Medical Negligence At A Walk-In Centre – No Win No Fee Compensation Claims

Medical negligence at a walk-in-centre compensation claims

Medical negligence at a walk-in-centre compensation claims

Walk-in centres were brought in so to alleviate the pressure on accident and emergency departments in hospitals. They allow patients who have not been registered with a doctor or who cannot get a doctors appointment access to a medical service. They can be both NHS run and operated on a private medical health basis. If you were treated in a walk-in centre but the medical practitioner who treated you caused you avoidable and unreasonable further harm, you could have grounds to seek compensation by making a medical negligence claim.

Walk-in centres provide an essential service when it comes to treating the more minor injuries and health issues a person may sustain or develop. The services they provide can mean you can be treated faster than you would by seeing your doctor, which could mean waiting for an appointment to be scheduled.

However, there are certain times when you should go to A&E instead. If you’re unsure what to do, the NHS advises calling 111.

Our guide explains how to go about proving your medical negligence claim. We offer advice on how a No Win No Fee lawyer could represent you once your claim has been assessed and deemed to be valid, and what the claims process entails.

To find out more, please continue reading our guide by clicking on the sections below. If you have any questions or queries regarding clinical negligence claims, please contact a member of our team on the following telephone number 0800 652 3087.

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A Guide To Claims For Medical Negligence At A Walk-In Centre

This guide about claims for medical negligence at a walk-in centre provides essential reading on the eligibility criteria for claiming medical negligence compensation. We explain how if you are treated with a poor standard of care this could cause suffering that could have otherwise been avoided. The guide covers the services provided in a walk-in centre and how they have proved incredibly useful and reliable since their introduction.

Our guide explains how you have the right to lodge a complaint if the treatment you received was substandard. We also provide valuable information on the time limits associated with medical negligence claims, and how these should be respected to avoid a case being time-barred.

The guide also offers an idea of how much an injury caused by clinical negligence could be awarded. General damages and special damages are explained and how they are worked out in successful claims. We explain what evidence is needed to support any claims for losses and expenses incurred.

If a lawyer determines you have a valid negligence claim against a walk-in centre, you would typically be offered No Win No Fee terms. This would allow you to seek clinical negligence compensation without paying an upfront fee.

If you would like to speak to a member of the Medical Negligence Assist team, please get in touch today. Your claim could be assessed in a no-obligation, initial consultation which is free of charge.

What Is Medical Negligence At A Walk-In Centre?

All medical professionals in the UK which include doctors, nurses, dentists whether employed by the NHS or working in the private healthcare sector owe their patients a ‘duty of care’. The services and treatments they provide must be of an acceptable standard and therefore, above any sort of reproach. Should a medical practitioner be in breach of their duty of care and as a consequence you are harmed or suffer an injury, their actions could be deemed negligent. This could open up the subject of whether you could be eligible to seek compensation by making a clinical negligence claim.

Walk-in centres provide treatment for those who suffer minor injuries or who develop minor health issues that need treatment. They are not equipped to deal with more serious medical complaints or health issues. However, if you suffer something more serious, you can visit an ‘urgent treatment centre’.  Appointments can be booked by calling 111 or by obtaining a referral from your GP.

Urgent treatment centres may have the necessary equipment which means a medical practitioner has the right tools to diagnose and treat the majority of common injuries and ailments.

Urgent and emergency care (UEC) services help take the pressure off Accident and Emergency departments of hospitals. However, it is vital that the difference between urgent and emergency treatment/care is understood. This is explained below:

  • Emergency treatment/care – this is when a condition, injury, illness is life-threatening and therefore must be treated as a matter of medical emergency
  • Urgent treatment/care – this is when an injury or illness/condition needs urgent treatment but is not deemed life-threatening.

Clinical negligence on the part of a medical professional could result in the following errors being made:

If you believe you suffered or were harmed through the negligence of a medical professional in a walk-in centre, please get in touch with a member of our team today.

Healthcare Companies Providing NHS Walk-In Centre Services

Walk-in centres throughout the UK are run by various healthcare companies which includes the following:

  • Care UK
  • Virgin Care
  • Malling Health
  • The Practice
  • The Hurley Group
  • Primecare
  • Bondcare Medical Services
  • Danum Medical Services
  • DMC Healthcare
  • GTD Primary Care
  • Local Care Direct
  • One Medicare

The services provided by each of these healthcare companies may differ in the various walk-in centres but it is possible to find an urgent care centre located nearest to you by using the NHS search tool. You can also search for healthcare services located close to where you live by using the NHS medical services near you tool.

