What is Medical Negligence?
If you have had medical treatment which
went wrong or caused you injury, you may be able to get
compensation for your injuries and suffering . You will find
lots of information on the medical accidents web site, many
topics have been covered and may help you with the questions you
have. Our specialist clinical negligence solicitors are always
happy to have a chat with you. They are able to discuss your
situation with you and advise you of your next step.
You may want to speak with a clinical
negligence solicitor if a hospital or doctor has failed to
diagnose your condition, or made the wrong diagnosis. It might
be that there has been a mistake made during your operation or
procedure, or that there has been a fault with the equipment
used. Sometimes the wrong drugs are given by accident, or the
wrong doseage.
Failing to warn
about the risks of a particular treatment.
As well as obtaining consent from the
patient, the hospital or Doctor must also make sure that the
patient is fully aware of any risks involved with the procedure.
Even if there is only a slight risk with a certain procedure, a
patient must be made aware of that risk. They are only then able
to make an informed decision. If you feel you were not made
aware of the risks of a procedure and that you have suffered or
been injured as a result, then you should contact one of our
clinical negligence solicitors as soon as possible.
Consent to
treatment.
Consent to treatment should be obtained
prior to treatment. Consent is required from a patient
regardless of the type of treatment being given, from a blood
test to an organ donation. The principle of consent is an
important part of medical ethics and the international human
rights law. The decision to consent or not consent to treatment
should be made by the patient alone, and not involve any
pressure from medical staff, friends or family.
The person must have all the information
about what the treatment involves, including the benefits and
risks. They should have information about any reasonable
alternative treatments, and what will happen if treatment does
not go ahead. Information should not be withheld from the
patient.
The person needs to be capable of giving
consent, which means they understand the information given to
them and they can use it to make an informed decision.
Emergency
treatment
If a person requires emergency treatment
to save their life, they might not be in a position to give
consent as a result of being incapacitate, treatment will be
carried out. Once they have recovered, the reasons why treatment
was necessary will be fully explained to them.
Additional
procedures
There may be occasions when additional
procedures are needed during an operation. It might be a case
that any delay in the procedure would be dangerous, and it is in
the patient’s best interest to continue without consent. There
must be a clear medical reason for carrying out additional
procedures without consent.
Whatever the problems you have
encountered contact us today for some free advice. Our national
panel of medical negligence solicitors are experts in all
aspects of clinical negligence and will be able to offer you
some sound advice on your situation.
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