Medical Negligence Solicitors in Leeds

Medical Negligence Solicitors For Leeds

While most interactions between a patient and medical practitioner go smoothly, there are times when things do not go to plan. If you have had a bad experience where you have had to wait months for a basic diagnosis, have been the victim of a surgical error or have suffered pain or trauma because of a negligent doctor, you may have experienced medical negligence and you do not have to suffer in silence.

Here at Been Let Down our team of leading medical negligence solicitors represent clients across Leeds and the surrounding area will do all they can to secure compensation for the pain and other losses you have suffered because of negligence.

Get in touch today and we will talk to you about what happened and work with you to find out if you have a negligence claim.

What is medical negligence?

Medical professionals have a duty of care to the patients they are treating. This means that, whether they are a surgeon performing an operation or a GP working out if they need to make a referral, they must carry out their roles and responsibilities according to best practice and to the required standard.

While most interactions between a patient and medical practitioner go smoothly, there are times when things do not go well and the medical professional fails in their duty of care, causing injury or harm to their patient through their mistakes and/or omissions. When this happens, this constitutes medical negligence and it is something that can happen in public and private medical settings.

If this has happened to you, speak our specialist legal team at Been Let Down about the incident. They will let you know if you can pursue a medical negligence claim.

What types of medical negligence claims can you make?

There are many potential examples of clinical negligence you may consider making a claim for. Our medical negligence lawyers who represent clients in Leeds often cover claims for the following reasons:

• An incorrect or delayed diagnosis
• A missed diagnosis due to incorrect reading of scans, X-rays or test results
• Amputation mistakes
• Botched surgical (including cosmetic) procedures
• Brain or spinal injuries
• Birth injuries
• The fatality of a loved one

These are just some of the most common examples of issues that our medical negligence solicitors who handle claims in Leeds have encountered. This is not an exhaustive list, however, and if you cannot see what happened to you or a loved one here, please still contact us as we may be able to help you take your claim forward.

What can happen after negligence has taken place?

The impact of the negligence you have experienced can be far-reaching. As well as still seeing your health affected by the trauma or injuries you sustained, you will likely have other concerns that are directly linked to the medical negligence you have encountered.

One of these concerns may be the loss in faith in the medical practitioners who are caring for you now. You might have follow-up appointments with medical staff to resolve the issues you are experiencing. This can be difficult physically, but also emotionally as you may feel you cannot trust the team that is caring for you now.

Should you have had to miss work while you recover, there is a possibility that you have lost out on pay. If you are experiencing money worries, these can lead to stress, especially if you have medical costs to cover or must make adaptations around your home because of your injuries.

We know that your physical and emotional well-being might be negatively impacted right now, and understand that a lot can happen after a medical negligence event. Our claims solicitors work with clients in Leeds and beyond to secure compensation that can help ease money concerns and set them on the road to rehabilitation.

How can I prove my medical negligence claim?

When making a medical negligence claim after your care in Leeds fell short of the high standards expected, there are two things that you must be able to prove: who was at fault and was avoidable harm caused because of the medical care you received? To prove these points, you need to demonstrate that medical staff failed in their duty of care to you and that this breach caused you harm that could have been avoided.

At this stage, the experienced medical negligence team at Been Let down will take you through the process of proving these two points and gather the evidence needed to present your case.

What is my medical negligence solicitor looking for?

Your medical negligence solicitor will be looking for evidence that proves there was a failure or breach of the duty of care by the medical professionals who cared for you. You should have been treated in an appropriate manner and within a reasonable time frame. If this did not happen, it may be that the medical professional was negligent in the level of care they provided for you.

However, it is not enough to say that the medical professional did not act in accordance with the required standard of care. We also need to prove that, as a result, you have suffered personal injury, pain and financial losses that would have been avoided but for the breach of duty.

In most cases, we will need to arrange a medical assessment by an independent medical professional, which will be arranged by your medical negligence solicitor. Leeds Hospitals Trust, your GP, dentist or other medical provider who looked after you will also – with your permission – be contacted to provide your medical records or, if you experienced dental negligence, dental records. This will help provide additional information that helps give an understanding of your health before and after the negligence occurred.

How to make a claim

Your first step is to speak to a medical negligence solicitor. We have many Leeds-based clients but also a national presence. Contact us on a no obligation basis through our online claim form or by calling us on 0800 234 3234. You will then be contacted by one of our medical negligence specialists.

When you choose us to represent you, you will always speak to a solicitor from day one. Therefore, you will always be working with a legal professional who knows how to process your claim.

During your initial call, we will find out from you what happened. Our legal experts will have a lot of questions for you to help assess your claim. Make sure that you have as much information to hand as possible to help the medical negligence solicitor assess your claim. Do your best to answer them as truthfully and fully as possible, as any incorrect information could risk your claim.

If we agree to take on your case, the solicitor will provide you with their best estimate of the likely level of compensation you could receive. We will never pressure you into pursuing a claim, but we will be honest with you about whether we think you have a case. Should we not think that we can take your claim forward, we will let you know right away.

The majority of people who come to us have a valid claim that we believe can succeed. We will work with you during that initial call to assess the chance of success and let you know what happens next.

How much will it cost?

Our expert Medical Negligence solicitors can discuss funding options with you further, but most of our cases are run on ‘No Win No Fee’ basis. This is a Conditional Fee Agreement, or CFA.

Is there a time limit?

The time limit for most clinical negligence claims is usually three years from the date of the incident. You might have longer to make a claim on someone’s behalf if the claimant suffered a serious brain injury as a result of the negligence and therefore lacks the mental capacity to put their own case forward.

If you are the parent or guardian of a child and you want to claim on their behalf, you have until their 18th birthday. When that person turns 18, they will have until their 21st birthday to make a claim.

We will always let you know how long you have left to pursue your claim. We strongly recommend seeking our guidance as soon as you can after the incident took place. This is because you are more likely to remember exactly what happened and you will probably have any relevant correspondence from the medical professionals involved.

For instance, you might still have the conformation letter for your initial appointment. This proves the date that your surgery took place, or when you went to see the GP about your symptoms, for example, and is one part of the puzzle we can put together.

Our medical negligence solicitors work with clients in Leeds and the surrounding region to make sure the timelines are clear. This establishes when the incident happened, the events that led up to it and what happened after, along with how long is left to claim.

Why choose Been Let Down?

We are the leading medical negligence claims solicitors for clients in Leeds, providing the very best legal advice and representation for claimants across the region.

Here are some reasons why we are a good choice for your case:

• We are experts in our field

Our expert medical negligence team is skilled in handling a range of claims, so there is a good chance that we will have seen a case like yours before.

• Fully accredited

We are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The SRA set the professional standards that solicitors need to adhere to in England and Wales.

• A proven record of success

We are a successful team. So, if we think your case could have the potential to win, it probably will.

• Supporting you at all times

We pride ourselves on offering a supportive, compassionate service. We will guide you through every stage of the claims process with care.

If you think you or a loved one has grounds for a claim, speak to us today. Our first conversation is free of charge and there is no obligation to pursue a claim. Even if you are unsure about whether you could have a case, it is worth having a conversation with us first.

Contact us today

Get in touch now and find out how we can help with your case for medical negligence. Whether you are in Leeds or elsewhere in the region, we have an expert team ready to help you.

Please call us on 0800 234 3234 or contact us and a member of our legal team will call you back.