P.A Duffy & Co Medical Negligence Compensation Solicitors
Expert medical negligence claims solicitors in Dungannon, Belfast and Dublin.
If you have suffered harm because of inadequate medical treatment, you may be entitled to bring a claim for compensation. Where your doctor or other health worker failed in their duty of care to you and you have been injured as a result, you are strongly advised to speak to a medical negligence expert.
At PA Duffy Solicitors, our medical negligence solicitors can represent you in bringing a claim for compensation for your injuries. We have extensive experience in securing damages payments for clients with a wide range of injuries, from relatively minor to severe damage and life-changing trauma.
Our team has an excellent track record of success in securing the best possible level of damages as well as a strong understanding of both the law in this area and how to take on large insurance companies and win.
We also provide the highest standards of service and if we represent you, you will find us to be friendly and supportive. We are easy to contact and always happy to discuss your case with you, to include keeping you abreast of progress, talking through any concerns you may have and answering your questions. To speak to one of our Northern Ireland and Ireland medical negligence solicitors, call us now on 028 8772 2102 (UK) or 01 533 7860 (IE). Alternatively, you can Make An Online Enquiry and we will ring you back promptly.
Our medical negligence claims experience
We represent clients in a full range of medical negligence compensation claims, including:
- Birth injuries
- Cerebral palsy claims
- Defective medical devices
- Misdiagnosis and late diagnosis claims
- Surgery claims
- General Practitioner or GP claims
- Delayed treatment claims
- Gynaecological claims
- Accident and Emergency claims
TYPES OF MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE CASES EXPLAINED
Birth injuries
If your baby was harmed by negligent medical treatment during or after their birth or because of lack of treatment before their birth, you can ask us to represent you and them in bringing a claim for compensation.
There are a wide range of injuries that can occur and sadly some of them can have lasting effects. If the injuries to your baby are severe, they could be entitled to a very sizeable payment, intended to provide for them throughout their life. It is important to instruct solicitors with the expertise to manage a case of this importance to ensure that the right level of compensation is achieved.
Cerebral palsy claims
Cerebral palsy is an injury to the brain. It can have a number of different causes, including a harmful birth, for example, lack of oxygen, a delay in delivery, inadequate monitoring of a baby’s heartbeat and not identifying and treating an infection in pregnancy or jaundice in a baby.
Where the cause was avoidable or arose because of negligence, you should make a claim on behalf of your child to secure the support they will need for the future.
Defective medical devices
A wide range of medical devices are now used, to include heart monitoring devices, mesh implants, hip and knee replacements and cosmetic implants. When something is wrong with these, it can cause medical complications and often the need for corrective surgery. We represent clients who have suffered harm and needed further medical treatment to resolve problems caused by defects in medical devices.
Misdiagnosis and late diagnosis claims
If you have been wrongly diagnosed or a diagnosis was made later than it should have been, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation if you have suffered avoidable harm as a result.
Surgery claims
Surgical mistakes can be particularly distressing as well as serious. You may be left with permanent injury or you could require one or more corrective surgeries. We can represent you in a compensation claim to ensure that you are awarded a fair damages payment. Examples include infection, organ damage, nerve damage, mistakes in administering anaesthetic and negligent post-operative care.
General practitioner or GP claims
Your local GP has a duty of care to you and where this is breached and you suffer harm as a result, you can make a claim against them. This could be for failing to diagnose an illness or disease, not sending you for X-rays, not referring you to a specialist, incorrect prescriptions or incorrect diagnosis and treatment.
Delayed treatment claims
If you have experienced an avoidable delay in receiving medical treatment, for example, because of Covid-19 measures, and this delay has resulted in you sustaining harm, you are advised to speak to a medical negligence solicitor. You are entitled to be treated within a reasonable period of time and if you have not been treated for serious conditions such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes you may be entitled to a compensation payment if your condition has worsened or become untreatable.
Gynaecological and obstetric claims
If you have suffered because of negligent gynaecological treatment, to include hormonal issues or negligent surgery or poor obstetric care when giving birth, you may be entitled to compensation.
Accident and emergency claims
You have a right to the same standard of medical care if your illness or injury was incorrectly treated by an accident and emergency department or other emergency healthcare worker. If you believe that you were let down, you are advised to speak to a solicitor.
Why choose PA Duffy Solicitors for medical negligence claims in Belfast?
We know how daunting it is to bring a legal case when you are recovering from trauma and injuries. Our medical negligence lawyers understand this and we will do all we can to assist you throughout your time with us.
Our experience means that we are often able to secure a settlement out of court so that you do not have to attend a hearing. If litigation is necessary, we will make sure that you are thoroughly prepared beforehand and that you have an expert medical negligence advocate speaking on your behalf in court.
“I can’t thank everyone at PA Duffy enough for helping me win my case. Conal has devoted significant time and effort to helping me recover damages for medical negligence. I have been highly impressed by the manner in which he conducted my claim and would certainly recommend his services to anyone in a similar position.”
“I am extremely grateful to Conal and his medical negligence team for the way in which they handled my case. Conal’s expertise and work ethic has helped me to secure a settlement that has far exceeded any expectations I had. I want to thank Conal in particular for his persistence with my case, his commitment and professionalism have been top class.”
