Everyone expects to receive the highest level of care when they go to the doctor or are in hospital, but this does not always happen. Sometimes, clinical negligence can occur and the impact of this can be incredibly serious. This is why it is important to know when clinical negligence has occurred so that the right action can be taken.
What is Clinical Negligence?
So, what exactly is clinical negligence and how can it occur? Medical professionals have a duty of care to their patients and, when the level of care does not meet this standard, then clinical negligence occurs. Clinical negligence can involve mistakes, bad advice, failure to communicate properly and not picking up on symptoms. Essentially, if the medical professional makes any kind of mistake then this could be seen as clinical negligence.
Signs That Medical Negligence Occurred
The difficulty with medical negligence is that it is not always obvious whether or not it has occurred and if the healthcare worker is at fault. Sometimes, it will be obvious when negligence has occurred, such as if there is a mistake made during an operation, but it is not always obvious. A few signs that negligence has occurred include treatment not working, your condition worsening, there is a lack of aftercare or you have received a different second opinion.
Common Medical Negligence Claims
Clinical negligence can involve bad advice, mistakes, failure to spot symptoms and many other acts of negligence. A few of the most common types include:
- Misdiagnosis
- Prescription mistakes
- Surgical mistake
- Failure to communicate the risks of a procedure
- Avoidable birth injury
Process if Negligence Occurred
If you believe that clinical negligence has occurred, you will want to take the proper steps so that you can seek compensation. These cases can be complex and it is hard to prove fault, which is why you need to seek legal support from a law firm that specialises in these cases. You should also try to gather as much information as possible from your experience, including all paperwork and correspondence. You should also keep a record of how the treatment has affected you, what costs you have incurred as a result and the pain and suffering you have endured.
If you believe that you have been the victim of clinical negligence then you will want to take action. Medical professionals have a duty of care that they adhere to, but sometimes the level of care will fall below this and this can have very serious consequences.
