Wrong priority and medical negligence compensation

Most of us are familiar with the situation: stuck in a waiting room, anxious to receive the medical care we need. Fortunately, for the majority of people, the worst that will happen is that we will experience annoyance, inconvenience and discomfort.

However, in some cases, delays in treating a pressing medical condition will have catastrophic consequences and result in the person affected having grounds for a medical negligence compensation claim.

It is possible to sympathise with medical staff. It is not uncommon for them to be overstretched and under great pressure. Make-or-break decisions, of the kind very few of us would be willing to make ourselves, must be made within a very short space of time.

It is the truth of reality that patients must be placed in an order of priority. This, almost inevitably, leads to some mistakes being made but, unlike in most professions, these mistakes will sometimes come at the cost of human casualties.

This outlook though should not dissuade anyone from seeking medical negligence compensation. In fact, by seeking financial redress for the distress and injury you suffer as a result, many would argue that you are acting, not only to obtain personal justice, but to also improve the health system's capability to effectively deal with similar situations in the future.

The official research
Research by the Healthcare Commission into 170 A&E departments in England came up with some worrying findings.

While not detailing statistics which show the number of medical negligence compensation claims being made by patients who have been underprioritised by A&E staff, it painted a useful picture for determining endemic shortcomings in the A&E system.

The report found that only very few A&E departments met the stated government target of offering pain relief within twenty minutes of a patient's arrival at an A&E department.

Although the report was not comprehensive as the Healthcare Commission only provided data for elderly patients with hip fractures, patients who had taken overdoses of paracetamol and young patients who had either fractured wrists or elbows, it can be seen as authoritative on the basis that The British Association for Emergency Medicine outlines strict standards for the treatment of these conditions.

Contacting medical negligence solicitors
YouClaim are specialists in representing medical negligence compensation claimants. Over the years we have utilised our sensitivity and expertise in dealing with this kind of litigation to countless people across the UK.

If you feel that you have suffered personal injury or negligent or substandard care at the hands of a medical professional, you too may benefit from the acumen of YouClaim's medical negligence solicitors.

We have very strict standards of practice, something that is reflected in our pride at being governed by the high standards of the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Furthermore, we never charge you any legal costs or fees and guarantee to protect you from all those incurred by the opposing side.

It may also reassure you to know that we never take a cut from any of our client's compensation awards, meaning you get to keep 100% of all money awarded you.

If you would like to contact us today to discuss your claim for medical negligence compensation, simply call 0800 10 757 95.

Alternatively, if you do not have the time to speak right now, you can fill out an online claim form, request a call back or discuss you situation using our e-chat facility.