An unnecessary suffering claim seeks compensation for the unnecessary suffering of a patient due to medical negligence. You can claim compensation for the effects of the unnecessary suffering today and in the future.

Medical negligence is treatment by a medical professional below a standard any other medical professional would provide. The doctor, nurse and paramedic owe you a duty of care. It could be medical negligence if they breach their duty of care, causing you harm.

Unnecessary suffering due to a surgical error, a birthing error, a misdiagnosis or when given the wrong medication can affect how you care for yourself and even your ability to work.

Hughes & Associates Solicitors in Dublin can make your medical negligence claim* for unnecessary suffering.

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What unnecessary suffering claim for medical negligence?

A claim for unnecessary suffering is the legal process you follow when looking for compensation for the effects of the medical negligence. You make a claim for the suffering due to the doctor missing a broken bone in an X-ray or when the pharmacist gives you the wrong medication.

Medical negligence in Ireland happens to people every day. The doctor reads the wrong chart before making a diagnosis, or the nurse gives the wrong medication to a patient -it can happen, but patients suffer. 

On average, about 1 in 10 people in need of medical care are injured by medical negligence every year. In Ireland, over 10,000 people per annum suffer an injury requiring further treatment due to medical malpractice. Unnecessary suffering due to the wrong medication, diagnosis errors and surgical negligence can happen in the more than 107,000 adverse events reported in the Irish healthcare sector every year. LINK

You may have a medical negligence claim* for compensation for the physical and psychological effects of the unnecessary suffering in an adverse medical event.

Hughes & Associates medical negligence solicitors have the experience to take your case and make a compensation claim*.

Common claims for unnecessary suffering

Common claims for unnecessary suffering in Ireland range from the pain due to a surgical error to the time off work due to a misdiagnosis of cancer and the effects on your mental health of errors during treatment.

A medical negligence compensation claim* can be for the effects on your family, the ability to work, travel to work, and live an independent life.

Some common claims for unnecessary suffering:

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Unnecessary suffering due to the wrong medication

Unnecessary suffering due to the wrong medication can happen due to a prescription error or negligence by the pharmacist when filling a prescription.

A medication error could go uncorrected for some time, making the unnecessary suffering an issue lasting months and even years.

You could suffer from a cancer spreading into other organs due to being given the wrong medication or the incorrect dose of a cancer drug.

Unnecessary suffering due to a diagnosis error

Unnecessary suffering due to a diagnosis error may be caused by a missed diagnosis or a late diagnosis of the condition.

A misdiagnosis of cancer or diabetes could cause unnecessary suffering and discomfort.

Types of unnecessary suffering due to a diagnosis error:

  • Pain and discomfort due to a missed diagnosis of a broken leg
  • Pain due to a misdiagnosis of a digestion issue

  • Pain and suffering due to a late diagnosis of bowel cancer

You could have a compensation claim* for the unnecessary suffering due to a diagnosis error.

Unnecessary suffering due to errors by the paramedic

Any unnecessary suffering due to errors by the paramedic could have a severe effect on your medical treatment in an emergency.

The paramedic is the first in line when you are in a medical emergency and can cause a lot of unnecessary suffering.

Types of unnecessary suffering due to a paramedic:

  • Pain and suffering due to a lifting error by the paramedic

  • Pain and suffering due to a missed diagnosis made by a paramedic

  • Delays in treatment due to a diagnosis error made by the paramedic

You can make a medical negligence compensation claim* for the effects of negligence by the paramedic.

Unnecessary suffering due to a failure to refer

The unnecessary suffering due to a failure to refer for tests or treatment can cause long-term harm and have many effects on your life.

The GP or a hospital doctor can cause the failure to refer negligence, leading to unnecessary suffering.

Types of unnecessary suffering due to a failure to refer:

  • Patient has a stroke due to a failure to refer

  • Failure to refer for further tests leads to prolonged suffering with a bowel issue

  • Missed broken bone in the hand due to a failure to refer to A&E

The failure to refer can cause many health issues, such as a late diagnosis and unnecessary suffering for the patient.

Hughes & Associates solicitors in Dublin can look at your case and make your compensation claim* for unnecessary suffering.

Compensation in an unnecessary suffering claim in Ireland

Compensation in an unnecessary suffering claim in Ireland is for the effects of the missed cancer diagnosis, the wrong site surgery and being given the incorrect medication by the pharmacist.

The compensation is for the damages suffered today and in the future due to medical negligence. You make an unnecessary suffering claim for the pain, discomfort, and the other effects on your life.

There are two types of damages in an unnecessary suffering claim in Ireland:

General damages in an unnecessary suffering claim will see you being compensated for the Loss of Amenity due to a misdiagnosis of sepsis, missed nerve damage in the back and the prolonged effects of a broken bone in the head.

You may suffer a loss of amenity, such as difficulty walking, exercising, or getting to work.

You can also claim for the pain due to the injury you suffered due to a lack of duty of care by the paramedic or the hospital doctor in the A&E department.

Special damages in an unnecessary suffering claim are for the costs and expenses you will have due to medical negligence, such as care costs and physical therapy.

