Medical oversight can lead to dangerous or even fatal consequences, with a variety of fatal medical accidents that often occur. Many medical negligence cases involve fatal medical mistakes such as misdiagnosis and hospital infections that could have been avoided.
If you believe a loved one has passed away due to preventable medical mistakes, making a claim may provide you with compensation.
Hospital Infections
Healthcare-associated infections relate to infections contracted due to treatment or contact with a healthcare setting. Some of the most well-known infections in the healthcare sector are Escherichia coli (E. coli), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).
Although the above infections are the most well-known, and often the deadliest, there are a few healthcare-associated infections that are more common:
- Pneumonia and respiratory infections
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs) from catheters
- Surgical site infections
- Clinical sepsis
- Gastrointestinal infections
- Bloodstream infections from IVs
Unnecessary Tests or Treatments
Unnecessary treatments can be life-threatening; in June 2018, NHS England discussed how to spare patients from more than 100,000 yearly unnecessary procedures, with an estimated £200 million saved.
Among children, research suggests that there is a small increase in the lifetime risk of developing leukaemia or a brain tumour from radiation exposure of CT scans. Tests are, however, required when they’re essential for diagnosis and it’s vital to always enquire why a test is needed.
Misdiagnosis
In the past decade, the NHS has paid out a total of £75.7 million to 990 people over missed cancer diagnosis. Patients have 18 times the chance to live when cancer is diagnosed sooner, according to the head of the NHS. The right diagnosis is needed to avoid fatal mistakes, as a wrong diagnosis often delays treatment.
The lack of a diagnosis can be just as dangerous with no treatment done, and often illnesses are caught only when it’s too late.
Medication Errors
As many as 22,000 deaths a year occur due to NHS medication errors, with older patients having an increased probability of being affected. This can relate to hospitalised patients missing regular medication during their hospital stay or wrong medication being given to patients. When wrong medication is prescribed to patients, it can cause adverse reactions with fatal consequences.
Being Discharged Too Early
Early hospital discharging can place patients’ lives at risk, particularly terminally ill patients. This can often result from inadequate follow-ups, discharge without appropriate information being given, and complications from care or illnesses.
A simple misunderstanding or a miscommunication can also be deadly at home after leaving the hospital.
Making a Claim
Should you believe that a loved one has passed away due to carelessness from medical professionals, we’re here to help you investigate. Medical professionals owe patients a duty of care, which can make your grieving process more difficult if you believe better medical care could have prevented your loved one’s death.
Our No Win, No Fee policy ensures that we don’t charge you should your claim be unsuccessful. We will always fight for your corner, guaranteeing that all of our clients receive a minimum percentage of the awarded compensation that has been agreed to before we start work on the claim.
At The Claims Partnership we understand that making claim can’t compensate for your loss; a compensation claim can help to cover expenses you’ve incurred and to help with financial support. Contact us today to speak to our team on 01772 562084 – we always ensure every case is handled individually and with the compassion it deserves.