Category Archives: Medical negligence compensation

Wimborne Medical Negligence Solicitors

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If you live in Wimborne, you’re likely to have been treated at Wimborne Community Hospital, otherwise known as Victoria Hospital, at some point. If not, you’ve probably received treatment at one of the town’s GP practices or even at a dentist.

You’ll know, then, that the potential for things to go wrong is quite high, despite the fact that it’s thankfully rare.

Things do go wrong, though, and when a mistake is made in your medical treatment or there is an error in your diagnosis, great harm and trauma can be caused — both physically and psychologically. In this case, you may well have a case for clinical negligence against the medical professionals who treated you.

If you do live in Wimborne and have been unfortunate enough to have suffered from medical negligence, you will not be able to find a specialist medical negligence solicitor in Wimborne to run your compensation claim – at least at the time of writing this blog entry.

Thankfully, Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire-based solicitors Bonallack & Bishop have the trained specialist solicitors you need – and can make home or hospital visits to clients both in Wimborne, and throughout Dorset. Our team have helped injured patients throughout Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset win medical compensation worth many millions of pounds.

MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE SPECIALISTS – WHY INSTRUCTING THEM IS CRUCIAL

To get the best possible result in your medical negligence claim, appointing a genuinely specialist solicitor to run your case is so very important.

Your solicitor will need not only legal knowledge but also a good understanding of complex medical concepts – how else will they make sense of your medical records and any x-ray or independent medical report about your condition. Non-specialist solicitors simply don’t have the skills in this most complex area of law.

The medical negligence solicitors here at Bonallack and Bishop have the experience you need to recover the compensation you deserve.

HOW OUR MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE TEAM CAN HELP YOU CLAIM

o We offer FREE initial phone advice

o We provide FREE first consultation

o Our solicitors can make home or hospital visits to clients both in Wimborne, and throughout Dorset

o We offer ‘no win no fee agreements’ – so you don’t need to worry about having to pay your legal costs whether you win or lose your claim for compensation

o Our team cover the full range of medical negligence claims – and have particular experience of birth injury, hip replacement recall, spinal injury and fatal accident claims

o Our accident claim team only deal with medical negligence and personal injury claims – and we only act only for claimants

CALL US ON 01202 834450 TODAY

Too many people miss out on their chance to win compensation following medical negligence because they leave it too late to make a claim – so don’t delay.

Call 01202 834450 TODAY to see if you have grounds for a medical negligence claim, or contact us using the contact form below:

    Wincanton Medical Negligence Solicitors

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    People living in Wincanton are fortunate to have the highly-rated Wincanton Community Hospital in their town. However, despite the hospital’s excellent reputation and level of care, sometimes standards do slip and mistakes are made. In any other walk of life, mistakes can often be worked around and a simple apology will do. In a medical setting, though, that’s not always the case.

    If you’ve been affected by a medical professional incorrectly diagnosing or treating you at Wincanton Community Hospital [or at any of the other hospitals, clinics or GP surgeries covering the Wincanton area], the results can be extremely distressing. You could be caused serious injury or harm or even have your life threatened. As a result, you may well be entitled to claim compensation for medical negligence.

    LOCAL MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE EXPERTS?

    If you live in Wincanton, you are going to struggle to find the right medical negligence solicitor locally. Currently, there are simply no accredited specialist medical negligence solicitors in Wincanton.

    But Wessex based solicitors, Bonallack & Bishop, have the expertise you need in order to recover the full compensation payout you deserve – and our team has helped clients throughout Somerset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset recover many millions of pounds in medical negligence compensation.

    WHY SPECIALIST MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE ADVICE IS SO IMPORTANT

    Don’t just take our word for it. To quote from their website of leading patient justice charity AvMA [ Action against Medical Accidents]

    “Whenever choosing a solicitor in clinical negligence look for our quality mark. We can only recommend solicitors who we have accredited through our robust and independent system. Beware of solicitors who imply that they are specialists without accreditation by AvMA or the Law Society.”

    Quite a few law firms do medical negligence work and some claim to be specialists – but, in reality, very few actually are. The difficulty of medical negligence work is often underestimated and the solicitors who specialise in it need skills spanning both medical negligence law and medical practice. Why? Because the evidence needed to support your claim will involve complex medical records, reports, medical terminology and may have to involve, for example, examination of your x-rays to construct a convincing argument on your behalf. Only specialist medical solicitors have these skills.

