| Many millions of us are treated each year by a series | | | | However, once the issue of negligence is broached |
| of health professionals in the NHS and private | | | | victims of medical accidents must prove that they |
| healthcare, including dentists, doctors, nurses and | | | | have been subject to incompetent care or a lack of |
| other health care professionals. Happily for most, | | | | judgement on behalf of a healthcare professional to |
| treatment is successful and no problems whatsoever | | | | be successful in pursuit of their claim. That is where |
| are encountered during treatment, but unfortunately | | | | the problem lies for most as medical negligence claims |
| that is not always the case. | | | | can be difficult to prove, certainly without the help of |
| During the course of diagnosis and treatment we | | | | specialist legal help. |
| should receive the best possible care. In the majority | | | | Healthcare professionals are only human, and |
| of cases this happens routinely but when it | | | | therefore can make occasional errors especially when |
| doesn’t medical or clinical negligence claims can | | | | they are in pressured situations such as in emergency |
| arise as a result of health professionals or | | | | and accident departments, or when undertaking |
| organisations failing to deliver an appropriate duty of | | | | surgical procedures. The difference between making |
| care to patients. | | | | mistakes and negligence can be a fine line, but if as a |
| The fall-out of medical of clinical negligence can be | | | | result of a routine medical procedure a loved one |
| traumatic, not only for the patient but also for their | | | | unexpectedly dies or suffers severe permanent |
| family, who may need to care for them in either the | | | | damage then that the family of that patient |
| short or long term. Indeed, in the immediate | | | | deserves at least a thorough investigation into their |
| aftermath of a medical accident pursuing a legal claim | | | | demise. |
| for negligence may be the last thing that the victim | | | | If as a result of that investigation an error of |
| and their family worry about. Providing immediate | | | | judgement is determined to be the cause of the |
| day-to-day care for loved ones becomes the priority | | | | death or permanent disability, then the family should |
| and any thoughts of seeking recourse becomes a | | | | be free to pursue financial recompense through the |
| secondary concern. | | | | courts, or via an out-of-court settlement. |