Seven Signs You’ve Been a Victim of Medical Negligence

When you or one of your loved ones needs to visit the doctor or spend some time in the hospital, you expect the health professionals to be there to help you and make your situation better. However, unfortunately, this isn’t always what happens. Sometimes, medical professionals do not always provide you with the due care and attention that you are entitled to whilst receiving medical treatment. Medical professionals do not always take the appropriate action or can make mistakes which result in illness, injury, or even death. When this happens, you have experienced a medical malpractice incident. 

However, the good news is that after going through such an experience, it’s possible to get help from a qualified solicitor to seek justice in your case and gain the compensation that you deserve from the medical provider who let you down. Here are some of the biggest signs of medical negligence UK to look out for.

#1. You Didn’t Receive Proper Treatment:

If you suspect that you or somebody close to you has been a victim of medical negligence, the first thing to do is think about whether or not proper treatment was received during the healthcare experience. If you feel that the treatment fell short of what is expected, this is a strong indication that you should speak to experienced medical negligence solicitors to determine whether or not medical malpractice has actually taken place. Medical negligence during healthcare could include being prescribed the wrong medication, having the wrong type of surgery, or simply your needs going ignored.

#2. You’re Experiencing Complications After Surgery:

Bear in mind that the recovery process from a surgical procedure is different for everybody and it’s sometimes normal for certain complications or issues to arise after going under the knife. However, this should only be within the given recovery time and it will usually not cause any serious health problems for you. For example, temporary pain, discomfort, swelling, bruising or immobility after surgery tends to be a normal part of the healing process. However, if you have had surgery and feel worse, or are still experiencing major complications long after the given recovery time, this could be an indication of serious medical malpractice.

Don’t suffer in silence – speak to professionals such as those at the-medical-negligence-experts.co.uk, who provide contact details for an expert that will be able to provide you with all the information that you need on medical negligence claims UK and what you should do to get the compensation that you deserve.

#3. You Received an Incorrect Diagnosis:

Another strong indicator that you may have been a victim of medical malpractice is if you received the wrong diagnosis for a condition that you are or were suffering from. If you have spent a long time receiving treatment for one condition, only to find that it’s not working or even making you feel worse, then it’s likely that you have the grounds to make a medical negligence claim. This is especially true if an incorrect diagnosis prevented you from getting the correct treatment for your condition or ended up causing you some sort of harm. If you were taking prescribed medication that you did not need, it’s certainly worth speaking to the best medical negligence solicitors to determine the best next steps for you to take.

#4. You Were Given the Wrong Treatment:

Did something feel ‘off’ when you were prescribed medication or given another course of treatment for your illness or injury? Whilst the right medications, surgeries, and treatments are usually given to patients, there are occurrences where medical professionals can make mistakes, which results in the patient receiving the wrong type of treatment for their condition. In most cases, this is an example of gross medical negligence, as not only can the wrong treatment prolong the suffering of the patient, it also has the potential to worsen their condition or cause further complications that would not have arisen otherwise. If you think that you’re taking the wrong tablets or have been given an unnecessary type of treatment for your condition, it’s a good idea to get a second opinion from another medical professional before speaking to experienced medical negligence lawyers about the potential to make a claim.

#5. Your Treatment is Ineffective:

For certain health conditions, there isn’t always one treatment option – often, medical professionals will need to use their skill and expertise to make an informed decision when it comes to prescribing the right course of treatment for you. However, this should be closely monitored to ensure that you are receiving the benefits of treatment, and further alternative options considered if the results are not as expected. However, this isn’t always the case – many medical malpractice claimants go to court because they have spent a long time receiving treatments that are ineffective.

If you have recently received medication or undergone some type of treatment that doesn’t appear to be providing the expected results for your health, this could be a sign that medical malpractice has occurred. However, bear in mind that certain treatments take a while to start working. For example, antidepressants are notorious for taking a long time to work. Make sure that you have been receiving the treatment as directed for at least a few weeks – if there is still no improvement, contact medical negligence solicitors to get information on making a claim.

#6. You’ve Never Had a Follow-Up Appointment:

When your doctor or other healthcare provider orders a new course of treatment for you, they should always advise you to make and attend a follow-up appointment. At this appointment, they will talk to you about the progress of your treatment and listen to any concerns that you may have about it, before providing you with advice on the best steps to take for the future, whether that’s to continue with the original treatment or consider switching to a new one.

Being left on your own with no follow-up appointment after being prescribed a new treatment can often translate to medical malpractice, particularly if you have been given a treatment with known side effects or have found it difficult to make your concerns heard after taking the treatment. If you’ve been left to deal with a new treatment by yourself, medical negligence lawyers can help you determine if you have a claim.

#7. You Still Haven’t Received a Diagnosis:

If you’ve been for all the examinations and tests that your doctor ordered but still haven’t received a solid diagnosis, then you could be a victim of medical negligence UK. Although certain conditions may take a while to properly diagnose, if you feel that your diagnosis is taking too long and preventing you from getting the right treatment for your condition, then you may have grounds to make a claim. In some cases, taking too long to reach a diagnosis means that the patient’s condition worsens, resulting in them requiring further and more intensive treatment once a conclusion has been reached. If you feel that your diagnosis has taken so long that you’ve gotten worse, it may be worth reaching out to a medical malpractice solicitor for advice on what to do next.

These are just some of the most popular reasons for medical malpractice claims in the UK. If you feel that you’re not receiving the care that you deserve from your doctor or another healthcare professional, seek legal advice today.

This is a guest blog entry.