it could be quite low when compared with what you could be awarded in the long run.
Gather Evidence
The more pieces of quality evidence you have, the better chance you stand of making a successful claim. Simply saying that you have been the victim of medical negligence is enough for you to be awarded a settlement. You need to be able to prove that you are telling the truth.
Some good pieces of evidence to consider include:
- Photographs – whilst you can claim for both physical and psychological damage, this one will only be relevant for physical injuries. Having a visual record will be very useful.
- Medical records – these will include useful information such as dates and details of treatments administered. Additionally, there will be a log of any medications prescribed and similar information.
- Written witness statements – if there is a loved one or friend present during your inadequate care then they could corroborate your story in written form.
Seek Legal Advice
Whilst this isn’t a legal requirement, we do recommend it. Having a medical negligence solicitor by your side can be a very helpful resource to have.
Our advisors are standing by to answer your questions.
How Long Do I Have To Start A Medical Negligence Claim?
There is a time limit on medical negligence claims that you should keep in mind to avoid the risk of your claim becoming statute-barred. Additionally, if you are hiring a medical negligence solicitor after a Middlesbrough incident, you’ll give them plenty of time to prepare your case.
As outlined in the Limitation Act 1980, you usually have three years from the date that you suffered harm as a result of medical negligence. Additionally, you may also have three years from the date of knowledge, which is when you first became aware that the harm you endured was a result of negligent treatment.
The limitation period may be suspended in some circumstances. For example:
- The time limit does not apply to a minor until their 18th birthday. They then have up until their 21st birthday to take action.
- If someone does not have the mental capacity to start their own claim, the time limit is permanently suspended unless they ever regain the required mental capacity.
A litigation friend may claim on behalf of a minor or someone who lacks the mental capacity to claim by themselves. However, they must not have any interests that are conflicting with the claimants. Additionally, a litigation friend must be able to make competent and fair decisions about the case.
Get in touch if you have any questions about the time limits regarding medical negligence after a Middlesbrough incident. Our advisors are available around the clock to answer any questions you might have.
How To Find Medical Claims Solicitors For My Case
When it comes to making medical negligence claims, all legal firms are not equal. A negligence claim is a complex process. Additionally, no medical professional wants the black mark on their career of being found guilty of medical negligence.
Therefore, the solicitors which Middlesbrough residents choose must be experienced in winning compensation cases against powerful organisations such as the National Health Service (NHS).
The more expertise your solicitor has with this kind of case, the higher the chance of a successful outcome is, and also the chance of being awarded more in compensation. Legal Expert lawyers have plenty of experience in claiming compensation for medical malpractice. We can provide a claims service for people in the Middlesbrough area.
However, if you would like to shop around, we offer a couple of tips on choosing a solicitor below.
Research Reviews Of Medical Negligence Solicitors For Middlesbrough
Before starting any medical negligence claims, Middlesbrough residents need to know that they have chosen the right solicitor for the job. One way to do this is to do a little research and find some reviews of the solicitor in question.
These kinds of reviews can be very helpful. You can also ask your friends, family and acquaintances if they have had any dealings with your chosen solicitor, and what their opinion of the firm is.
Alternatively, you can contact us at Legal Expert and we will explain how we can arrange for expert legal representation in the Middlesbrough area to help make your compensation claim.
Do I Need To Use Law Firms In Middlesbrough If My Injury Happened There?
Due to the fact we now have a whole range of modern digital tools such as email, Skype and web chat, it is no longer necessary to deal with a local firm of medical negligence solicitors for Middlesbrough. For local people that have been a victim of medical negligence, Middlesbrough residents can use a national claims service such as the one offered by Legal Expert.
What Are The Different Types of Medical Negligence Cases?
If you are looking for a firm of medical negligence solicitors in Middlesbrough, then you need to educate yourself a little before you choose a solicitor, so that you can make an informed decision. Below we outline some of the common forms that medical malpractice can take for your information.
Dental Negligence Lawyers
In dental negligence cases, the victim will often have suffered from injuries that have left them with some form of scarring or facial disfiguration. In this instance, any solicitor you select must be ready to claim compensation not just for the injury itself, but for the effect it will have on your quality of life in the long term.
Hospital Negligence Lawyers
Whether you have been treated in A&E or have been an in-patient undergoing a specific treatment, if you are the victim of negligence in a local hospital then Legal Expert can help you claim the compensation you are rightly due. Anytime you are mistreated in a hospital there will be records of the treatment you were provided. We can use these records backed up by expert medical opinions to make a valid case for you.
GP Negligence Compensation
Legal Expert can provide an experienced team of NHS & GP medical negligence solicitors to residents of Middlesbrough. Claims against a GP can be very complex, as we will need to prove the root cause of the negligence lays with the GP and not any medical specialist that the GP referred you to.
Care Home Negligence Claims
Accidents such as slips, trips and falls are a common occurrence in nursing or care homes. When an accident occurs due to insufficient care being given to a resident, Legal Expert can help you build a case for claiming compensation. All care homes are required by law to provide a specific minimum level of care, and if they have failed to do so, we can pursue them for compensation on your behalf.