Our medical negligence solicitors
Our team of medical negligence specialists work in both Northern Ireland and Ireland, providing advice and representation across a wide range of claims.
Medical negligence FAQs
We know you are likely to have many questions about bringing a medical negligence compensation claim. We will be happy to discuss your circumstances with you if you would like to ring us. We have also set out below our replies to some of the questions we are most frequently asked.
Do I have a valid medical negligence claim?
To prove medical negligence, we will need to establish three criteria in respect of your case:
- That you were owed a duty of care by your doctor or other healthcare professional
- That this duty of care was breached
- That you suffered harm as a direct result of the breach of the duty of care
We know how to put together strong evidence in support of a medical negligence case and how to establish liability to the satisfaction of the court.
How do I start a medical negligence claim?
If you believe that you have suffered medical negligence, you are advised to speak to an expert medical negligence lawyer as soon as you can. If you ask us to represent you, we will start putting together evidence straightaway while records are easily available and the incident is still fresh in everyone’s minds.
We will be able to ask a medical expert to examine you early on and prepare a report detailing the injuries you have suffered. It can be important to have this done as soon as possible so that the full extent of the harm can be documented.
What is the process for bringing a medical negligence compensation claim?
Our team will also contact the health authority or other medical body responsible for your treatment and advise them and their insurer that you intend to make a claim. We will provide details of what has happened to you and ask them if they will admit liability.
They will investigate the incident and may agree that they are liable. If this is the case, then we will put together strong medical evidence on your behalf and advise them of the amount of compensation we believe you are entitled to. We will negotiate on your behalf to try and agree on a final damages payment.
If liability is not admitted or the amount offered by way of compensation is not sufficient, we will prepare your case for court. We are used to bringing claims against large insurers and their legal teams and you can rest assured that your case will be as robust as possible. You will have expert representation in court and all of the help and support you need beforehand.
How much compensation will you receive for medical negligence?
The amount you will receive will depend on the severity of your injuries and how they will affect you in the future. We have extensive experience in dealing with medical negligence cases and if you call us, we can go through what has happened and give you our opinion as to how much you might expect to receive.
If your claim is successful, you will be entitled to two types of damages:
- General damages; and
- Special damages
General damages
A general damages payment is intended to compensate you for the pain and suffering you have experienced as well as any inability to do things you used to be able to do. This is referred to as loss of amenity. An example could be if you used to be able to work in your garden but you are no longer able to.
If you have suffered psychological harm because of what has happened, this can also be claimed for within the general damages section of your case.
Special damages
Special damages refers to quantifiable financial loss that you have suffered as a result of medical negligence. This could include loss of earnings, loss of future earnings, the cost of any special equipment you need, travel expenses to medical appointments, prescription charges, any care and
help you require, both now and in the future, and the cost of adapting your home to accommodate your injuries, if this is necessary.
When putting together your case, we will examine each of these items and make sure they are all included in our request for compensation.
How long will a medical negligence case take?
The length of time a medical negligence case takes depends on the severity of your injuries and whether the other side admits liability.
If your injuries are substantial, you may be advised to wait before settling to see how they heal and what your long-term prognosis is. If your injuries are more minor and the other side is prepared to settle, your case could be dealt with within several months to a year.
In the event that you have been badly affected by medical negligence and you are unable to work, we can request interim payments during the course of your case so that you do not suffer financial hardship.
Is there a deadline for bringing a medical negligence claim?
You will usually have three years within which to start a claim for medical negligence compensation. This period generally runs from the date of the incident in which you were harmed, but if you were not aware at the time that you had been injured, then the three years will run from the date on which you should reasonably have known of the harm.
Where the case involves a child, they have three years from the date of their 18th birthday in which to commence a claim. If the case involves someone who does not have full mental capacity, then there is no deadline for making a claim.
Do you represent clients in medical negligence in Northern Ireland or Ireland?
We have Belfast medical negligence solicitors as well as a Dungannon office where we represent clients bringing claims in Northern Ireland. We also have Dublin medical negligence solicitors and represent clients in the Republic of Ireland.
How much does a medical negligence claim cost?
If your case is successful, you can expect the other side to pay your legal expenses as part of the settlement. This includes if you agree on an out of court compensation payment.
Is there a no win no fee medical negligence fee option in Northern Ireland?
While there isn’t a no win no fee medical negligence option in Northern Ireland, we can discuss how your case can be funded if you are concerned about costs. In some cases, you may be eligible for Legal Aid. If you are not, you may be able to choose after the event insurance, which is a policy that would cover your legal costs in the event that you do not win your case. If you do win, then a small premium is payable, which can be deducted from the money that you are awarded.
Contact our medical negligence solicitors in Belfast
If you believe that you have a medical negligence claim, call us to speak to one of our legal experts. We will go through what has happened with you and answer your questions. To talk to one of our team, call us now on 028 8772 2102 (UK) or 01 533 7860 (IE). Alternatively, you can Make An Online Enquiry and we’ll contact you promptly.
