Medical Negligence Claims

Hospital infections

If you or a family member has suffered as a result of acquiring an infection in a hospital, you may be able to make a medical negligence compensation claim.

MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) and C Difficile (Clostridum Difficile) are often referred to as superbugs because they are highly resistant to the antibiotics which are used to treat infections. Patients who contract these infections are at high risk of suffering long term health problems or even death.

Outbreaks of these types of infections have been attributed to low standards of hygiene in hospitals and among hospital staff.

Many people contract infections while being treated in hospital and they are often preventable by hospital staff following the correct procedures for hygiene and cleanliness. These include:

• Hospital staff should wash their hands regularly using antibacterial soap and disposable towels
• Medical equipment should be thoroughly cleaned or disposed of after use
• Patients infected should be isolated from other patients to prevent it spreading and access to the infected patient should be restricted
• Staff having contact with infected patients should wear protective clothing which is discarded before leaving the infected area
• The site of any infection should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected

Strict rules now exist in hospitals to try and minimise incidences of superbugs such as MRSA and C Difficile. If these rules are not followed and you contract an infection due to the hospital staff’s negligence or a problem with the hospital’s procedures, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

If I claim against my hospital will if affect my future care?

Your hospital does not have the right to refuse to treat you simply because you have brought a claim against them, although in practice you may feel more comfortable in seeking an alternative health care provider.

At a hospital this may mean asking to be treated by a different doctor or being referred elsewhere.

What can I claim?

The value of your claim will depend on a number of factors including:

• The nature of the injury or illness
• Whether you recover fully from the injury or illness or if it has a long term effect on your health and wellbeing
• The amount of any losses you incur as a result of the injury

You can claim compensation for the following things if they are a result of your injury:

• Pain, suffering and loss of amenity
• Loss of earnings
• Medical and nursing care costs
• Special equipment needed to carry out daily activities and any costs involved in adapting your home
• Other expenses incurred as a result of your injury, for example, travel expenses incurred whilst receiving medical treatment.

Contact us to speak to one of our specialist lawyers in total confidence and they will discuss the details of your claim.