Surgery Compensation Claims
If you’ve suffered an injury or illness as a result of surgery you underwent, you may be entitled to compensation. All surgery comes with an element of risk, but if you suffered serious side effects that weren’t explained to you before the procedure, the surgeon or staff may have been negligent in the way they treated you.
Negligence means that the surgeon or staff made an error (for example, giving incorrect treatment) or an omission (for example, failing to carry out routine tests) in the way that they treated you. This might have occurred during your surgical procedure but also during your preparation or recovery.
Our specialist team provides expert legal advice in different languages to clients who have been involved in medical negligence and surgery claims. They operate on a No Win No Fee basis, meaning that you won’t pay any fees unless your case is successful.
How can surgery negligence arise?
There are many ways that negligence can arise depending on the nature of your procedure. Other factors that can influence the risk of negligence are staffing levels, the experience of the surgeon and their team in the procedure being undertaken and your underlying health.
Examples of surgical negligence might include:
- Scarring that is unexpected, or unusually severe
- Nerve damage resulting in reduced mobility
- Surgical items left inside the body
- Treatment of the wrong area
- Infections suffered
- Complications with administration of anaesthetic
These are just a few of the more obvious examples of negligence in surgery. If you’ve suffered in any way that’s not listed above – especially if it’s something that wasn’t explained clearly to you before the surgery – contact us to discuss your circumstances.
How much compensation might I receive for surgery negligence?
The amount of compensation you receive very much depends on the level of suffering, inconvenience and financial loss that you have suffered. If any of these factors are long-term – for example if you’re unable to work for a prolonged period – then there is potential for a higher compensation award.
You may be able to claim for the following if they are a direct result of your injuries:
- Compensation for distress and upheaval
- Loss of earnings and financial losses incurred
- Medical costs, prescription fees, care and rehabilitation costs
- Adaptations to your home or vehicle
- Damage to your property
- Travel expenses incurred
We can work with you to establish exactly how you’ve suffered as a result of the surgical procedure and whether or not you are entitled to claim for compensation. From there, if appropriate we can help you determine the level of compensation you should claim for.
Do I have a valid claim for compensation?
If you can answer yes to all three of the following questions, we recommend that you contact us to discuss your circumstances further:
- Was the incident within the last three years?
- Was someone else to blame for the incident?
- Were you injured as a result of the incident?
Answering ‘yes’ to all three doesn’t mean that a successful claim is certain. However, these questions are key to the claims process. Answering yes to all three does indicate that you have a greater chance of being entitled to claim. Getting prompt, specialist legal advice could be beneficial.
Because of the three-year time limit, it’s important that you contact us promptly so that we can start the process for you. Negligence cases can come down to fine details, so by talking to us early, you can also be sure that these details are relatively fresh in your mind.
What is the process for claiming for surgery compensation?
Because no two cases are the same, the process for your claim will vary, but there are some standard protocols we need to follow before you can claim. We will also need to arrange medical reports to support your claim and in some instances we might appoint independent medical experts for their specialist opinions.
Once we’ve had our initial conversation with you, we’ll be able to give you much more detail on the likely progress and conduct of your claim.
How do I begin a compensation claim for surgery negligence?
Call us on 0208 1111 911 or contact us through the website and we’ll discuss your circumstances with you. The first call typically takes about 15 minutes and in that time we can usually determine whether or not it’s realistic to pursue a claim for compensation.
