Bournemouth Medical Negligence Solicitors – No Win No Fee Claims Lawyers Guide

Medical negligence Bournemouth

Medical negligence Bournemouth

Have you suffered some type of medical negligence? Are you searching for medical negligence solicitors in Bournemouth?  Medical negligence cases can be difficult and complex to say the least, we always advise that if you are thinking of pursuing a clinical negligence claim an expert solicitor will help a case go a long way. Our panel of expert medical negligence solicitors have the legal expertise and the experience to help you with your claim.

This guide will explain what you need to know prior to making a clinical negligence claim.  We’ll also provide examples of the different type of negligence that could potentially occur.

Our panel of medical negligence solicitors can cover the Bournemouth area so, if you’re ready to begin a claim today, please call us right away on 0800 652 3087.   If you want more information first, then please carry on reading this helpful guide.

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How Do I Find A Solicitor For My Clinical Negligence Claim?

Choosing the right medical negligence solicitor if you are thinking of pursuing a medical negligence case maybe key for your case to succeed. There is no denying that such cases can be very difficult to prove as it must be proven that another medical practitioner of the same degree would have not acted in the same way.

You might receive recommendations from your family and friends, you might also read reviews about solicitors online.  This guide will advise you on what else you could consider when choosing the right solicitor to handle your case.  After all, it will be down to them to a) try and ensure you win the case and b) try to get the right level of compensation for your injuries.

A good piece of advice is to speak directly to the solicitor that you’re thinking about using.  Ask them about:

  • Similar cases they’ve handled recently.
  • What level of compensation they achieved for their clients?
  • How they keep you up to date with the progress of your claim.
  • What happens if they receive an offer from the defendant?

Remember, you’ll need to deal with the solicitor and claims handler for what might be a long period of time.  Therefore, it’s essential you know that you can get along with and work with them.

You’ll need to contact them as soon as possible following your medical negligence incident as there is a personal injury claims time limit for all claims in the UK.  This means that claims must be received by the defendant within 3 years of the alleged negligent act there are exception please call one if our advisors to see what time limit may apply to your case.

For children, parents can claim on their behalf or they have 3 years from the date of their 18th birthday.  You shouldn’t wait right till the last minute though as a medical negligence solicitor will require time to prepare the claim and gather the necessary evidence.

Do I Have To Claim With Local Medical Negligence Solicitors

Many people searching for medical negligence solicitors in Bournemouth believe they have to use local medical negligence solicitors. There is no requirement for you to visit the solicitors office.

In this modern world, all communication with a personal injury solicitor can be done over the phone, email and sometimes by using the postal service.

The one part of your claim that you will want to conduct locally is any medical assessment that’s required.   They usually are needed so we have a panel of medical assessment practitioners up and down the country, including the Bournemouth area, so that you won’t need to travel too far.  We’ll provide details of local doctors and specialists in your area, later in this guide.

Reviews Of Different Medical Negligence Solicitors

As we mentioned earlier, using reviews of medical negligence solicitors can be really useful.  It can give you an insight into how successful a solicitor is, how happy clients are with their service and how long they take to handle claims.

However, as you probably appreciate from other online reviews, they’re not always accurate.  Therefore, we recommend you read reviews of medical negligence solicitors as guidance, but you could also speak with the solicitor in question before choosing them or dismissing them as an option.

Our Expert Panel Of Doctors Could Examine Your Injury Or Illness In The Bournemouth Area

As mentioned earlier in this article, if you require a medical examination to assess the extent of your injuries, then we can arrange for this to happen locally.  Here are a few medical experts based in Bournemouth we could use.

Andre Brittain-Dissont
Body In Motion,
467 Christchurch Road,
Bournemouth, BH1 4AD.

Matthew Moorhouse
348 Poole Road,
Bournemouth, BH12 1AW

Ali Al-Bahrani
Derwent Ward,
Royal Bournemouth Hospital,
Castle Lane East,
Bournemouth, BH7 7DW

If one of our panel of expert medical negligence solicitors decides you need a medical assessment, then you’ll be seen by one of the above or another of our local medical assessors.

