Medical Negligence Solicitors in Leeds
Medical errors can have a very serious impact on your health and all aspects of your life, leaving with you with lifelong injuries, emotional trauma and a measurably worse quality of life. You may also be left with a significant financial burden, including the cost of additional treatment, care and support you need, as well as lost income and other considerations.
If you or a loved one have been harmed by a medical error of any kind, our highly experienced medical negligence solicitors can assist you in pursuing compensation to help you rebuild your life. We have a strong track record of success, having won multi-million pound settlements for a variety of clients over the years.
We can guide you through the entire claims process, including advising you on the strength of your claim, handling all of the paperwork and representing you at every stage of proceedings to ensure you achieve a fair outcome.
Speak to our specialist medical negligence solicitors in Leeds now about starting a claim anywhere in the UK by calling 0113 345 2388 or using the contact form on the right to ask a question.
Our no win, no fee medical negligence claims service
In most cases, we are able to represent clients on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis, also known as a ‘conditional fee arrangement’. This means you pay nothing up front for our legal fees and you will only pay us if we win compensation for you, with the amount you pay based on a percentage of the settlement we secure. By using this approach, you avoid any financial risk and should be able to make a claim whatever your circumstances.
Our medical negligence claims expertise includes:
- Birth injury claims
- Cerebral palsy claims
- Infection disease misdiagnosis
- Meningitis claims
- Erb’s Palsy claims
- Brachial Plexus claims
- Spinal injury claims
- Cauda Equina Syndrome claims
- Brain injury claims
- Stroke misdiagnosis
- Fatal claims
- Inquests
- Cancer misdiagnosis
- GP negligence
- Surgical errors
- Limb injury claims
- Eye injury claims
Time limits for making a medical negligence compensation claim
It is important to note that you must usually start a medical negligence compensation claim within 3 years of the medical error occurring. However, if the error is only identified later, e.g. when examined by another healthcare professional, the time limit may start from this point.
If the claimant was under 18 when the medical mistake happened, the 3-year time limit only takes effect once they turn 18.
If the claim is being made on behalf of someone who lacks capacity to make a claim for themselves, e.g. due to serious brain damage, there is no time limit to bring a claim.
How we can help you make a claim for medical negligence
In most cases, we are able to help clients achieve a settlement for medical negligence without the need for court action. We achieve this by using a Ministry of Justice process for resolving claims that relies on negotiation and alternative dispute resolution wherever possible.
This process is known as the Pre-Action Protocol for the Resolution of Clinical Disputes and involves various stages that allow the matter to be resolved quickly and cost-effectively.
Initial consultation – When you first approach us about making a claim, we will discuss the basic details of your case with you to establish whether we believe you are likely to have grounds for a claim. We can then advise you on the next steps in the claims process, how long your claim is likely to take and how you can fund your claim, including the possibility of a no win, no fee agreement.
Accessing your medical records – We will apply to the relevant NHS trust or other healthcare provider for your medical records which will be key to your case. It typically takes around 2 months to secure these records.
Establishing the facts of your claim – Using your medical records, your memories of your treatment and consultation with various medical experts, we will put together a clear breakdown of the specifics of your claim. This will include exactly what happened, what injuries were caused and what impact this has had on your life, including financially.
Letter of notification – We will normally then contact the relevant healthcare provider in writing explaining that you believe they are responsible for medical negligence and that you intend to bring a claim against them.
Letter of claim – We will then send a letter of claim setting out all of the relevant facts in detail to the defendant. This will include how much compensation you are seeking in order to resolve the claim. It commonly takes around 12 months to reach this stage.
Defendant’s response – The defendant is required to reply to your letter of claim within 4 months of receiving it. They should either admit full or partial liability for the medical error that occurred, or deny wrongdoing. If the defendant admits liability, they will usually offer some level of financial settlement. It will be up to you whether you wish to accept the defendant’s response and any offer of settlement, or continue to pursue further action.
Issuing court proceedings – If you are not happy with defendant’s response and wish to take further action, we can issue court proceedings. This means drafting ‘Particulars of Claim’ laying out the details of your claim and submitting these to the relevant local court. The defendant is required to reply to this claim within 28 days and the court will set a date for a court hearing. Typically your court date will be around 18 months from when you initiate court proceedings.
Pre-trial settlement negotiations – We will always attempt to negotiate a pre-trial settlement wherever possible to allow you to avoid a court hearing. The majority of claims can be resolved without a hearing, allowing for a faster, more cost-effective resolution.
Trial by judge – However, if we cannot agree a settlement before your set court date, you will likely need to go to court. We will represent you throughout court proceedings, ensuring your case is made convincingly and giving you the best possible chance of a fair outcome.
Why use our medical negligence solicitors in Leeds?
Our medical negligence claims team, based in Leeds, has a strong track record of success in winning compensation for clients all over the UK. This includes regularly winning multi-million pound settlements under even the most challenging circumstances.
We have achieved the Legal 500’s top Tier 1 ranking for our medical negligence work and have been recognised in the highly respected Chambers & Partners client guide as “market leaders” with a “superb reputation for handling a wide range of clinical negligence claims”.
We are accredited by the Law Society for Clinical Negligence and have several AvMA panel members on the team, recognising the strength of our legal expertise in this area. We are also Lexcel-accredited by the Law Society and regulated by the Solicitors Regular Authority (SRA), providing reassurance that we operate to the highest legal and professional standards at all times.
Start a medical negligence compensation claim anywhere in the UK
To start a medical negligence claim anywhere in the UK, please contact out Leeds-based medical negligence solicitors by calling 0113 345 2388 or use the contact form below to ask a question.
Our people
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- Simon Minton
- Senior Director
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- Sahida Patel
- Legal Director and Partner, Head of Leeds Office
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- Trevor Ward
- Partner & Birth Injury Team Leader
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- Guy Pomphrey
- Partner