Accident and Emergency
Accident and Emergency claims are unfortunately common. Our Accident and Emergency departments provide an invaluable and often lifesaving service.
However, with an estimated 21 million admissions to A&E departments every year, things occasionally go wrong.
A&E staff are often under pressure to make a prompt diagnosis in circumstances that can be very challenging. When there are failures of care, the impact can be devastating for patients and their families.
Medical errors in A&E medicine can arise in many ways. If you have suffered an injury or illness because of poor management, misdiagnosis or failure to diagnose, you may be able to recover compensation.
Our solicitors have experience handling a wide range of cases relating to Accident and Emergency negligence, including those involving patients treated by paramedics, as well as A&E hospital doctors and nurses.
We will fully investigate the circumstances of your A&E claim case and aim to make the process as easy as possible, guiding you through every stage. We know that often you want to understand why the A&E system failed you to ensure the same thing does not happen to someone else.
Examples of accident and emergency claims:
- Delays in ambulances reaching patients
- Failure by paramedics in treating patients correctly
- Failure to correctly interpret test results such as scans, x-rays and blood tests
- Misdiagnosis of a medical condition
- Failure to operate when necessary
- Failure by junior staff to seek the opinion of a consultant or specialist doctor
- Discharging a patient from the hospital too soon.
Starting your Personal Injury claim
You will likely have many questions regarding the process, and we are here to make it clearer. We offer a free, no-obligation consultation with our experts in Norwich to guide you, helping you to understand each step.
Get in touch with our friendly, expert A&E claim team for a free initial chat to discuss your case. Our team now includes clinical negligence specialist Sara Westwood.
Telephone: 01603 214 220
Accident and emergency case studies
Fracture Missed On X-Ray
Mr A attended the A&E Department having sustained an injury to his right hand. He had an x-ray which, in error, was reported to be normal. It was not until 11 days after the x-ray was reviewed that fractures to a finger were identified and a further 5 days until the fracture was treated. The claim was settled for £1,250.
Failure to Refer For Needed Treatment
Mr M, who had a pre-existing condition affecting blood supply to his extremities, had injured his left little finger in the door. He visited the A&E Departments of two hospitals who both sent him away without a referral to a Specialist or any treatment. As a result of the failure to refer him to treatment, the tip of the finger became gangrenous and was amputated. We assisted Mr M in making a claim and he received £7,500 in compensation.
Mrs M Bury Clinical Negligence
The Claimant attended the Fairfield General Hospital, having fallen in a Shopping Centre in Bury. She was brought to the hospital by ambulance and complained predominantly about an injury to her right arm. The Claimant had an examination and an x-ray carried out to her right elbow. No bone injury was identified. The Claimant was given pain relief and discharged. She continued to have problems and attended Fairfield General Hospital two weeks later, further x-rays were taken, this time of her right shoulder. The x-ray confirmed that the shoulder was dislocated. Efforts were made to relocate the shoulder, but it was not possible to do so, and the Claimant was therefore transferred by ambulance to Manchester North Hospital, where an operation to relocate her shoulder was carried out under general anaesthetic.
It was admitted that a proper examination on the first attendance would have spotted this and a manipulation under sedation, a much less invasive treatment, would have taken place with a better outcome. The Claimant recovered £5,000 for her pain and suffering, travel and care losses.
How we
can help you
Medical Negligence can have a wide range of effects, many of which may not be obvious immediately after an accident. With specialist accreditations with Action Against Medical Accidents (AvMA) and the Law Society, our team has represented victims in a wide range of cases.
To find out more about our expertise, please call:
Our insights
Delivering thought-leading expertise and understanding from our expert solicitors and staff.
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Expert Resolution of a Complex Medical Negligence Claim
The remainder of the claims were settled at a round-table meeting, resulting in the claimant recovering £140,000. Concerns regarding the capacity of the deceased’s son to litigate led to the pursuit of formal court approval, given the uncertainties involved.