General Practitioners (GPs) tend to be our first point of contact when we are feeling unwell or have an injury. Doctors can be the first to spot the signs of serious illnesses and injuries and can help prevent long-term health issues.
We all expect a high standard of care from our GPs. However, negligent mistakes can happen. For example, your doctor might delay acting on your symptoms, fail to refer you for further tests or X-rays, or misdiagnose your illness or condition.
GP negligence can leave you with severe or life-changing injuries or illnesses and preventable complications.
Nursing negligence can also be a serious issue. A nurse at your GP surgery may fail to provide you with a reasonable standard of care causing avoidable injuries and pain, or your condition worsening.
If you or a family member has suffered due to negligence at your GP surgery or health centre, you may be able to make a medical negligence compensation claim.
Our specialist team of medical negligence solicitors has lots of experience helping people affected by insufficient or incompetent care levels from their GP. We have helped many GPs’ patients over the years, who have suffered severe physical and psychological harm, to secure maximum compensation.
Our Expertise with GP Negligence Claims
We can help with a wide range of GP negligence compensation claims. Some examples include:
- Failure to investigate symptoms
- Failure to refer you to a specialist
- Failure to refer you for tests
- Failure to consider your medical history
- Misdiagnosis
- Diagnosis delays
- Not acting on test results
- Poor record-keeping and administrative errors such as losing your records
- Administering the wrong treatment
- Prescription errors (e.g. giving you the wrong medication)
- Failure to review medication
We understand you may feel reluctant about the thought of claiming against your GP. However, compensation can help pay for specialist rehabilitation, care and support, and any adaptations you need to make to your home due to your illness or injury. It will also compensate you for the pain and distress you have suffered.
Your medical negligence compensation will also make up for any loss of income (including future loss of earnings) and any care costs you may incur in the future.
Novum Law Medical Negligence Solicitors
Over the years our medical negligence solicitors have held both NHS and private doctors across England and Wales to account for treatment and care that falls below medically acceptable standards.
We offer No Win No Fee funding, which means there is no financial risk to you or any hidden, unexpected costs. In the improbable event, your claim is unsuccessful; you will not have to pay any money. Click here to find out more information about No Win No Fee.
Our regional offices network includes Bristol, Cardiff, the Isle of Wight, Plymouth, Salisbury, Southampton and Swindon.
To book a free, no-obligation chat with us call 0800 884 0777, email info@novumlaw.com or complete our online enquiry form.
How making a GP negligence compensation claim works
Contact Novum Law today for a free initial consultation and find out if you can make a GP negligence claim
We offer a free initial consultation if you or a family member has experienced illness or injury due to GP negligence.
Call us now on Freephone 0800 884 0777, email info@novumlaw.com or complete our online enquiry form for a free, ‘no strings attached’ chat and we will let you know if you have the grounds to make a GP negligence claim.
No Win No Fee GP Negligence Claims
Making a GP negligence claim with Novum Law is straightforward. Our GP negligence claims are available on a No Win No Fee basis, which means you do not have to worry about legal costs.
In the unlikely event, your claim is unsuccessful; you will have nothing to pay. Click here to find out more about No Win No Fee.
Investigating your GP Negligence Claim
Our solicitors will gather evidence from your medical records. We will also speak to independent medical experts to build a strong case against your GP.
We will work hard to prove the negligent healthcare you received from your GP made your condition worse or resulted in you suffering an injury or illness.
Once we have all the evidence that we need to support your GP negligence claim, we will help you secure your compensation as quickly as possible.
Working out how much Compensation you are Owed for Negligent GP Treatment and Care
The value of your GP negligence claim is calculated using several factors, including:
- General damages – the severity of your injury or illness, pain and suffering, and the impact on your quality of life.
- Special damages – the financial cost including loss of earnings, medication and treatment expenses, rehabilitation and care costs, travel expenses to hospital appointments, house and vehicle adaptations, and any specialist equipment you need.
Click here to find out more about how we calculate compensation.
Time Limits for GP Negligence Claims
In most GP negligence cases, you have three years to make a compensation claim. The time limit for making a GP negligence claim starts from the date your injury happened (or the date you first became aware that your injury or illness resulted from GP negligence).
There are some exceptions to the three-year time limit:
- If you are making a GP negligence claim on behalf of a child, you can start the claim at any time until they reach the age of 18. Once they are 18, they have until they are 21 to make a claim themselves.
- If you are claiming on behalf of someone who lacks the mental capacity to make their own decisions, there is no time limit.
To learn more about time limits (sometimes referred to as ‘limitation’), you can read our article. If you have any questions about time limits, you can call us on Freephone 0800 884 0777 or email info@novumlaw.com.
Settling a GP Negligence Claim out of Court
Most GP negligence claims settle out of court which means you may not have to wait too long for your compensation.
Taking your GP Negligence Claim to Court
If no agreement is reached, your GP negligence claim may have to go to court. Even if this happens, it does not necessarily mean you will have to go to court. In many medical negligence cases, the claims settle before the official court hearing date. However, our expert legal team will support you throughout the process if your compensation claim does go to court.
Frequently Asked Questions about GP Negligence Claims
What Evidence do you Need to Support my GP Negligence Claim?
Our medical negligence solicitors will gather the evidence to build as strong a case as possible including:
- Your detailed medical records
- Witness statements
- Clinical evidence from independent medical experts
Who will I be Claiming against during my GP Negligence Claim?
Our specialist medical negligence team can help you claim compensation from NHS Trusts, private hospitals, and individual medical professionals.
GPs are generally insured by the Medical Defence Union (MDU) or the Medical Protection Society (MPS). If you are making a negligence claim against your GP, either the MDU or the MPS will pay your compensation.
If I Make a GP Negligence Claim, Will it Affect any Future Healthcare or Treatment I have?
No, your compensation claim will not affect any future healthcare or treatment you receive. You will not have to leave your GP’s surgery, and you will receive care and treatment as usual.
Can I Claim Compensation if my Loved One Died due to GP Negligence?
Yes, you can make a medical negligence compensation claim if your loved one has tragically died due to negligent GP treatment.
Our expert solicitors can help you secure compensation for your loved one’s pain and suffering and any financial losses you have incurred.
We can also help you if there is an inquest into your loved one’s death. Click here to find out more about inquests.
Do you have a Question we have not Answered?
If you have a question that is not listed above, please visit our FAQs page. Alternatively, please get in touch, and we will be happy to answer your query.
Please Book your Free Initial Consultation with our GP Negligence Solicitors
If you or a loved one has a GP negligence claim, our expert solicitors in Bristol, Cardiff, the Isle of Wight, Plymouth, Salisbury, Southampton and Swindon are here to help.
To start the process of making your compensation claim, contact us on Freephone 0800 884 0777 or online for a free, no-obligation chat.