Claims For Negligent Treatment of Cancer
Misdiagnosis and the subsequent mistreatment of cancer is a potentially life-threatening form of medical negligence. If a cancer patient is wrongly diagnosed with regards to the type of cancer they have, then the wrong treatment will also be given.
In cases where the cancer victim suffers due to the delay this will cause in getting them the right treatment, then Legal Expert can help them claim compensation for this negligent treatment of cancer.
Medical Negligence During Childbirth
Accidents in childbirth are fortunately fairly uncommon. However, when they do occur they can have an extremely serious effect on the health of the baby. Any damage to a child’s brain that happens due to lack of oxygen during birth is going to affect them for their whole life.
Similarly, the mother could be hurt during the birthing procedure either by the midwife or by the anaesthetist. Legal Expert is experienced in making childbirth medical negligence claims and can offer this service in the Middlesbrough area.
Medical Negligence Compensation Payouts
You may be wondering how your medical negligence compensation will be calculated. In a successful claim, you may be eligible for two types of compensation. This includes general damages and special damages.
General damages address loss of amenity as well as the physical and psychologcial suffering caused by your injuries. Generally, the more your injury negatively affects your quality of life, the more compensation you are likely to receive.
To help calculate general damages payouts, legal professionals can use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG). This publication has figures based on different injuries calculated using previous court payouts. You can find some examples from the JCG in the table below for guidelines on what you could potentially receive – though these are not guaranteed as every claim is different.
| Injury | Severity | Comments | Amounts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kidney | (a) | Permanent damage to or loss of both kidneys. | £169,400 to £210,400 |
| Kidney | (b) | Significant risk of future urinary tract infection or loss of kidney function. | Up to £63,980 |
| Kidney | (c) | Loss of one kidney with no damage to the other. | £30,770 to £44,880
|
| Psychiatric Damage | Severe | Marked problems with ability to cope with relationships. Success of treatment, future vulnerability and prognosis will also be considered. | £54,830 to £115,730 |
| Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | Severe | Permanent effects preventing a return to work and little chance of return to function at pre-trauma levels. | £59,860 to £100,670 |
| Female reproductive System: Failure to diagnose ectopic pregnancy | – | The upper end of the bracket will be in cases with significant medical complications. | £114,900 to £170,280 |
| Female reproductive System: delay in diagnosing ectopic pregnancy | – | Fertility is not affected. | £3,390 to £20,430 |
| Female reproductive System: Failed sterilisation which led to unwanted pregnancy | – | Where there is no serious psychological injury or depression. | In the region of £10,200 |
| Illness: Toxicosis | Severe | Serious pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever, which affect life and the ability to work | £38,430 to £52,500
|
| Facial Disfigurement | Less Severe Scarring | Substantial disfigurement with significant psychological reaction. | £17,960 to £48,420 |
If you have suffered financially due to your injuries, it’s possible you could also claim special damages compensation. This could cover:
- Medical costs
- Travel expenses
- Loss of income
- Mobility aids
To successfully claim back financial loss, you would need to provide evidence such as payslips, invoices and receipts.
To find out more, get in touch with us at any time. Our advisors can offer free legal advice and could also potentially give you an estimate of your claim.
No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Solicitors
You may be concerned about the financial implications of claiming for clinical negligence. Using the services of No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitors may help you – No Win No Fee is an alternative funding option for a solicitor’s work.
Our No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitors serve clients in Middlesbrough and other areas on a No Win No Fee basis. This arrangement, another term for Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), is a cost-effective option for funding your legal fees. A CFA means that you do not need to pay an upfront legal fee before work starts on your claim. You also do not need to pay ongoing legal fees during the clinical negligence claim process.
If your claim is not successful, you do not have to pay your solicitors fees under a No Win No Fee agreement. You will only pay if your claim is successful. A small percentage of your settlement amount will go towards settling legal fees. The amount that can be taken for fees is restricted to a small percentage by law to ensure that you retain most of your settlement.
A Legal Expert medical negligence solicitor for Middlesbrough accidents is able to give you an initial free consultation and free legal advice to present you with your options. Get in touch today to find out more.
Talk To Legal Expert Today
Unlike most local law firms in Middlesbrough, we don’t focus on a single area of the UK. Instead, we provide a nationwide claims service, providing people all over the country with the legal representation they need to successfully win compensation for medical negligence. If we need to, we can arrange home visits, so you won’t lose out by not using a local firm.
- Call us on 0800 073 8804
- Contact us through our website and talk to us about your claim online
- Use the pop-up chat window in the corner
Helpful Links
The governments own advice on making a complaint about the NHS in England.
Claiming compensation for GP negligence
We have also posted our own guide for your information covering compensation claims for GP negligence.
Further Helpful Resources
- Maidenhead Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Maidstone Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Mansfield Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Margate Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Middleton Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Neath Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Newport Pagnell Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Newton Abbot Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Northwich Medical Negligence Solicitors
- Claim Against Morrisons Pharmacy for Wrong Medication Errors
- Dental Negligence Claims Guide
- Get help finding a medical negligence solicitor for West Bromwich based claims.
Thank you for reading our guide to medical negligence solicitors for Middlesbrough.