Can I Go To An NHS Walk-In Centre?

If you need treatment for an injury you suffered or a health issue you developed you can visit a walk-in centre. These centres are not equipped to deal with urgent, life-threatening conditions, but can treat the more minor injuries and ailments that a person may need to have treated as quickly as possible.

The sort of injuries and health issues that can be treated at a walk-in centre includes the following:

  • Minor head injuries
  • Strains and sprains
  • Cuts and grazes
  • Suspected fractures/broken bones
  • Minor burns and scalds
  • Insect stings and bites
  • Ear and throat issues/infections
  • Rashes, skin infections
  • Eye issues
  • Colds and coughs
  • High fever/temperature in adults and children
  • Stomach pain
  • Diarrhoea and vomiting
  • Emergency contraception

It may be now possible to be tested for Covid-19 when you visit a walk-in centre. It may also be possible to be vaccinated at a walk-in centre in the future too. Different Walk-in centres offer different services. Some are nurse-led and some have doctors present. It is vital to phone ahead and ensure they can provide treatment to whatever ailment you are suffering from.

If you feel the treatment or care you were given in a walk-in centre was substandard and this caused you harm, please get in touch with Medical Negligence Assist today.

Where Is My Nearest Walk-In Clinic?

The NHS website provides search tools so you can locate the closest walk-in centre to you and the various services that are nearest to you. These are as follows:

Walk-in centres are usually dotted about each city so that patients can access them easily. However, if you are suffering from a condition that may be classed as a medical emergency it is vital that you attend an A and E department so you can be assessed promptly. This could include if you have suffered a head injury.

When To Visit A Walk-In Centre Or Clinic

If you injure yourself or develop a health issue and you cannot get a quick appointment with your GP, providing your injury or condition is not serious, you can visit a walk-in centre to receive treatment. Walk-in centres are not equipped to deal with any sort of injury or health issue which is deemed life-threatening or extremely serious.

You would typically be treated by a qualified nurse or another medical practitioner in a walk-in centre.

If your injury or health issue is deemed more serious, you can visit an urgent care centre for the necessary treatment. These centres are equipped with more medical equipment and have various doctors who specialise in different areas of medicine.

To find out more about clinical negligence claims and whether your case is valid, please contact an adviser today.

Examples Of Medical Negligence Which Could Affect Visitors To Walk-In Centres

Being a victim of medical negligence does not automatically qualify you to be entitled to compensation. There must be proof that a physician has acted below their expected standards and that this has caused you to suffer further harm than you would have experienced. For instance, you may have received a misdiagnosis. If the medical professional has acted within professional standards and capabilities but still not arrived at the correct diagnosis it is unlikely that this will be classed as medical negligence.

However, if you are subjected to treatment that is below the normal standard of a competent doctor you could be harmed by negligent treatment. Medical negligence may cause;

What Are The Different Types Of Clinical Negligence?

When it comes to clinical (medical) negligence, there are 4 categories which are as follows, bearing in mind that every case is treated as being unique:

  • Contributory negligence – this is when the claimant contributed to their condition with an example being a patient failed to take medication as prescribed by a medical practitioner. Should this be the case, claiming clinical negligence compensation proves a lot more challenging
  • Vicarious liability – this involves a claimant seeking compensation for medical negligence against an organisation/company that operates a walk-in centre because they employed a medical professional who failed in their ‘duty of care’ towards the patient they were treating
  • Comparative negligence – this would mean you are responsible for the condition you developed, but the medical practitioner would also be liable and not exonerated. The ‘balance of liability’ would be decided by a court
  • Gross negligence – the most serious type of clinical negligence, this involves a medical practitioner failing in their duty of care towards a patient. Most gross negligence cases are heard before a judge who could rule that the medical professional concerned would lose their licence to treat patients

For more information and advice on how to claim compensation for clinical negligence, please get in touch today.

How To Complain About Services Provided By Walk-In Centres

If you feel the standard of care or treatment you received in a walk-in centre was substandard and you suffered as a consequence, you have the right to file a complaint with the NHS. Most cases are resolved by talking to the staff at a medical centre although there are other options too. This includes discussing your concerns with someone from the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).

