5 common medical negligence cases within the UK

Each year, there are an estimated 12,600 claims against the NHS for medical negligence. But have you ever wondered what medical negligence actually is? If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Medical negligence occurs when the act of a medical or healthcare professional falls below what is expected from a professional and results in an injury to a patient. Whether this is due to an error in diagnosis, treatment, or aftercare advice, this constitutes medical negligence.

If you suspect you may have fallen victim to medical negligence, it’s important to seek the help of solicitors to help you bring a medical negligence claim. If you’re not sure whether what happened to you constitutes negligence, we’ve rounded up the top 5 most common medical negligence cases below.

1. Surgical errors

Normally, surgeries go smoothly. However, in some cases, patients are the victims of surgical negligence. Some examples of surgical negligence include:

• Doctors performing the wrong operation on you
• The wrong body part being operated on
• Surgeons leaving foreign objects in your body
• Scarring and disfigurement caused by cosmetic surgery - this is becoming increasingly common with botched cosmetic surgery cases on the rise
• Infections caused by surgical malpractice

If any of the above sounds familiar, you may have a claim.

2. Medical misdiagnosis

If a doctor fails to diagnose your condition and this leads to unnecessary pain and suffering, then this constitutes a medical misdiagnosis. However, medical misdiagnosis can also be where an incorrect diagnosis is made. An example of this would be being told you have a terminal illness, when in fact you don’t.

3. Prescription and medication errors

Picking up a prescription is part of daily life for many of us. However, in some instances, errors occur which can lead to the harm of a patient. For example, if you’re given the incorrect dosage or wrong medication altogether, the implications of this can be severe.

4. Wrongful medical advice

Wrongful medical advice could be where a medical professional dismisses a major illness and sends you home with what they think is a minor case. For example, a brain tumor being dismissed as a migraine.

5. Pregnancy and birth injuries

Finally, there are pregnancy and birth injuries. Although pregnancy and giving birth comes associated with risks, if you or your baby suffer unnecessarily due to the acts or omissions of a medical professional, this may constitute medical negligence.

In conclusion…

Although operations, GP appointments and trips to the pharmacy normally run smoothly, there are times when things don’t go to plan. If you think you’ve fallen victim to medical negligence, it’s important to reach out to a competent professional to help you gain compensation.