Clinical negligence

What is clinical negligence?

Whether caused by a dentist, optician, physiotherapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, cosmetic specialist or even staff in a care home, clinical negligence is where they've failed in their duty of care for you. It means a deviation from accepted professional standards that causes you injury or aggravates a pre-existing condition. Clinical negligence usually happens because of incorrect action taken or a failure to act. Your right to make a claim applies to the NHS and also to all types of private healthcare and treatment providers in the country.

Common forms of clinical negligence outside of GP and hospital negligence typically occur in the following treatment areas. Visit our dedicated pages to discover more.

• Dental negligence claims - includes misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose, incorrect extractions, infections, anaesthesia complications, substandard crown or bridge treatments and dental implant errors. 
• Optician negligence - includes incorrect lens prescription,  misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose, incorrectly postponed treatment and laser surgery errors. 
• Cosmetic and beauty treatment compensation - from infection, implant rupture and nerve damage in cosmetic surgery to things like botox and filler mistakes, laser errors and eye or tanning injuries in beauty treatment.
• Care home negligence claims - includes misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose, failing to medicate or administering the incorrect medication, failure to provide basic levels of care and even abuse.

How much compensation could I be awarded?

Clinical negligence injuries vary hugely in scope and complexity so it's difficult to judge how much you might be awarded if your no win no fee claim succeeds. It depends on things like severity, recovery time and if you've also suffered financial losses as a direct result. These could include things like lost earnings and the cost of any extra or corrective treatment.For a rough idea of how much your clinical negligence solicitor may secure for you in a successful claim, try our clinical negligence compensation calculator. We've got over 26 years' experience helping victims of accident and clinical negligence. It's quick and easy to use. If you're eligible to make a claim and decide to proceed, your solicitor will be able to value your claim accurately after a full investigation.