Special damages in an unnecessary suffering claim could be: 

  • Medical costs
  • Loss of earnings
  • Travel costs 
  • Cost of care
  • Further treatment costs
  • Cost of aids and equipment 

Compensation in a medical negligence claim* in Ireland combines the two damages when you suffer one of the many types of medical negligence leading to unnecessary suffering.

Hughes & Associates Solicitors can help make your medical negligence claim* in Ireland.

A successful unnecessary suffering claim could see you receive compensation. The compensation you receive will combine the two types of damages. 

At Hughes & Associates personal injury solicitors we offer vast experience and in-depth knowledge of every type of road traffic accident claim. Contact our Dublin offices today for an assessment of your case and advice on your options moving forward.

Who is at fault for an unnecessary suffering claim?

A medical professional can be responsible for an unnecessary suffering claim for compensation. The A&E doctor, the hospital consultant, your GP, and the pharmacist could be responsible for the lack of duty of care.

The HSE A&E department can see many cases of unnecessary suffering due to a misdiagnosis of an emergency medical event. The HSE is responsible for hiring the right staff, implementing safe practices in the A&E, and staffing the wards in the hospital.

Those who may be at fault for an unnecessary suffering claim in Ireland:

  • The A&E doctor in an emergency

  • The oncologist who makes a missed diagnosis of cancer

  • The paramedic who makes an error at the site of an accident

  • The radiologist who misses a broken bone on an X-ray

  • The attending doctor who fails to refer you for tests

  • The surgeon responsible for wrong-site surgery

  • The HSE Hospital, which does not employ suitable staff

  • The HSE Hospital, which does not HSE guidelines

  • The HSE Hospital, which does not roster enough staff in the A&E

If you suffer pain and discomfort due to errors by a medical professional injury, such as when walking with missed torn ligaments or nausea due to the incorrect medications, you may have a medical negligence claim*.

Hughes & Associates Solicitors in Dublin will be there for you when making a medical negligence claim* for unnecessary suffering compensation.

How to make a medical negligence claim* in Ireland

To make a medical negligence claim* in Ireland, you need only take a few easy-to-follow steps, from talking to a personal injury solicitor to filing the compensation claim*.

At Hughes & Associates Solicitors, we want to make a medical negligence claim* as easy as possible.

You have gone through the unnecessary suffering and we can help you take the steps to a successful compensation claim*.

The steps are designed to provide an efficient and effective way to make a medical negligence compensation claim*. 

The first step to make a medical negligence claim* is to contact a medical negligence solicitor. 

You can contact Hughes & Associates medical negligence solicitors today and outline the issues you have experienced. 

A medical negligence claim* can be complex and very personal in many circumstances. You could know one of the ambulance crew or be a regular patient at the hospital or clinic. You may even be a HSE employee at the hospital.

We will take the time to understand your situation and build a professional relationship with you. 

You and your solicitor work together to create your compensation case. 

One of the main aspects of this step is to gather evidence. We will want to look at your medical records, hospital ward notes, and any other accounts related to your case. 

We can call on other medical experts to develop your medical negligence claim* and see what happened in your case of unnecessary suffering.

The solicitor helping you with the case will know what areas of evidence to cover and what will help your compensation claim*. 

Submission of the letter of claim to the negligent party is the next step in the medical negligence claims* process.

In the letter of claim, your solicitor will outline the details of your case and how you suffered medical negligence.

The negligent party could be the HSE, hospital authority, GP, or private medical care clinic.

In most cases of medical negligence, the letter of claim will be handled by the insurers of the negligent party.

Dealing with the reply to your letter of claim is the next step in the medical negligence case.

The negligent party, through their insurance company, will make a written reply to your letter of claim within a matter of months.

In the letter of reply, they may admit to the negligence, offer compensation, or deny liability for your medical negligence claim*.

You may need to go to court if the negligent party denies responsibility for the unnecessary suffering claim or does not offer an acceptable level of compensation for your pain and discomfort.

Court proceedings can be the next step if the defendant rejects the claim or you feel you should receive more in compensation.

Court proceedings are rare, although your Hughes & Associates solicitor will be prepared. We may look to gather further evidence to support your claim when it comes to a court hearing.

Often, a medical negligence claim* is settled on the morning of the court case when the negligent party realises you are not backing down and they look at your evidence or your expert witness.

When the court case is successful, the paying of compensation for medical negligence claim* can follow.

Hughes & Associates Medical Negligence Solicitors can make your medical negligence claim*.

Make a medical negligence claim* today

Make a medical negligence claim* today by contacting Hughes & Associates Solicitors in Dublin.

You could have a compensation claim* if you suffered unnecessary suffering during surgery, during treatment in the A&E department or due to a lack of duty of care by the GP.

The cost of medical negligence can be significant medical bills, the loss of income, or the need for full-time care.
Contact Hughes & Associates Solicitors today for a confidential and professional service with your unnecessary suffering medical negligence claim*.

Contact the Hughes & Associates Team

    Phone
    +353 1 891 0020
    Email
    info@hughessolicitors.ie