Bournemouth Hospitals

In general, the hospitals in Bournemouth deal with patients from the Bournemouth region as the surrounding areas have their own large hospitals (such as Southampton General).  For your information, here are a list of private and NHS hospitals in the area:

  • Royal Bournemouth Hospital (NHS).
  • Christchurch Hospital (NHS).
  • Nuffield Health Bournemouth.
  • The Bournemouth Private Clinic.
  • Dorset Heart Clinic.

If you’ve suffered because of NHS negligence (or by a private healthcare provider) at any of these hospitals, please get in touch and we can help you decide whether you’re able to make a claim or not.

We can also help with claims at other medical facilities like GP’s surgeries, care homes, cosmetic surgery clinics and dental practices.

Medical Negligence Cases Our Panel Of Solicitors Could Handle

In the next few sections of this guide, we’ll provide information on possible types of causes of medical negligence.  These include dental negligence, childbirth trauma negligence and  hospital negligence cases.

Don’t worry if you can’t see an example that matches your particular case, please get in touch and let us know what happened and we’ll advise you what options are available.

Negligent Childbirth Trauma

Giving birth can be exhilarating, emotional and scary all at the same time.  It can also be traumatic if either the mother or child is injured during the delivery.  If the injury is caused by negligence due to a substandard service provided by the midwife, doctor, paediatrician or nurse, a compensation claim for medical negligence might be possible.

Potential injuries that could be caused during childbirth include:

  • Broken bones (baby).
  • Bell’s Palsy (baby).
  • Cerebral Palsy (baby).
  • Brachial Plexus Injury (baby).
  • Fissures (mother).
  • Vaginal tears (mother).
  • Ruptured uterus (mother).
  • Post-partum haemorrhage (PPH, mother).

Hospitals Negligence

Usually, when you attend a hospital for treatment, you expect for your illness or injury to be treated and for symptoms to improve.  You probably don’t expect your condition to worsen or to suffer a completely new illness or injury due to the standard of care you have received.

If you’re injured, suffer a new illness or an existing condition is made worse due to substandard medical care, hospitals could be liable for any harm that has been caused through negligence.

Examples of hospital negligence and injuries could possibly include:

  • Late or misdiagnosis of a condition which delays treatment, the condition worsening.
  • Delayed treatment due to cancellations, condition worsens.
  • Super bugs such as MRSA through unhygienic practices.
  • Incorrect levels of anaesthetic being administered causing unnecessary pain.
  • Wrong medicines being prescribed, or the wrong dosage being dispensed causing illness.

Surgical Mistakes And Malpractice

There is always a risk with any form of surgery.  You may sign a consent form for the surgery knowing of any associated risks.  Although many surgeries present potential risks and although you have signed a consent form that does not mean that when negligence happens causing harm that this is acceptable.

Some examples of surgical negligence might include:

  • Items being left in the body after surgery. This could include surgical equipment, sponges, clamps and clips.
  • Infections caused by poor hygiene in the operating theatres.
  • Incorrect operation carried out.
  • Too much or not enough anaesthetic was administered.
  • Other body parts or organs injured during your operation.

Medical Negligence Assist may be able to help and offer advice for any errors that have happened during a surgical procedure that has caused negligent harm regardless of if the surgery was medically needed, opted for, an emergency or due to cosmetic reasons.

Compensation For Nursing Home Negligence

Cases of negligence in nursing homes can be particularly harrowing.  If you have a loved one in care, you expect them to receive a decent level of care, particularly if they are vulnerable due to their age.

Examples of nursing or care home negligence may include;

  • Bruising and soreness due to incorrect manual handling techniques.
  • Broken or fractured bones from falls due to not being supervised.
  • Infections caused by poor hygiene standards.
  • Illness because medicines were not dispensed correctly.

Compensation for nursing home negligence can be tricky to prove, especially if the victim is too frail to provide evidence.  Our team know what’s required to make a successful claim so please get in touch to discuss what evidence you’ll need to provide.

Cancer Misdiagnosis Cases

Cancer is one of the most daunting diagnosis’ you could potentially receive but it could be a lot more devastating if the diagnosis could have happened much sooner giving a more clearer prognosis.