    CLAIMING COMPENSATION IN WINCANTON – HOW WE CAN HELP

    o Call our team and get a FREE initial phone consultation.

    o Your first interview in person with one of our solicitors is also FREE.

    o Don’t worry about expensive legal fees – because we can handle your claim on a “no win no fee” basis – so whether you win or lose, you won’t have to pay legal fees

    o Our team can visit you in hospital, or in the comfort of your own home in Wincanton or throughout Somerset if your injuries make it difficult for you to travel

    o Our team’s experience covers the full range of medical negligence claims, from GP negligence and surgical errors to birth injury and delayed diagnosis claims.

    CONSIDERING A MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE CLAIM? CALL US NOW

    Join the hundreds of victims of medical negligence who have benefited from our expertise and experience of our medical negligence team. So to win the damages you deserve following a medical error:

    For FREE initial advice, just call our medical negligence claims solicitors today;

    • locally on Salisbury [01722] 422300 or FREE on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544
      OR
    • email us via the contact form below.

      Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust PLaced In Special Measures

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      Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has now been placed into special measures. It is the first mental health trust in England and Wales to receive this drastic treatment.

      A recent inspection of the Trust, which runs various healthcare services and hospitals in East Anglia, detected a number of serious problems resulting in an overall “inadequate” rating

      The inspection by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) led the Chief Inspector of Hospitals to recommend it be placed into special measures. The inspection in question took place in October of 2014. CQC inspectors looked at the Trust overall and at individual services, and rate them on a four point scale of outstanding, good, requires improvement or inadequate.

      The Trust provides learning disability services and mental health care to a large swathe of Suffolk and Norfolk and was found to be in need of significant improvements to ensure that it was providing its patients with care which was effective, safe, well managed and responsive to the needs of patients.

      CQC concerns regarding the Norfolk and Suffolk Trust were passed to Monitor – the official body responsible for health services across England – which has now made the special measures decision.

      “Inadequate” services “requiring improvement”

      Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust was rated “inadequate” when inspectors looked at whether services were properly managed and safe, and “requiring improvement” for services being effective and responsive. The CQC rated the Trust as “inadequate” overall.

      During the inspection the CQC found that across many areas of the Trust staff morale was exceptionally low, and there were concerns raised about the lack of support given to staff by senior management.

      The CQC also found examples of unsafe environments which did not allow patient dignity, not enough staff on duty to meet the needs of patients, poor management of medication and issues around practices concerning seclusion and restraint.

      The CQC demanded that the Trust take action to identify and remove ligature risks, and to make alternative arrangements where staff cannot easily see patients. The CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Dr Paul Lelliott, said that a number of serious problems were identified during the CQC inspection.

      Dr Lelliott said that the CQC was concerned about both the quality and safety of care found in some of the Trust’s services. He also stated that the CQC were worried by the low levels of morale expressed by many of the staff who had been spoken to, who expressed the opinion that they were not being heard by senior Trust management.

      CQC inspectors did identify some positives from the inspection, and found good examples of working practices across disciplines from staff in the child and adolescent community teams.

      Victim of medical negligence from Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Trust? Call our specialists today

      For FREE initial legal advice over the phone as well as a FREE no obligation first appointment with a solicitor specialising in medical negligence:

      ◾Call us now on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 or

      ◾Complete the email contact form below

        New Guidelines Designed to Improve Diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis

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        Guidelines have recently changed to improve diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, as experts warn that many thousands of people may have been misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all.

        MS misdiagnosis – the extent of the problem

        NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, fears that as many as 10% of cases of MS have suffered from misdiagnosis, and said more thorough tests needed to be carried out. There are an estimated 100,000 people suffering from MS in the UK.

        The new NICE guidelines state that MS sufferers should undergo a thorough review of their care package at least every twelve months. NICE also recommends that all suspected cases of MS be referred to an experienced neurologist and that each sufferer be given someone as a single point of contact to speak to about all aspects of their care. It was also suggested that the NHS set up teams made up of professionals from different disciplines such as GPs, neurologists, MS nurses, physiotherapists and psychologists.

        People with MS will also be encouraged to keep active, and those who struggle with fatigue and mobility issues will be given supervised fitness programmes.

        At present, people with MS can go for over a year between reviews of their medication and condition. The new NICE guidelines are aimed at ensuring people with MS get more regular appointments to review their treatment and condition.

        MS is a life-long central nervous system condition which affects the spinal cord and the brain. Early symptoms of MS can often appear when the patient is in their twenties, and can include loss of coordination, sight problems, bladder or bowel problems and weakness in arms and legs. The causes of MS are not completely understood and at present there is no cure.

