GPs and doctors will often only have a short period of time in which to examine patients who attend their medical practice. This means that it’s not always possible to take a detailed medical history and fully appreciate the patient’s concerns.
However, if a GP or doctor does make an error when they are examining you and trying to diagnose your condition, you may be entitled to compensation.
Types of GP Negligence can include:
The above actions may result in an incorrect diagnosis being made or a delay being incurred in arriving at the correct diagnosis.
If this has happened to you, our Medical Negligence Solicitors can help you claim the compensation you are entitled to, so you can manage any financial pressures, cope with any lasting effects of your condition and get a sense of closure.
For free legal advice get in touch with our Medical Negligence Solicitors – ask if we can deal with your claim on a No Win, No Fee basis.
We're rated‘Excellent’GPs are often the first point of call if you are feeling unwell, and usually, the GP will be able to appropriately assess your illness and treat this accordingly. However, the limited length of a doctor’s appointment limits their ability to speak to you and examine you as thoroughly as you may wish.
According to a recent study by the British Medical Journal, the average appointment time in the UK is 9.2 minutes, with 2.5 problems being discussed on average. Significantly, the study suggests that only a small number of GPs feel that this is a sufficient length of time to enable them to undertake appointments and provide a good service.
Additionally, by the nature of their role, GPs will deal with a variety of conditions on a daily basis. As such, they cannot have in-depth expertise of all areas of medicine.
This combination of factors means that GPs can occasionally make mistakes when diagnosing, treating or referring patients. However, these errors may have potentially serious consequences, in particular in relation to illnesses that are more successfully treated with early intervention.
If an error by your GP does lead to a negative health outcome, then you may require compensation in order to rebuild your life or cover any lost earnings.
Any delays in reaching a diagnosis will mean that you have to live with the condition for longer and this can often have a knock-on effect on how quickly the correct treatment is started. In many cases, this can reduce the chances of the treatment being successful and may lead to a deterioration in the condition.
If you have received substandard medical care leading to an incorrect or delayed diagnosis and this has had a negative impact on your condition, then you may have a claim for compensation.
Claims for compensation against GPs can be complicated. It’s common for more than one GP to have been involved in your care and the relevant treatment provider will need to be carefully identified.
In addition, expert evidence will be required to establish what impact the delayed diagnosis had on your condition and whether earlier intervention would have actually made any difference.
At Simpson Millar, our Medical Negligence Solicitors have extensive experience of dealing with GP and Doctor Negligence Claims, and we have an excellent track record of recovering compensation for people who’ve been affected by mistakes and misdiagnosis by a GP.
If we break a bone in our body, we expect it to be diagnosed and treated when we visit Accident & Emergency. Missed fractures are not uncommon though, leading to unnecessarily prolonged pain and sometimes further complications.
If your brain tumour was incorrectly diagnosed by a healthcare practitioner as something else, you may be entitled to medical negligence compensation.
If you’re unhappy with the treatment you’ve received from the NHS, you can complain to the healthcare provider that treated you, such as a GP practice or hospital.
Fill in the form below to get in touch with one of our dedicated team members, or call our team today on: 0808 239 6043
