What can you do if an injury is made worse by medical negligence? Our expert team examines the legal implications.
Contact us for a free consultation about your medical negligence case, and details of our fully funded no win, no fee scheme. Call 0333 888 0404 or send details of your case to us at [email protected].Â
It’s tough enough to suffer a serious accident, but when your injuries are made worse by negligent medical treatment then you may be forgiven for feeling that the fates are conspiring against you.
It is surprisingly common for medical negligence to occur when injuries sustained in an accident are being treated. Our lawyers have dealt with many such cases and are experienced in advising those who have been unfortunate enough to suffer this double jeopardy.
Where an injury has been made worse by medical negligence then it may impact on any legal claim you intend to pursue in relation to the accident that caused your original injuries. Insurance companies will usually seek to limit their responsibility if a victim’s injuries have been exacerbated by negligent medical treatment subsequently received.
The courts confirmed in the case of Jenkinson v Hertfordshire County Council that those who are being sued for accident compensation are entitled to raise negligent medical treatment as a defence. This can raise difficult issues for the victim’s legal team who may need to join the negligent hospital or NHS trust to the court proceedings.
Where the initial injury was not anyone’s fault (and therefore no legal action was being taken), then the individual can still pursue a medical negligence compensation claim for the extent to which their injuries have been made worse by the substandard medical treatment they received.
If you have suffered an injury that has been made worse by medical negligence then you can contact our free legal helpline for expert guidance. We specialise in both injury claims and medical negligence law, and are recommended by the independent guide to the legal profession, the Legal 500, in both these fields. We are therefore perfectly qualified to give you the specialist legal guidance you will need.
