How to Proceed in a Medical Negligence Case

or maybe you have received some treatment that went wrong, then you may be entitled to claim medical negligence. In many circumstances disgruntled patients are contented with an apology, however in more serious circumstances this will not suffice. If this applies to you, you first move must be to contact an experienced medical negligence lawyer for further advice.

Do you feel confused? How can you find help? Who can advise whether your case is worth the extra worry and energy? If your suffering is minor and only requires a formal complaint, there are a few easy steps you might want to consider following.

You know you weren't treated fairly, or felt ignored when you were ill. This is a kind of medical negligence (or clinical negligence as it is sometimes known) but it may not be a serious one, especially if another visit or talk to your doctor could easily resolve. The quickest and most economical option here is to write a letter to the doctor, nurse or dentist. Ask for an explanation and remember to keep a copy. You'll probably be called for an informal meeting where you'll be able to discuss the situation. You must consider however that even if the professional apologises, this does not mean you have a claim for negligence that you could litigate.

If you find an apology and explanation enough, you may have avoided a case of medical negligence. This can actually make the relationship with your team of doctors and/or nurses better, especially if the matter is carried out in a professional and amicable way. Don't forget that you are able to leave comments on the hospital's website, whether these are good or bad.

But what happens if you follow this and still feel there's something wrong and not resolved at the end? Should you really take the legal route and consult a medical negligence solicitor? A good idea can be to contact the Patient Advisory Services (PALS) at the hospital concerned. PALS is the replacement service to that which was provided by the CHCs (Community Health Councils) these used to look at your case and refer you to a solicior where necessary. However, it is not yet confirmed if PALS will do the same.

If you are considering taking your case further, this is the time you need to talk to your clinical negligence solicitor. Medical negligence cases like this involving compensation are often complex, however your solicitor will take you through it step by step.


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Bonallack & Bishop are specialist Medical Negligence Solicitors. If you need advice on compensation claims contact one of their lawyers today. Tim Bishop is senior partner at the firm, responsible for all major strategic decisions. He has grown the firm by 1000% in 13 years and sees himself as a businessman who owns a law firm.