Signs that You Might be the Victim of Medical Negligence
According to the NHSLA, they are expecting to pay nearly £1.4 billion in compensation for medical negligence to victims and their legal representatives this year. This statement is evidence of two things. The first is the fact that, unfortunately, medical negligence UK is a serious problem right now.
Secondly, the huge annual compensation amount shows that if you file a medical negligence claim in time, your chances of winning are quite high. Of course, you will have to realize that you are a victim of medical negligence first before acting, and that’s always tricky, especially when you are grieving. In case you or anyone you know is unsure of whether or not medical malpractice was in play in a recent medical situation, go through the following points to clear that confusion.
Failure to Order a Standard Test
Medical tests and examinations are essential in treating any condition successfully, as it lets the doctors and associated medical personnel understand the exact specifics necessary to design the next steps in the treatment process. If there are medical tests which are considered to be common or standard while treating the condition in question, your health care provider is bound to order them. In case they have skipped such a test, it gives you ground to question their dedication towards you as a patient under their care.
If there’s a link that can be established between the absent test order and your subsequent poor health condition or insufficient recovery, then you most definitely have been subjected to clinical negligence. With the help of the best medical negligence solicitors, you should be able to carve out a legal path in which to pursue your malpractice lawsuit.
Late Diagnosis
Even if the diagnosis is correct, there’s room to claim for medical negligence, provided the diagnosis was particularly late and that delay caused the patient party significant pain, further physical deterioration, permanent damage, financial loss or even death in some cases. If the condition was such where an earlier detection could have helped in the treatment but the late diagnosis rendered the follow-up treatment less effective or ineffective, you definitely have cause to file for a medical negligence claim. This could even be tied to the first point discussed above about skipping a standard medical procedure.
Lack of Improvement or Deterioration Post Treatment
Major surgeries are critical procedures, which must be performed with the utmost care and precision. If the patient fails to recover from the surgery in the way intended or if the original problem for which he/she went under the knife in the first place shows no signs of improvement, you might have cause for suspecting medical negligence. This also applies to standard treatment as well, so you should always talk with your healthcare provider to have a clear idea of what to expect next. If you find those expectations and promises are not being met after paying for treatment, get ready to call your medical negligence lawyer. Instances of surgical instruments left inside a patient, inadequate post-surgery medical care, administration of excess or insufficient drugs, etc., are actually more common than you might think.
Absence of Follow-Up Procedures
The duty of the medical service provider doesn’t simply end as soon as the patient party has been diagnosed or treated. They should be following up with the patient regarding the next step in an advisory role. If the concerned service provider did not do any of that, it is an act of medical negligence. Your case would gain further strength if the health service provider left the patient unattended after a procedure, even though he/she informed them that the situation did not improve or was becoming worse. It is also worth noting that such behaviour which classifies as post-procedural neglect can be indicative of the fact that the healthcare provider is at fault here. This could mean that they are aware of medical malpractice and are trying to wash their hands of the patient to avoid further liability. If you can relate to this situation, you have a very strong case against the party at fault.
More often than not, medical malpractice is the culprit when you are already suspecting foul play, so if you can relate to any of the signs mentioned above, it is suggested that you contact your medical negligence lawyers as soon as possible. The Medical Negligence Experts have the best medical negligence solicitors to take care of any unfair medical practice that you might have been subjected to, also offering free consultations and advice.
The only requirement to avail the help you need is that you contact them at the earliest opportunity because the way the medical negligence claims UK system works is that the sooner you claim, the better are your chances of winning what you deserve from the NHS or the private healthcare system concerned.