        MS is, for some reason, more common in northern latitudes, with there being more cases in the north of Scotland than in Southern England.

        Victim of Multiple Sclerosis Misdiagnosis?Thinking of A Medical Negligence Claim? Contact Us Now

        For FREE initial medical negligence phone advice as well as a FREE no obligation first appointment with one of our medical claims lawyers:

        • Call us now on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE advice or
        • Complete the  email contact form below/li>

          Bolam & Bolitho tests — How clinical negligence is assessed

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          If you have been treated unfairly or negligently by a doctor or other health care professional, you may feel that you are entitled to justice and possibly financial compensation. You wouldn’t be alone. It is for this reason that methods and procedures for assessing the impact of clinical negligence and liability have developed. Two such methods are the Bolam and Bolitho tests.Bolam & Bolitho tests — How clinical negligence is assessed

          Call or Email Us Now for Your FREE Specialist Medical Negligence Advice – free phone advice and a free first appointment. Call FREEPHONE 0800 1404544

          The Bolam test

          The Bolam test was first recognised in the case of Bolam vs Friern Hospital Management Committee.

          It states that if a doctor has acted according to proper and accepted practice, he is not guilty of medical negligence. That is to say that if there is a group which is of the opinion that the practice is wrong, it does not automatically mean that the doctor was acting negligently.

          It also states that the standards should be judged by one’s own peers — not the longest-serving doctor or the senior consultant, but those who work in the same field and are peers of the doctor in question.

          Likewise, the standard to which the case should be compared is that of an ordinary and competent doctor acting in everyday practice — not that of an idealised worldview or the ‘perfect’ doctor.

          The Bolitho test

          The Bolitho test, on the other hand, was first decided in the House of Lords. Put simply, it states that the defence could not be considered reasonable if the body of doctors or supporting witnesses were not capable of withstanding logical analysis. That is to say that simply providing a defence is not quite good enough, but that the defence and its body of opinion must be reasonable and responsible. A case which is defended based on a practice which is not reasonable or logical thus cannot be defended.

          Other tests and standards are also taken into account, such as those standardised by the Gregg vs Scott case, which was brought before the House of Lords in 2002. This states that negligence can only be proven in the case of a missed diagnosis if the chance of survival would have been over 50% had the illness been diagnosed. For example, if a case of cancer was not found, but the patient would have only had a 35% chance of survival anyway, negligence would not be found. If the patient would’ve had a 75% chance of survival had the diagnosis been made and treatment proceeded, then it would be decided that the doctor had been negligent.

          These are just a couple of the ways in which clinical negligence claims are assessed, based on previous cases and standards which have developed over the years. If you think you might have a claim for clinical negligence, you should speak to a specialist solicitor in order to seek further advice on the matter.

          Considering making a Clinical Negligence Claim? Call us now

          Our specialist medical negligence team we offer FREE initial advice on the phone and a FREE first appointment for all medical compensation claims.

          • Call us on (01722) 422300 or

          • Fill out the contact form below for a call back at a time to suit you

            The role of a barrister in your medical negligence claim

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            In medical negligence compensation cases where a straightforward settlement is not obtainable a barrister with experience dealing with such cases will be required. Your solicitor will begin by sending a report detailing the conclusions and notes of any medical experts or other specialists who have been consulted on your case to counsel (the barrister).

            It is crucial that this barrister has experience dealing with medical negligence claims because you could lose out on compensation if your barrister handles your case poorly. Fortunately, our firm has established good professional relationships with suitable barristers who would be well suited to handling your medical negligence claim.

            Conferences with your barrister

            After reviewing the paperwork for your case you and your solicitor along with any medical expert and the barrister will have a conference (the organisation of which can be tricky) either in person or via video-calling. Here, your expert will be questioned and the barrister will analyse the strengths and weaknesses of your claim and advise you accordingly on how to move forward. Having represented many victims of medical negligence in court before the barrister will be able to identify any parts of your claim which may be challenged by the other side and whether or not you have enough evidence.

            Experts

            In many cases the court will demand that the medical experts approached by both sides meet to compare notes on the case and reduce the issues to be ruled on if possible. With guidance from solicitors representing both sides, areas of agreement and disagreement will therefore be discovered. The medical experts will be tested on their evidence by the barrister and may need to alter their reports following the conference.

            Moving forward with your claim

            Having received your barrister’s opinion, your solicitor will be better placed to advise you on the likelihood of success for your claim. If you are found to have a strong claim with strong evidence, carrying your claim forward will be fairly straightforward. In some cases with weak evidence and a low value claim it will be advised that you drop your claim but in other cases with weak evidence and a strong claim you may simply be advised to push for a lower claim settlement.

