Deciding to seek a second opinion
While it is true that a fraction of medical negligence claims could be avoided by seeking a second opinion, in many cases doing so may be unnecessary and only add stress as well as costs to a patient's medical bills.
Most commonly, there are three major reasons a person dissatisfied by the care they have received from one doctor or specialist will seek a second opinion. They are as follows:
The patient has a "hunch" the doctor or specialist is wrong
Having spent our whole lives with them, we all know our bodies pretty well. This means if we feel something is wrong, yet no or only a trivial complaint is diagnosed, our instincts may lead us to seek a second opinion.
While there is nothing wrong with this per se, and a minority of people will find that they have been right in following a hunch, the vast majority of people who do so will only have the original consultant's diagnosis confirmed.
Failure to comprehend at original consultation
This is a frequent reason for patients seeking out a second opinion. However, in such cases a second opinion would invariably be unnecessary if the patient would only pluck up the courage to ask more questions of their consultant.
Medical professionals are accustomed to answering all manner of questions and chances are the vast majority will be very happy to clarify any nagging questions patients might have.
Unhappy with prescribed treatment
This is a common concern among patients and can prompt some into seeking second or even third opinions.
If patients receive treatment that they know little about, they might press to receive those they are familiar with. Occasionally, patients might have heard about new medicines through popular media and wonder why they are not receiving them.
Once again, most medical professionals will be happy to explain why they believe the prescribed medication or treatment is the best one available.
As it is the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) that decides, on the basis of price and effectiveness, which medicines the NHS is allowed to prescribe, your prescription may not always be the doctor's first choice.
When seeking a second opinion
There are several avenues open to those seeking a second opinion. Some might choose to take the NHS route, while others might prefer to go with a private specialist.
It is always a good idea to do some research before enlisting the costly help of a private specialist, searching the internet or the medical books at a local library can be very helpful.
It is not unheard of for patients to ask the professional who provided them with the first opinion to refer them to another. Although a lot of people will be too embarrassed to do this, most doctors will appreciate your honesty and admire your desire for thoroughness.
Making a medical negligence compensation claim
If you believe that a poor decision by a doctor, surgeon or specialist has cost you, you may be entitled to make a medical negligence claim.
YouClaim possess a team of personal injury solicitors who specialise in representing victims of clinical negligence. Over the years, they have developed a proud track record in securing the best possible outcome for their clients.
Our commitment to the interests of the claimant means that, win or lose, your claim will never cost you a thing. In short, you will never have to pay either us or the defendant's legal team a single penny.
In addition, as part of our 100% compensation promise, you will receive all money awarded you - we never take a cut.
If you would like to get in touch with us, you can fill out an online claim form, use e-chat, or request a call-back for a convenient time.
Alternatively, if you wish to talk to someone about your medical negligence claim now, call us on 0800 10 757 95.
