Being ill and requiring medical treatment represents one of the most stressful experiences that an individual can go through. As well as the pain and suffering brought about by the condition itself, it can often be the case that the treatment required is unpleasant, stressful or painful.
There’s no denying the fact that the vast majority of medical practitioners are dedicated, talented professionals determined to do their best for you, but from time to time things do go wrong. When this does happen, then the knowledge that you’ve been treated badly, allied to the stress you’re already suffering, means that it’s only just and fair that you should be able to seek compensation.
In cases of medical negligence compensation may be payable if you can demonstrate that the treatment you received fell short of what might reasonably be expected, and that this has resulted in an injury or condition. The injury in question may be physical or psychological, and the medical practitioner could be anyone from a nurse or doctor to a dentist, pharmacist or surgeon.
When it comes to making a claim such as this, it’s vital that you seek expert help, since medical negligence cases are amongst the most complex there are, often revolving around expert interpretation of clinical information. The charity MIND provides a brief guide to medical negligence claims on their website, at www.mind.org.uk/information-support/legal-rights/clinical-negligence/.
In order to give yourself the best possible chance of success it’s vital to gather as much information as possible regarding your case, including details such as:
- An account of your initial illness.
- The dates of any treatment.
- Where the treatment was delivered.
- Who delivered it.
- What form any treatment took.
- Any medicines prescribed.
- Any advice given or diagnoses offered.
The more information you can provide, the stronger case your injury lawyer will be able to build, maximising your chances of winning the compensation which will allow you to start rebuilding your life.
