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

Medical negligence Stafford

Medical negligence Stafford

Choosing a medical negligence lawyer can be a tricky job especially when you consider picking the right one might impact how much compensation you could receive.   You might think that you need to, “Use medical negligence solicitors in my area”, which isn’t the case (and we’ll explain why later in this guide). There are other, more important, considerations to make to ensure you have the right solicitor on your side. If you’re searching for medical negligence solicitors in Stafford, then this guide will provide information on what options are available to you.

Our panel of medical negligence solicitors are not based in Stafford but can cover the Stafford area which means they could help you claim for any NHS negligence or negligence at a private hospital or clinic. To discuss claiming right away, please call our experts on 0800 652 3087.

If you would like to learn more first, please continue reading this guide.

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How Do I Best Choose A Solicitor For My Claim?

While negligence cases can range from minor to major, the Mid Staffordshire scandal is arguably one of the worst in the UK for many years. This guide won’t really cover the historic scandal but if you’re wondering, “What was the Mid Staffordshire Scandal?” or, “What happened at the Mid Staffordshire NHS foundation trust?” then, in brief, here are the basic details.

Between 2005 and 2009 it is estimated that the main hospital in Stafford was offering appalling conditions of care which led to the death of hundreds of patients which might’ve been avoided. This article won’t cover the reasons but, if you’d like to find out more, you can read one of a number of government reports into the scandal here.

If you’ve been involved in any medical negligence in Staffordshire and want to choose a solicitor to help you make a claim, where do you start?  Well, many people read medical negligence solicitors reviews or ask friends for a recommendation. These are both useful starting points, but in this guide, we’ll provide more information about what else you might do as well.

One thing to bear in mind is that in most cases there is a medical negligence claims time limit in the UK of 3 years.  Therefore, if you’re thinking of making a claim, you should contact a personal injury solicitor as soon as possible. (There are, however, some exceptions to this time limit, so please do contact us for more information). Although 3 years does seem like a long time, it can soon disappear, and a solicitor will want as much time as possible to ensure they can build a solid claim and gather the supporting evidence required.

Should I Claim With A Local Clinical Negligence Claims Solicitor?

In the modern world, we live and work in, the location of a solicitor is no longer important.  It’s far more important to choose a solicitor or personal injury lawyer who specialises in medical negligence claims and experience in making claims similar to yours.

Our panel of expert medical negligence solicitors can help with any personal injury claim in the Stafford area whether it’s for Stafford hospital compensation claims, dental negligence, care home negligence or any other form of negligence by a medical professional.

Our Panel Of Doctors Could Assess Your Injuries

To ensure you don’t have to travel far when making a claim, we have a panel of doctors in the Stafford area who can undertake a medical assessment as part of your claim.

Here are a few local specialists we could use:

David McCollum
Eccleshall Road,
Stafford, ST16 1JJ.

Warwick Brindley
Achilles Heal Physiotherapy,
32A Mill Bank,
Stafford, ST16 2QT.

Mamtha Balendra Kumar
Maple Consulting Room,
Faraday Road,
Stafford, ST16 3NQ.

Should I Trust Reviews Of A Solicitor?

As with any reviews you read these days, solicitors reviews can be used as a good starting point when choosing which one to use. You should, however, make your own decision by calling the solicitor directly once you’ve whittled your choice down. Use reviews to find out if previous clients seem happy with their compensation amount and the frequency of updates from the solicitor.

Then call and discuss your claim with the solicitor personally to find out what they can offer and how they plan to process your claim.

Stafford Medical Negligence Claims Our Panel Of Solicitors Could Conduct

Over the coming sections of this guide, we’ll look at some of the different types of negligence which could lead to a claim.  If you can’t see an example similar to yours, don’t worry, we could still help.

To be eligible to claim, a medical negligence solicitor would usually want to prove that:

  1. You received substandard care from a medical professional such as a doctor, nurse, dentist or surgeon.
  2. And that you were left injured, became ill or your existing condition was made worse because of the substandard care.

Therefore, if you meet these criteria but don’t see circumstances similar to yours below, please call our team to discuss your options.

Stafford Hospital Medical Negligence Claims

In general, a trip to the hospital should result in a patient receiving the treatment they need to make them better or manage their condition.

If they are made worse, become injured or become ill because hospital staff make a mistake, fail to follow procedures or are negligent in any other way, then a claim might be possible. Examples include:

  • Any illness caused to a patient because they’ve been prescribed the wrong medicine or dosage.
  • Suffering that was caused by a late or misdiagnosis of a condition.
  • Any injury caused by a surgical mistake.
  • Or any suffering caused following the contraction of an illness due to MRSA or other superbugs.

Stafford And Staffordshire Hospitals

For your information, here are some of the main hospitals serving the Stafford region:

  • County Hospital (formerly Stafford Hospital).
  • St George’s Hospital.
  • Rowley Hospital.
  • Cannock Chase Hospital.
  • Nuffield Health, North Staffordshire.

As mentioned above our panel of medical negligence solicitors are not based in the Stafford area but can help with claims of medical negligence or abuse at any Stafford hospital so please contact us to discuss your circumstances.

Negligence In Surgery

For most operations performed by a surgeon, there will be some risks associated with the procedure. In most cases, the surgeon will explain these prior to the operation and a consent form will be signed. That doesn’t mean, however, that compensation couldn’t be sought following any injury sustained during surgery that you can prove was caused by the negligence of the surgeon or their team.

