When seeking healthcare, the last thing you expect is to receive negligent or substandard treatment (or lack thereof). Healthcare practitioners have a duty of care to their patients and when they fail, it can be a deeply traumatic, even life-threatening event.
Victims experience emotional injury, financial burdens, and physical disabilities as a result of medical malpractice. It is incredibly important that you seek legal advice to address these long-term consequences and achieve the resolution you deserve.
Emotional Toll of Medical Negligence
Though rare, incidents of medical negligence are truly life-changing. The damage isn’t limited to your physical body.It can profoundly impact your mental well-being and affect everything from your home and family life to your work and romantic relationships.
Some of the most common effects of medical negligenceare anxiety, depression, and PTSD.Often, patients who suffer from negligence can relive their injury in the form of flashbacks, night terrors, and debilitating anxiety attacks. For those affected, seeking emotional support and counselling from professional services is essential for managing stress and getting your well-being back on track.
Ongoing Financial Burden
The financial costsof clinical negligence extend outside of any legal fees that might be incurred. Government legislationnow capsdisproportionate legal costs but the price of missing work, additional medical expenses, and rehabilitation can be significant. You may even need to relocate or remodel your home to accommodate for any injuries sustained from medical negligence.
The pressures of financial instability can only add to feelings of stress and anxiety. The government offers various benefits and financial support for adults with a disability or health condition that can help lighten the load.
Legal Avenues For Compensation
If you or a loved one has suffered an illness or injury at the hands of medical malpractice,then you could claim for medical negligence. Your first step is to contact a solicitor with expertise in clinical negligence, who will explain your legal options. Many law firms pursue clinical negligence on a no-win no fee basis and will discuss this with you.
Once the validity of your claim has been determined and all evidence is collected, the solicitor will present your claim to the defendant. They will have four months to investigate, obtain their own reports, and confirm whether the claim will be contested or admitted. The defendant may decide to settle your claim outside or involve the courts if they deny any wrongdoing.
Raising Awareness and Seeking Justice
Medical negligence is a life-changing event with long-term consequences. While getting compensation can’t make up for the traumatic experience, it can help you put the incident to bed and go a long way to fund any rehabilitation you need. It also helps to reduce the chances of the same thing happening to other patients in the future.
Victims should speak out about the clinical malpractice they have endured when they feel ready and seek justice. Your first step is to contact medical negligence law firm, that can help you get started on your claim.
