GP Negligence Claims

For many patients, their doctor is the most trusted medical professional in their life. This can make it all the more distressing if it turns out that their poor advice or incorrect treatment has had a negative impact on your health.

There are a wide range of problems that lead people to attend their GP, so claims against GPs for negligence can cover a very wide spectrum of situations.

Some common complaints can include missed or delayed diagnosis of a condition, failure to refer on for more specialist treatment, or negligent performance of minor surgical procedures.

At Jackson Lees, we are experienced in dealing with claims against GPs and are aware that these can often cover some very sensitive issues, especially where a client has been the patient of a particular GP for some time, and yet been the victim of Clinical Negligence by them. We understand the issues that can arise, and have experience in helping with the legal and emotional points that can occur.

If you wish to make a Medical Negligence claim against your GP, Jackson Lees can draw on over 25 years of experience to help you discover the truth behind your case and receive the practical financial support needed to deal with the consequences of any illness or injury you have sustained.

We have a former doctor, nurse and midwife within our specialist team and we have a helped many people across England and Wales with their claims.

We are able to take cases on under a conditional fee agreement, also known as ‘no win, no fee’ and our initial consultation is free of charge.

We can also arrange appointments out of hours or in the comfort of your home if this is more convenient.

For more information call us on 0151 282 1700 or go to our online enquiry form.

What is GP Negligence?

There are two common cases of GP negligence:

• Incorrect diagnosis – Your doctor discovers something wrong with you, but does not correctly identify your condition. This can result in incorrect treatment being administered, which can be harmful to your health and / or allow the existing illness to develop.
• Missed diagnosis – Your doctor fails to notice that there is something wrong with you, meaning you are not treated and the condition may worsen.

If Medical Negligence on the part of your GP means you are not given the correct diagnosis and treatment promptly, it may mean that when the problem is eventually discovered, you are in a much worse position than you would otherwise have been. In these cases, it may be appropriate to make a GP claim with help from Jackson Lees Solicitors.

Case Study

We acted for a client whose GP failed to diagnose skin cancer, mistakenly treating the condition as if it were a wart. By the time the condition was correctly diagnosed, the cancer had sadly spread, to a point where it could no longer be cured. A substantial amount was awarded to the client as a result of this.

In another case, we represented a client when their GP failed to respond to the signs of a severe asthma attack, which led to the client collapsing that day, and subsequently developing brain damage as a result of a respiratory arrest. The matter eventually settled for £2,500,000, less any benefits owed to the DWP.

As such, whilst there is no “typical” case of GP negligence, Jackson Lees have the experience that enables us to act in a wide variety of cases, and understand the right questions to ask to allow a claim to be investigated thoroughly, despite the wide variety of situations that can lead to us being consulted.

Ask Jackson Lees

At Jackson Lees, we appreciate that being let down by your doctor can hurt more, due to the fact you may have built up a relationship with them, potentially over several years.

This is why we treat every GP negligence claim with the care and sensitivity it deserves. We make you fully aware of all the options open to you and offer support throughout the process to ensure you get the answers you need in order to do the right thing in the right way.

You might find our knowledge hub useful, in particular the article ‘In GP’s we trust?’

Whether you have visited your doctor or required medical assistance at A&E, if your treatment was negligent then our experts may be able to help you. Call for more information on 0151 282 1700, or use our Medical Negligence enquiry form to tell us more about your case.