Justice for Patients: Pursuing a Medical Negligence Claim in Dublin

Medical negligence occurs when a doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional fails to provide the standard of care expected in their profession. This can result in life-changing injuries and even death. If you have been affected by medical negligence, you may be able to take action against the negligent party.

The definition of medical negligence

Medical negligence is the failure to provide a standard of care that is considered reasonable by medical professionals. This can be a result of a doctor’s mistake or failure to diagnose, but it can also occur because of a hospital’s mistake.

Medical negligence cases are complex and require expert testimony from both sides to determine what happened, who was responsible and how much compensation should be paid out in damages.

How to pursue a claim for medical negligence

If you wish to pursue a claim for medical negligence, there are several steps you can take. The first is to informally contact the doctor or hospital involved in your care and ask them if they will compensate you for any losses suffered. If this does not result in an offer of compensation, then it may be necessary to contact a solicitor who specialises in medical negligence claims. The Health Information Quality Authority provides information on how long each case takes from start to finish on their website.

Time limits on pursuing a claim for medical negligence

If you were injured or suffered harm as a result of medical negligence, the time limit for bringing a claim is three years from the date of the incident. This means that if your injury was caused by an incident on 1st January 2019, then your claim must be brought within three years (by 1st January 2022).

If you do not know about your right to bring a claim until after this time period has expired, then don’t worry – there are still ways that we can help you pursue compensation. However, if we cannot prove ignorance and show that it would have been impossible for us to discover our rights within 3 years after an injury took place then no compensation will be awarded under Section 3A(2) of The Civil Liability Act 1961-2003 (as amended).

The costs of pursuing a claim for medical negligence

The costs of pursuing a claim for medical negligence are not as high as you might think. The price of your claim will vary depending on the complexity of your case and whether or not it goes to trial, but generally they range from around £10,000 – £20,000 (�12,500 – �25k).

You can find out how much it would cost by contacting a solicitor directly and discussing your options with them.

Medical negligence claims need not be complicated or expensive

• You can find a solicitor to help you.
• You can get legal aid if you qualify.
• Free advice is available from solicitors and the HSE, but not all solicitors will give it for free.

Conclusion

Medical negligence claims can be a stressful and difficult process, but they don’t have to be. With the help of our team at Dublin Medical Negligence Lawyers and their experience in pursuing claims for patients who have been harmed by negligent doctors or nurses, you can get the compensation you deserve without having to worry about all of the details involved in pursuing an injury claim.