How Do I Make a Claim Against the NHS? NHS Medical Negligence Claims

Medical professionals at the NHS have a duty of care to their patients; they must provide vital healthcare services to every patient under their care. While this is usually the case, they sometimes fail in those obligations, causing injury, and these actions may constitute medical negligence. If you have suffered harm as a result of medical negligence by a healthcare professional at an NHS organization, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

What Can I Do If I Think I Have Suffered NHS Negligence?

If you have experienced medical care of substandard quality while under NHS care, there are a number of options available to you. The first step is to let the hospital management know about your case. In many cases, most medical negligence victims are satisfied with an apology and assurance that there will be no repeat of such poor treatment in future.

If you are unable to reach a resolution, you can lodge a formal complaint through the NHS complaints procedure. You reserve the right to be heard and for your case to undergo thorough investigation. NHS Choices provides guidelines for those seeking to lodge formal complaints against the NHS. Your medical negligence solicitors can also support you through the process.

If you are unsatisfied with the way your complaint is handled, you can take your case to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

Keep in mind, however, that lodging a formal complaint is not necessarily a prerequisite for starting a claim, but it is often wise to do so. Using the official complaints procedure can force the NHS Trust to provide clarity on circumstances surrounding the medical care you received and establish whether there was negligence. With this information, your solicitor can decide whether making a claim would be in your best interest.

What is the NHS Negligence Process?

Medical negligence claims against the NHS can be tricky to prove, and you will need expert legal advice to determine whether you have a case. So, if you are considering an NHS negligence claim, the first step is to contact Medical Negligence Direct.

Our specialist solicitors will discuss with you to learn about details of your case. If they believe your case has a strong chance of success, we will assign a specialist NHS negligence solicitor to walk you through the process.

How Can I Prove My Claim Against the NHS?

It is your duty, as an injured patient, to prove that the NHS was negligent and that its negligence caused you harm. Thus, expert medical opinion will represent the most significant part of your evidence. Depending on the complexity of your case, two or more healthcare professionals with specialist knowledge in the relevant medical field may provide reports that will be used to prove negligence and causation.

Following these investigations, your solicitor will be more certain of your chances and let you know whether you have a strong claim.

How Can We Help?

For NHS negligence claims to be successful, you must be able to establish that the injury you suffered was a direct consequence of negligent care you received at the NHS. Proving medical negligence can be a long and complex process, but you can rest assured our experienced panel of solicitors will help. You can trust us to provide the advice and support you need to go through the process in a stress-free manner, and assist you in winning your claim against the NHS.