It is always a good idea to talk to an adviser at NHS Resolution. These deal with all litigation when it comes to clinical and non-clinical claims made against the NHS.

To find out whether you have a valid medical negligence claim after being treated at a walk-in centre, please speak to a member of our team today.

Time Limits To Claim For Negligence At A Walk-In Clinic

The time limit to making a medical negligence claim which is generally 3 years from the time the negligence took place. In short, you would need to file your case within 3 years to avoid it being time-barred. However, the statutory time limit may begin later if the following applies:

  • When a child is harmed through medical negligence, the time limit does not start until a minor reaches 18 years of age. A claim can be made sooner by a litigation friend. If no claim is made before the child’s 18 birthday they then have 3 years to start their own claim.
  • If the claimant lacks the mental capacity to make a medical negligence claim themselves, there is no time limit
  • When the claimant is not aware straight away of the avoidable suffering caused by the medical negligence then their time limit comes into effect from the date they become knowledgable.

To find out what time limit is associated with your clinical negligence claim, please get in touch with Medical Negligence Assist today.

What Could I Claim For Medical Negligence At A Walk-In Centre?

We have added a table indicating how much a claimant could be awarded in a successful medical negligence claim for the harm suffered. The amounts provided are based on the Judicial College Guidelines. This type of compensation is called general damages. It is awarded for the pain and suffering claimants were caused.

The amounts do not include special damages which are awarded as a way to compensate claimants for their losses and out of pocket expenses.

Type negligenceAmounts awarded in General Damages based on Judicial College Guidelines
Failure to diagnose ectopic pregnancy causing infertility £31,950 - £95,850
Infertility caused by disease or injury £107,810 - £158,970
Traumatic injury £40,370 - £58,100
Traumatic injury £11,820 - £16,860
Toxicosis£36,060 - £49,270
Brain damage£264,650 - £379,100

As previously touched upon, you would also be able to claim back losses and out of pocket expenses associated with the injury and harm you were caused through the clinical negligence of a medical professional in a walk-in centre. Special damages are based on ‘actual’ expenditure and losses which means you must provide evidence in support of any claims.

The sort of losses and expenses you could include in a clinical negligence claim are as follows:

  • Care costs if you need help with chores at home during your recovery
  • Medical expenses which cover prescription costs, treatment, therapy, and rehabilitation provided by a private consultation/specialist and which is not covered by the NHS
  • Home and vehicle adaptations if deemed necessary
  • Travel expenses which cover the cost of getting to the place where you are being treated and any parking fees that are incurred. You can claim travel expenses whether you go by car, taxi, train, or bus
  • Loss of earnings while you were off work
  • Loss of future income if you cannot work again

For a better idea of how much your medical negligence claim might be worth, please contact one of our advisers today.

No Win No Fee Compensation Claims For Medical Negligence At A Walk-In Centre

You may be worried about the cost of having a solicitor act on your behalf if you want to seek compensation for harm you were caused through the negligence of a medical professional. There is an option to have a No Win No Fee lawyer represent you. In short, the solicitor would not request that you pay them any fees whether upfront or ongoing for them to begin their investigations.

When you enter into a Conditional Fee Agreement with a lawyer, they agree to only take a ‘success fee’ when you are awarded clinical negligence compensation in a successful claim. This amount is an agreed percentage of the money you are awarded which is deducted from the compensation you are awarded the balance being paid to you. Should your claim be unsuccessful, because you signed a No Win No Fee agreement, there would be no success fee to pay the lawyer who acted on your behalf.

Enquire Now About Your Injury Or Illness Claim

If you have any questions regarding your clinical negligence claim, or you would like to discuss your case with one of our advisers, you can do so in the following ways:

  • Phone us on 0800 652 3087 – our lines are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week
  • Complete our online claims form by clicking here
  • Request we call you back
  • Chat with our online adviser

Where To Get More Help

For more advice and information about contributory negligence, please follow the link provided below:

Contributory negligence explained

If you would like more information regarding time limits to making a negligence claim, please read our guide by clicking on link provided:

More information regarding time limits

For more information on how long some medical negligence claims take to settle, please follow the link to our guide below:

How long do clinical negligence claims take to settle

 

Guide by Honey

Edited by Ruth