            Settlement

            If you are in a position where the strength of your claim prevents the defendants from even contesting, your settlement will depend on negotiations between the two sides solicitors but you will be in a strong position. Where the other contests, your solicitor will want to know what evidence they have prior to opening negotiations. Your solicitor will tell you about any offers and ultimately when you settle and how much for will be your decision.

            Call our experts for more information about the role of a barrister in the compensation claims process

            If you are considering making a medical negligence compensation claim, it is crucial that you understand the role of a barrister in the claims process. For further information about the part they play, call one of our expert medical negligence solicitors – we’d be happy to help.

            Call 01722 422300,

            Or email us using the form below.

              Blood disorder problems and compensation claims

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              Haematology is the specialist area of medicine which is concerned with blood disorders. As blood contains three types of cells which serve different functions, it’s important that haematologists give the right blood cells to a patient. If a mistake is made or the appropriate treatment isn’t given, major health problems can occur.

              Blood is made up of red cells, white cells and platelets. Red cells take oxygen away from the lungs to be used in all parts of the body. There is also a protein found in red blood cells, known as haemoglobin. If a patient has less red blood cells than they should have, then they could be anaemic, i.e. Have an iron deficiency. Anaemia could make a patient’s body more susceptible to infections or diseases, so doctors need to ensure that any signs of infection are diagnosed and treated.

              White blood cells provide the antibodies which allow your body to fight infection while providing you with immunity against diseases. If these cells are lacking, then there is a higher risk of a patient getting an infection, as their body can’t fight it off. A haematologist will be aware of this and understand how to treat any underlying problems so they can be diagnosed and treated.

              Platelets are small fragments of cells which stick against any damaged blood cells and help your blood to clot so that you can stop bleeding. If there’s a problem and your blood doesn’t clot however, this can result in either excessive bleeding or blood that’s too thick and causes clots within the body.

              A haematologist should be aware of whether blood is clotting normally in a patient, and it’s a haematologist’s responsibility to ensure they determine the cause and receive appropriate treatment once it’s started.

              As the care and treatment of blood disorder problems is so complex, it’s important that a haematologist or health care professional take extra care to treat an individual accordingly. Mistakes can happen and any drugs given have to be monitored so as to prevent ‘over treating’ the medical condition.

              If you or a loved one believe that you have suffered negligence in your treatment for a blood disorder problem, then our expert medical negligence team can give you the legal advice and peace of mind you need to seek the compensation that you deserve.

              Thinking of claiming medical compensation? Call us today

              Our team are medical negligence specialists – and they can help you with your claim for compensation both if you live close to our offices in Dorset, Wiltshire or Hampshire – or, in fact, anywhere else in England and Wales

              For both FREE initial advice on the phone and a FREE first meeting

              • call (01722) 422300 or

              • E-mail us at advice@themedicalnegligencesolicitor.co.uk

                District Nurse Medical Negligence

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                District nurses are the senior nurses who manage, care and work with teams of community nurses within the National Health Service. If you believe that you have suffered as a result of being misdiagnosed or mistreated by a district nurse, you may be eligible for compensation if you make a medical or clinical negligence claim.

                Unsatisfactory care from a nurse, whether it’s yourself or a loved one, can be a traumatic and distressing experience. While many nurses are dedicated health professionals who provide the best care for patients, due to the high numbers of patients they see, mistakes can sometimes happen. Some patients are extremely vulnerable and aren’t capable of looking after themselves, so require specialist care. If these needs aren’t met, then errors can occur and sometimes prove fatal.

                In these cases, accountability for a patient’s basic care is a requirement. Cases of nursing negligence could involve being administered incorrect drugs or failing to give patients the nutrition and hydration they need. Ignoring vital signs, failing to report any concerns to a doctor or not providing the right nursing records are all examples of medical negligence.

                How do I seek compensation for a district nurse negligence claim?

                If you feel that either yourself or one of your relatives should get compensation for any substandard medical treatment you received when in the care of nurses, you should specialist medical negligence solicitors.

                Medical negligence can be a distressing experience and a specialist solicitor can use their knowledge and experience to handle these claims. Specialist solicitors will give you and your loved ones peace of mind after your distressing experience, so increasing your chances of getting the compensation that you deserve.

                Contact our specialists today

                To arrange a discussion with one of our solicitor just  call (01722) 422300 or  email advice@themedicalnegligencesolicitor.co.uk