If you have been harmed as a result of substandard medical care, you will be able to make a claim. This used to be called a medical negligence claim, although is now called a clinical negligence claim.
Making a claim
To make a claim, your first step must be to contact a solicitor who specialises in clinical negligence claims. You can tell whether or not a firm specialises in this area of law by looking at their accreditations.
For example, it may stipulate on their website that they are a member of the Law Society’s Clinical Negligence Panel. This is a quality mark and means you can rest assured that a firm has the expertise required to pursue a clinical negligence claim.
When you contact a firm, you will be asked all about the care you (or your loved one) received. Once you have explained what happened and what injuries have been sustained, a solicitor will be able to advise you on your legal position.
Normally one of three things will occur at this stage: firstly, you may be told there are not sufficient grounds to pursue legal action. Secondly, you may be told that there is a case to be answered but referred on to another law firm. Thirdly, you may be told that there is a case and the firm would like to help you pursue a claim.
What happens next?
If you would like to proceed with litigation, your solicitor will handle the entire case for you. There are a number of steps that must be completed and this can take two to three years to achieve. Cauda equina claims are particularly complex and will require a significant amount of time.
The first steps will be to arrange funding – normally in the form of a no win no fee agreement – and to take witness statements from you and your family. After that, a medical expert will be asked to write a report on your case, while a barrister (Counsel) will be instructed to advise upon issues such as compensation and prospects of success.
Making a claim for cauda equina syndrome
If you suspect that you could make a claim for cauda equina syndrome, please get in touch with us today. We are a specialist firm of clinical negligence lawyers and deal with a large number of cauda equina claims. This means we are well-placed to help you access the justice you deserve.