Any delay in treatment of cancer could be very serious.  At best, it could mean the patient has had to suffer with their symptoms longer than they should’ve done.  In the worst cases though, the cancer may have become untreatable in the time it took to be correctly diagnosed and lead to the shortening of a patient’s life.

If you or a loved one have suffered because of a misdiagnosis or late diagnosis of cancer, then please call us to discuss your case.

Negligent Dental Care

As well as doctors, nurses, surgeons and care workers, dentists could also be at fault for negligence if the service they provide is below what is expected of them resulting in avoidable injuries, suffering and illnesses. If you undergo a procedure that wasn’t required, you’re injured while undergoing treatment or you’re prescribed the wrong medicine which makes you ill, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

Our team can help with dental medical negligence claims so please get in touch if you’d like to discuss your case.

General Practice Mistakes And Negligence

GP Doctors are usually the first people we turn to when we’re worried about our health.  They have the unenviable job of trying to diagnose what’s wrong with us, usually within a 10 minute appointment. If doctors fail to diagnose a condition, not pick up on serious symptoms, fail to refer to a specialist doctor if needed for treatment, do not refer patients for diagnostic testing when needed a patients condition could be allowed to worsen.

A mistake by a GP could cause you to suffer more if:

  • An illness is misdiagnosed, meaning that you don’t receive treatment straight away or you receive the wrong treatment making you more ill.
  • The illness could’ve been spotted earlier. If you attend the GP’s surgery on multiple occasions with the same symptoms but the problem is not diagnosed straight away allowing it to worsen.
  • When the wrong medicine or dosage is prescribed causing you to suffer unnecessary side effects.

You might be entitled to compensation if you’ve been made ill, suffered an injury or your condition was made worse because of a mistake made by a GP.  Please contact one of our specialist advisors to discuss your case in more detail.

Local Area NHS Trust Medical Negligence Statistics

The table below shows how many compensation claims, along with payments, made by the NHS trust in Bournemouth in the latest NHS figures.

Healthcare ProviderClaims in 2017/2018Number of Incidents 2017/2018CNST Damages Paid
Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (The)34*£2,962,402

These figures are for Bournemouth hospitals negligence claims and other NHS services in the area too.  They don’t include private healthcare providers as they are not obliged to submit these figures in the same way.

No Win No Fee Clinical Negligence Solicitors

Our panel of expert medical negligence solicitors all work on a no win no fee basis for cases that they take on, so we’ll explain a bit about how no win no fee works.

The first step is for the solicitor to assess your claim in a free consultation.  They’ll ask questions about what happened, your injuries and the impact they’ve caused you.  If they agree you have a strong case, they’ll prepare a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

The CFA is the legal name for a no win no fee agreement.  It will state that you don’t need to pay the solicitor up front and you don’t have to pay them at all if they lose the case.

If they win the case, the CFA will explain about their success fee.  This is a percentage of your compensation (limited to 25%) which is paid to the solicitor for taking on your case.  When the compensation is awarded, the solicitor deducts their success fee and sends the rest to you.

There is no need to pay up front and if you win, you don’t have to find the funds to pay the solicitor as payment is made straight from the compensation.

Contact Our Team Today

Our panel of medical negligence solicitors can cover the Bournemouth area and help you to seek compensation if you have a valid claim.

If you’d like to contact us, please get in touch by:

  • Telephone: Call one of our specialist advisors today on 0800 652 3087.
  • Online: Fill in this online claims form to start your claim and we’ll get back to you.

However you decide to get in touch, we’ll begin by listening to details of the medical negligence.  We’ll either introduce to one of our panel of expert medical negligence solicitors or provide you with free advice about what else you need to do prior to starting your claim.

Helpful Links

For further information we’ve linked to some other useful resources which you might find useful:

Medical Negligence Calculator – a useful tool which provides example amounts for medical negligence.

MRSA Claims – This guide provides information about MRSA, other super bugs, and when you might be entitled to compensation.

Birth Injury Claims – An article which explains the types of birth injuries, to both mother and baby, which could potentially lead to compensation claims.

Find a Dentist – A useful NHS website where you can search for NHS dental services offered in your area.