Failure to provide adequate medical care

What is failure to provide adequate medical care?

Failure to provide adequate medical care occurs when a medical professional or healthcare provider does not deliver the accepted standard of care that you could reasonably expect in your treatment. This negligence can happen in various healthcare settings, including hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes, and dental practices. Examples of inadequate care can include delayed diagnosis, misdiagnosis, improper medication prescribing, failure to refer specialist consultations, neglectful monitoring of a patient's condition, or not obtaining informed consent before a treatment or surgical procedure.

Inadequate medical care can profoundly impact your health, resulting in preventable injuries or illnesses, complications, emotional distress, and even financial hardship arising from loss of work or increased medical costs. Understanding whether your circumstances amount to medical negligence is important, and our legal experts can thoroughly assess your claim and clearly explain your options.

Can you claim compensation for failure to provide adequate medical care?

If you have experienced harm because of inadequate medical treatment, you may be eligible to claim compensation. To successfully make a claim, it must be demonstrated that:

• Breach of duty - The healthcare professional or institution provided medical care which fell below appropriate standards and /or acted negligently by failing to conduct appropriate investigations, tests, or referrals.
• Causation - It must also be proven that this negligence directly contributed to your harm, suffering or worsened your medical outcome and prognosis.

At Stephensons, we will closely review the circumstances surrounding your experience, gathering robust evidence including medical records, independent specialist reports and witness testimonials to support your claim.

Compensation payments can cover different aspects of your experience, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of earnings, rehabilitation costs, adaptations to your home, and ongoing care and treatment expenses. Our solicitors will fully value your claim, ensuring you receive the right amount of compensation to help you rebuild your life.

Why choose us for your failure to provide adequate medical care claim?

At Stephensons, our dedicated medical negligence solicitors have extensive experience handling complex cases involving failure to provide adequate medical care. We approach each case with compassion, professionalism and commitment, putting your needs at the heart of our legal services. Our law firm has received numerous prestigious accreditations, confirming our expertise and commitment to the highest standards in legal practice:

• Accredited by the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Accreditation Scheme, demonstrating our expert handling of medical negligence matters.
• Recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for excellence, reflecting the high-quality service and consistently positive outcomes delivered to clients.
• Members of AvMA (Action against Medical Accidents), a leading UK charity committed to supporting victims of medical negligence.

Our approachable solicitors will provide clear, insightful advice tailored entirely to your individual needs, supporting you at every stage of your claim, ensuring you feel informed, empowered and confident throughout the entire legal process.

How we can help

Our experienced solicitors will aim to ensure your case proceeds as smoothly and efficiently as possible. We can assist by:

• Offering an initial free consultation to clearly establish whether you have grounds for a claim
• Providing compassionate advice and support at every ste
• Securing interim compensation payments, where possible, to assist with immediate care and treatment needs
• Obtaining specialist independent medical evidence to support your case
• Representing you with skill and tenacity, negotiating robustly with insurers and defendants to obtain the best possible outcome
• Pursuing your claim on a no-win-no-fee funding arrangement if appropriate, ensuring no upfront costs or financial risk to you

Contact Stephensons today

If you think you or a loved one received inadequate medical care causing unnecessary harm or suffering, we encourage you to speak to our specialist team today for experienced, personalised advice. Call us on 0161 696 6165 or fill in our enquiry form, and one of our team members will get back to you promptly.

Frequently asked questions about failure to provide adequate medical care claims

What evidence do I need to support my claim?

To support your claim, you'll usually need medical records, expert medical reports, witness statements, and documentary evidence of financial losses or expenses you've incurred due to inadequate medical care. Our solicitors will assist you in gathering all necessary evidence.

How much compensation could I receive?

The compensation amount varies greatly depending on the severity of injuries and the long-term impact. Our solicitors carefully assess your circumstances by reviewing medical evidence and calculating all related losses to ensure appropriate compensation.

Is there a time limit to make this claim?

In line with standard medical negligence claims, according to the Limitation Act 1980, the general time limit for making a compensation claim related to failure to provide adequate medical care in the UK is three years from the date of negligence occurrence or three years from the date you became aware of negligence causing harm (often known as the "date of knowledge"). However, exceptions do exist in specific circumstances, including:

• If the claimant is under the age of 18, the three-year limitation period begins on their 18th birthday, expiring at age 21.
• If the claimant lacks mental capacity, the time limitation may potentially be extended indefinitely until the claimant regains capacity.
• If the alleged defendant agrees to a limitation extension, and/or the Court approves an extension in specific circumstances at its own discretion.

Although three years may seem sufficient, we strongly recommend contacting Stephensons as early as possible after the negligence event occurs. Prompt legal action allows our solicitors maximum opportunity for evidence collection, expert advice, and achieving successful outcomes.

Will my case go to court?

Most medical negligence claims settle out of court, but our solicitors always prepare strong cases should court proceedings become necessary. We will guide you clearly through every stage of the legal process, providing essential support from start to finish.