Hospital Negligence Claims

We all expect a good standard of care when we are in hospital. While most hospitals treat patients effectively, there are times when mistakes are made, and the treatment and care provided falls below medically acceptable standards.

If you do not receive the quality of hospital care you are entitled to, the impact can be devastating. It can leave you with serious or life-changing injuries and complications.

If you or a loved one has been harmed due to hospital negligence, you may be able to make a compensation claim.

Our expert team of medical negligence solicitors have helped many people and their families over the years to secure maximum hospital negligence compensation due to:

• Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
• Delayed treatment
• Failure to monitor and treat medical conditions (e.g. high blood pressure)
• Hospital-acquired infections
• Neonatal infections
• Sepsis
• A&E negligence
• Surgical negligence
• Late cancer diagnosis
• Late cancer treatment
• Pregnancy negligence
• Gynaecological negligence
• Birth injury
• Prescription errors (e.g. wrong medication given) 
• Stroke misdiagnosis
• Defective medical products and equipment
• COVID-19 medical negligence
• Cosmetic surgery negligence
• Fatal errors

Hospital negligence compensation can help you and your family pick up the pieces and deal with the financial impact. It can help cover the cost of:

• Extra medical treatment
• Rehabilitation
• Care and support
• Loss of earnings (including future loss of earnings)
• Travel expenses to medical appointments
• House or car adaptations
• Specialist equipment

Our specialist medical negligence solicitors are experienced in holding both the NHS and private hospitals to account for substandard medical treatment and care.

We have extensive experience supporting people with a wide range of hospital negligence claims across England and Wales.

We offer No Win No Fee funding which means there is no financial risk to you or any hidden, unexpected costs. In the highly unlikely event your claim is unsuccessful, you will not have to pay a penny. Click here to find out more information about No Win No Fee.

Our network of regional offices includes Bristol, Cardiff, the Isle of Wight, Plymouth, Salisbury, Southampton and Swindon.

To book a free, no obligation chat with us call 0345 357 9645, email customersupport@simpsonmillar.co.uk or complete our online enquiry form.

How making a hospital negligence compensation claim works

Free initial consultation to see if you may be owed compensation

We offer a free initial consultation if you or a family member has been harmed due to hospital negligence and think you may have a claim.

Call us now on Freephone 0345 357 9645, email customersupport@simpsonmillar.co.uk or complete our online enquiry form for a free, ‘no strings attached’ chat.

No Win No Fee hospital negligence claims

Making a hospital negligence claim with Novum Law is easy and hassle-free. Our hospital negligence claims are funded on a No Win No Fee basis, which means you do not have to worry about legal costs as we progress your claim.

In the unlikely event your claim is unsuccessful, you will have nothing to pay. Click here to find out more about No Win No Fee.

How do I prove medical negligence?

If you have experienced hospital negligence and you have suffered a serious injury or your condition has got worse as a result, contact our specialist medical negligence team today.

We will listen to what happened to you and give our expert opinion on whether you will be able to make a successful hospital negligence claim.

If we take on your case, we will contact the hospital responsible for your negligent treatment and start gathering the evidence needed to prove the care you received was below an acceptable medical standard. We will also obtain independent advice from leading medical experts in support of your case. The hospital may accept responsibility at an early stage and our solicitors will then try to secure interim payments which can ease any financial pressures you are facing and can fund additional medical care and rehabilitation, before your claim is fully settled.

Working out how much compensation you are owed for negligent hospital treatment

The value of your hospital negligence claim is calculated using several factors including:

• General damages – the severity of your injury or illness, how much pain and suffering you are experiencing and the impact on your quality of life.
• Special damages – the financial cost including loss of earnings, medication and treatment costs, rehabilitation and care costs, travel expenses to hospital appointments, house and vehicle adaptations, and any specialist equipment you need.

Click here to find out more about how compensation is calculated.

Time limits for hospital negligence claims

In most hospital negligence cases, you have three years to make a compensation claim. This starts from the date your injury happened (or the date you first became aware that your injury or illness was a result of hospital negligence).

There are some exceptions to the three-year time limit. For example, if you are making a hospital negligence claim on behalf of a child, the time limit does not start until their 18^th birthday. They would then have a further 3 years to bring their own claim. However, if they lack mental capacity, there are no time limits for making a claim on their behalf.

If you have sadly lost a loved one due to hospital negligence, you have three years from the date they died to make a claim.

To learn more about time limits, you can read our blog article.  If you have any questions about time limits, you can call us on Freephone 0345 357 9645 or email customersupport@simpsonmillar.co.uk.

Settling a hospital negligence claim out of court

It is highly likely that your hospital negligence claim will not go to court. This means your claim will settle faster and you will get your compensation sooner. However, if your case does go to court, we will be with you every step of the way.

Taking your hospital negligence claim to court

If there is no agreement reached (for example, the hospital does not accept negligence or disagrees with the value of the claim) the case may have to go to court. Even if this happens, it does not necessarily mean you will have to go to court. In many hospital negligence cases, the claims settle before the official court hearing date. However, if your claim does have to go to court, your specialist solicitor will help you through the entire process offering expert support and guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions about hospital negligence claims

What is hospital negligence?

Hospital negligence is any type of substandard medical care or treatment you receive in hospital that causes avoidable harm such as a serious injury, illness, or complications.  This may occur during an emergency in A&E, while being cared for in a ward, during surgery or any scheduled treatment or specialist appointments.

What evidence do you need to support my hospital negligence claim?

Our hospital negligence solicitors will gather evidence to build as strong a case as possible. This will usually include:

• Your detailed medical records
• Witness statements
• Clinical evidence from independent medical experts

Who will I be claiming against during my hospital negligence claim?

It does not matter where you received negligent hospital treatment, our specialist medical negligence team can help you claim compensation from NHS Trusts, private hospitals, and individual medical professionals.

If you are making a claim against the NHS, any compensation secured will be paid by National Health Service Resolution (NHSR), which manages claims made against NHS treatment providers under a number of indemnity schemes.

If you are making a claim due to negligent care provided in a private hospital, any compensation secured may be paid by the individual doctor’s insurance because they tend to be self-employed. If the negligent treatment was provided by an employee working on behalf of the private hospital, the hospital’s insurance policy would be liable for the compensation owed.

Can I claim compensation if my loved one died due to hospital negligence?

Yes, if your loved one has tragically died because of negligent hospital treatment, you may still be able to make a medical negligence compensation claim. Our expert solicitors can help you secure compensation for your loved one’s pain and suffering and any financial losses you have incurred.

We can also help you if there is an inquest into your loved one’s death. Click here to find out more about inquests.

It is not working out with my current lawyer – can you take over my hospital negligence claim?

Yes, we have a strong track record of taking over medical negligence claims from other law firms, no matter how complex.

It is easy to transfer your case to Novum Law. All you need to do is contact us on Freephone 0345 357 9645 or online for a free, no obligation chat. Click here to find out more.

Was your hospital negligence claim under settled?

If your existing solicitor has already secured a hospital negligence compensation claim that you feel is well below what you should be entitled to, you still have the option to seek a second expert opinion. Click here to find out more.

Do you have a question we have not answered?

If you have a question that is not listed above, please visit our FAQs page. Alternatively, please get in touch and we will be happy to answer your query.

Book your free initial consultation with our hospital negligence solicitors

If you believe you or a loved one may have a claim for a delayed diagnosis, our medical negligence solicitors in Bristol, Cardiff, the Isle of Wight, Plymouth, Salisbury, Southampton and Swindon are here for you.

To start the process of making your compensation claim, contact us on Freephone 0345 357 9645 or online for a free, no obligation chat.