Sadly, when you have suffered the death of a loved one due to fatal medical negligence, the last thing on your mind, or the last thing you feel you can deal with during your time of bereavement is a legal claim against the medical team. Coping with loss is hard enough as it is.

However, those in the legal profession who specialise in medical negligence claims are especially trained in this niche area of the law and will be able to advise on the appropriate course of action and explain the range of options open to claimants. If you think that a loved one, whether a friend or member of the family, has died as a result of medical negligence, it is worth making preliminary investigations as to the merits of a legal claim.

What is Medical Negligence Exactly?

If someone in the medical profession, whether it is your general practitioner, a surgeon or someone working at the local hospital for instance, has behaved inappropriately and in breach of their legal duties to their patients, causing a fatality, a claim for compensation may be possible. Typical examples of claims can relate to infections contracted in hospitals, or problems with the correct diagnosis of the illness. Sometimes, reactions to medicines can lead to a fatal negligence claim too. Another typical area relates to death around the time of childbirth.

Are There Fees?

The first step in the process is to talk to a solicitor who is appropriately qualified to advise you further. Included in the advice, should be an explanation of the options available to you in terms of paying for legal fees. Did you know, for example, that there is an arrangement called the 'no win no fee' payment scheme? This effectively means that, if you lose your case, you will not be obliged to pay the legal bills. Sometimes, there is a possibility of taking out insurance or agreeing a payment plan for legal fees.

Let Others Do the Work

It is important to remember, however, that once you have had the initial consultation with the relevant solicitor and made the initial decisions about how and whether to proceed with a claim for compensation, the solicitor will take on the case on your behalf. This will leave you the time and space to focus on the life issues that face you. The solicitor will negotiate, deal with paperwork and keep you advised and informed of the relevant steps of the process.