Some examples of surgical negligence which might lead to a claim include:

  • Pain suffered in surgery because the patient woke up due to an anaesthetic error.
  • Any pain or suffering caused because items of surgical equipment were left inside the body cavity.
  • If the patient suffers complications, pain or undue harm because a medical clip or suturing fails due to poor application.

Negligence In Cancer Treatment

Many cancers have become far more treatable over recent years because of advances in modern medicine. The prognosis for many patients can increase if the cancer is spotted early enough and treatment is commenced as soon as possible.

Therefore, if a medical professional fails to spot the symptoms of cancer at the earliest possible opportunity, a patient could suffer due to delayed treatment. This could mean a stage one cancer becomes stage two or three and it could mean that the patient suffers more pain than they would have had the treatment started earlier.  It could also mean, in the worst cases, the cancer become untreatable.

In any case of delayed or misdiagnosis of cancer, you could be able to claim for compensation. If you believe this is true in your case, please contact one of our specialist advisors.

Negligence In Childbirth

If you or your baby have been injured during pregnancy, labour or post-birth due to a mistake by a medical professional such as a midwife or doctor, you may be able to claim compensation for the injuries.

Health care professionals are highly trained so that they can handle births that are un-ordinary and go smoothly as well as those which are complex and involve unexpected problems. If they fail to spot a problem or don’t follow the correct procedures which means either mother, baby or both become injured, then it might be able to make a claim for compensation.

Example injuries during childbirth include:

Baby:

  • Fractured bones from the improper use of forceps.
  • Asphyxiation leading to conditions such as Cerebral Palsy.

Mother:

  • Preventable 4th-degree tears.
  • Mistakes during Caesarean Section procedures.
  • Delays in diagnosing problems such as ectopic pregnancy.

Negligence In GP Care

While GP’s are sometimes put under pressure because of the number of patients they need to see each week, they are still the first point of contact for many patients who have health issues.

Any mistake made by a GP could lead to a compensation claim if it can be proved that the mistake caused the patient to suffer unnecessarily. Some examples are listed below:

  • If the GP fails to refer the patient to a specialist because they misdiagnose a condition causing the patient to suffer due to delayed treatment.
  • When a patient suffers side effects having been prescribed the incorrect medication.
  • Or if the GP doesn’t spot a problem on the first (or later) appointment meaning the patient suffers or their condition worsens.

Negligence In Nursing Homes And Care Homes

Placing a vulnerable loved one in a care home requires a lot of faith being placed in the care home staff. While they are trained in the latest procedures and health and safety guidelines, if they fail to meet their duty of care towards a patient who subsequently becomes injured, then a compensation claim might be the right course of action.

Examples of care home negligence can include:

  • Any form of suffering caused by care home abuse.
  • Injuries sustained during a fall because an incorrect lifting technique was used.
  • If a patient suffers from pressure sores (bed sores) because staff haven’t moved them frequently enough.

If you believe a loved one has suffered due to care home negligence, please call to discuss whether you could claim or not.

Negligence In Dental Care

Hygienists, dental nurses, and dentists all have to ensure their patients’ safety while undergoing any form of treatment, no matter how minor. In cases where dental professionals fail to follow standard procedure, make a mistake or are negligent in any other way then the patient could seek compensation for any injuries or illness caused by the negligence.

If you think you’ve suffered because of dental negligence, let us help you assess your claim and help you decide whether you are able to pursue compensation or not.

Data On NHS Medical Negligence Statistics In Stafford And Staffordshire

In the table below, you’ll find compensation amounts paid by NHS trusts in the Stafford area between 2017 and 2018.

Healthcare ProviderClaims in 2017/2018
(*Indicates less then 5)		Number of Incidents 2017/2018Damages Payments
North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust*0£0
South Staffordshire & Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust**£99,115
Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent Partnership NHS Trust110£77,667

No Win No Fee Stafford Medical Negligence Claims

A big worry for some clients is the cost of hiring a medical negligence solicitor. This is why most offer a no win no fee service for any claim they agree to take on. Here’s the basics of a no win no fee agreement:

  • Firstly, there’s nothing to pay upfront to begin your claim.
  • You don’t pay your solicitor if they fail to win you compensation.
  • And if they do win, you don’t need to transfer any funds to them as their success fee is taken from your compensation.

Contacting Our Team

If you’ve finished reading this guide and would like to discuss beginning a claim with us today, please contact us by calling free on 0800 652 3087 or by providing basic details of your claim via this online claim form.

Remember, our panel of medical negligence solicitors are not based in Stafford but can cover the area and could help you with a no win no fee claim today.

Helpful Resources

To provide further help, we’ve linked to some useful resources below:

St George’s Hospital
Corporation Street,
Stafford, ST16 3SR

Inspection Report – The latest care report for St George’s from the Care Quality Commission.

Care Home Safety Guidelines – Information provided for managers of care homes by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

NHS Service Locator – Find any GP service including dentists, GPs and hospitals by using this NHS website.

Dental Negligence Claims – More information on when you could make a negligence claim against a dentist.

Claiming for MRSA – This guide provides detailed information about when you could claim for illnesses caused by MRSA.

Misdiagnosis Negligence – Please read this guide regarding misdiagnosis medical negligence claims.

Written by Brett.

Edited by Charlotte.