CLAIMING FOR ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY NEGLIGENCE

A&E departments are under immense pressure, but you still deserve a good standard of care when you attend hospital in an emergency. When doctors and nurses fail to meet expected standards, the consequences can be devastating.

Errors in assessment and treatment at A&E can lead to further injury, worsening illness, or even death. If the care you or a loved one received fell short of acceptable standards, causing harm, you may be entitled to compensation.

At Liberay Legal we aim to investigate your claim quickly and hold those responsible to account. We understand how distressing it is when medical care fails you at a critical moment, and we’re here to help you get the answers and justice you deserve.

WHAT TYPES OF A&E NEGLIGENCE CAN YOU CLAIM FOR?

Medical negligence in Accident & Emergency departments can occur in several ways, including:

Misdiagnosis of serious conditions
Delayed treatment leading to complications
Failure to refer patients for appropriate tests
Insufficient examination of the patient
Mistreatment of fractures and broken bones
Negligent stitching, cleaning and dressing of wounds
Failure to recognise urgent symptoms
Sending patients home who should have been admitted

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU'VE EXPERIENCED MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE IN A&E?

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU SUSPECT A&E NEGLIGENCE?

If you believe you received substandard care at A&E, it’s important to seek legal advice as soon as possible.

Gathering your medical records and speaking with a specialist medical negligence solicitor can help you understand whether you have a valid claim.

The sooner you act, the easier it will be to preserve evidence and establish exactly what went wrong with your care.

UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT A&E NEGLIGENCE

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF A&E NEGLIGENCE?

You may have grounds for a medical negligence claim if you’ve experienced:

Being sent home from A&E when you should have been admitted
A serious condition that was missed or misdiagnosed
Delays in receiving urgent treatment
Inadequate examination despite reporting serious symptoms
Fractures or breaks that were treated improperly
Wounds that became infected due to poor cleaning or dressing
Multiple visits to A&E before your condition was properly diagnosed
Being given painkillers when you needed further investigation
A failure to take your medical history into account
No referral for necessary scans, x-rays or blood tests

Recognising these warning signs can help you understand whether the care you received fell below acceptable standards.

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF A&E NEGLIGENCE?

The impact of negligent A&E treatment can be severe and long-lasting, affecting both your physical health and emotional wellbeing.

Conditions that are commonly misdiagnosed or treated inadequately in A&E include heart attacks, strokes, meningitis, sepsis, broken bones, aneurysms, cauda equina syndrome, and severe allergic reactions. When these conditions aren’t recognised and treated promptly, patients can suffer permanent disability, ongoing pain, or face life-threatening complications.

WHAT KIND OF COMPENSATION CAN I CLAIM FOR A&E NEGLIGENCE?

The amount of compensation you can receive for A&E negligence depends entirely on the specific circumstances of your case and the impact the negligent treatment has had on your life. We can’t provide an exact figure without knowing the full details of what happened to you, as each claim is unique.

Compensation typically covers two main areas: general damages for your pain, suffering and loss of amenity, which acknowledges the physical injuries and emotional distress you’ve endured, and any impact on your quality of life or life expectancy.

You can also claim special damages for financial losses, including the cost of additional medical treatment, ongoing care and support needs, medications and therapies, travel expenses to medical appointments, loss of earnings if you’ve been unable to work or had to reduce your hours, future loss of earnings if your ability to work has been permanently affected, and necessary adaptations to your home or vehicle.

To give you an accurate valuation of your claim, we need to understand the full extent of the negligence, how it has affected your health and prognosis, and the financial impact it has had on your life.

HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE A CLAIM?

Generally, you have three years from the date of the negligent treatment to make a medical negligence claim, or three years from when you became aware that the treatment was substandard.

However, we always recommend seeking legal advice as soon as possible to ensure your claim can be properly investigated while evidence and memories are fresh.

HOW WILL LIBERAY INVESTIGATE MY A&E NEGLIGENCE CLAIM?

We understand that A&E departments are busy and staff are under pressure, but this doesn’t excuse substandard care. Every case is carefully investigated to establish whether the treatment you received fell below acceptable standards.

OUR APPROACH INCLUDES:

Obtaining and reviewing all relevant medical records and A&E notes
Consulting with independent medical experts
Establishing a detailed timeline of your A&E visit
Identifying where the standard of care was breached
Gathering evidence from witnesses if applicable
Assessing the impact on your health and recovery
Working with specialists in the relevant medical field
Pursuing accountability from the NHS Trust or private hospital responsible

UNDERSTANDING YOUR RIGHTS

When you attend A&E in a medical emergency, you have the right to receive a reasonable standard of care. Medical staff are specially trained to recognise and diagnose serious illnesses and prioritise patients accordingly.

When this process fails and patients slip through the net, the results can be tragic. If you’ve suffered harm because of negligent A&E treatment, you have the right to seek compensation for your injuries, additional treatment costs, loss of earnings and the pain and suffering you’ve endured.

IT’S TIME TO TAKE ACTION AND GET THE JUSTICE YOU DESERVE

Get in touch today to discuss your A&E negligence case with our team of medical negligence specialists. We’re here to listen, to understand, and to help you secure the best possible outcome for you and your family.

Get in touch today