Medical Negligence Claims

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Peter Rigby - Managing Director of Medical Negligence | Last updated on: 23rd December, 2025

When medical treatment goes wrong, the consequences can be life-changing. If you or a loved one has suffered avoidable harm because a doctor or healthcare professional provided substandard care, you may be entitled to make a medical negligence claim and seek the compensation that helps you rebuild your life.

What is Medical Negligence?

Medical negligence, also known as clinical negligence or medical malpractice, occurs when a healthcare professional provides care that falls below an acceptable standard, resulting in harm that could have been avoided. This could involve a GP failing to act on symptoms, a surgeon making an avoidable mistake, incorrect medication being administered, or an important diagnosis being delayed.

Independent medical experts are brought in to assess both the standard of care you received and whether that care caused or contributed to your injury. If both elements are proven, you may be entitled to pursue compensation.

Medical Negligence Claims

A medical negligence claim allows you to seek compensation when the care you received fell below the standard expected of a competent healthcare professional and directly caused you injury or made your condition worse.

Patients come to us for support after receiving negligent treatment from NHS trusts, GP surgeries, private hospitals, dental practices and other healthcare providers. Whether it involves a misdiagnosis, surgical errors or a failure to act on test results, our experts will guide you through the process and help determine whether you have grounds for a claim.

No win, no fee medical negligence claims

No win, no fee is designed to protect you from financial risk; there are no upfront costs, and you only pay fees if your claim is successful. This allows you to focus on your health while we focus on securing the best possible outcome. All legal work, evidence-gathering and communication with the healthcare provider is dealt with by our specialist team, so you do not need to worry about handling anything alone.

Find out if you have a medical negligence claim

Many patients are unsure whether what happened to them amounts to negligence. Experiencing complications does not automatically mean there was wrongdoing, but if mistakes were made, delays occurred, or you weren’t given the care you reasonably needed, you may have the right to claim for medical negligence.

Our expert team will review your experience in detail and explain clearly whether you have a case and what your options are.

Types of medical negligence you can claim for

We handle a wide range of medical negligence cases, including:

If you are unsure whether your experience fits into any of our categories, our experts can quickly advise.

Meet Our Medical Negligence Experts

At Patient Claim Line, your case is handled by specialists with deep experience in complex medical negligence claims.

Throughout the process, you’ll receive clear guidance, regular updates and compassionate support from people who genuinely care about your outcome.

Visit our Medical Negligence Guide

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What Is Medical Negligence?

Medical negligence is substandard care provided by a healthcare professional that directly causes harm to a patient. The care must have fallen below what is reasonable for a healthcare professional under those circumstances, and is usually assessed by an independent expert in the field. Medical Negligence can happen in a number of ways. The patient could be misdiagnosed, or could have been victim to mistakes during surgery. They might have received incorrect treatment, aggravating their existing condition. When medical negligence results in unnecessary suffering and causes further injury or distress for you or your loved ones, you may be entitled to seek compensation.

Negligence can take place at any point whilst receiving medical attention, from an initial GP visit, to surgery and aftercare. This can happen in a number of ways; including misdiagnosis, mistakes made during surgery or being given the incorrect treatment. When medical malpractice results in unnecessary suffering and consequences for you or your loved ones, you may be entitled to make a medical negligence claim.

What Is A Medical Negligence Claim?

A medical negligence claim occurs when a patient takes legal action against a healthcare professional as they believe the standard of care fell below the accepted standard and this led to further harm. The aim of a medical negligence claim is to secure financial compensation for the suffering that was caused. Working with a medical negligence solicitor, the patient will collect any evidence to prove that medical negligence occurred with the hope of securing compensation.

All medical professionals have a duty of care towards their patients, and when that duty of care is breached – the medical body in question should be held to account. Processing a medical negligence claim can also help prevent the same mistake from happening again; as this forces a thorough investigation to be organised and the mistake is subsequently examined and reported.

What Are The Types Of Medical Negligence I Can Claim For?

Birth Injury Spinal Cord Injury Amputation & Limb Damage Brain Injury Cancer Negligence NHS Negligence

THE CLAIM PROCESS

How it works:

STEP 1 – INITIAL ENQUIRY

Contact us, free of charge. Chat to our team of experts who are fully trained to ask the right questions, so that our legal teams can quickly advise if you have a case.

STEP 2 – CASE ACCEPTANCE

Our specialist medical negligence solicitors assess your case and get back to you quickly with a decision.

STEP 3 – MEDICAL RECORDS

If your case is accepted, our legal team will request all of your medical records.

STEP 4 – MEDICAL EVIDENCE

Medical evidence will be obtained to confirm that the treatment you received was negligent and that this treatment caused an injury or contributed to making an existing condition worse.

STEP 5 – NEGOTIATION

Once supportive medical evidence has been obtained a claim will be submitted to the defendant and they will be invited to admit fault. We will then negotiate with the defendant to obtain a suitable award of compensation so that you can get back to a similar situation as you were in before the negligent treatment occurred.

STEP 6 – COMPENSATION

It is often difficult for any amount of compensation to fully compensate for pain and suffering. Compensation can, however, allow you to live a life as normal as possible. You could be awarded financial aid for all out of pocket expenses, loss of earnings, and any potential private treatment costs to put things right. It also covers rehabilitation costs and compensation for your injuries and the impact they have had on your day-to-day life.

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About your compensation

Patient Claim Line was established in 2014 and consists of a team of medical solicitors specialising in medical negligence and misdiagnosis claims.

At Patient Claim Line we have more than 100 solicitors with combined experience of over 400 years, and they will work on your behalf to achieve the best result possible for you.

It's not enough to use a solicitor who occasionally handles medical negligence cases. You need someone who knows this area thoroughly. That is what the solicitors here at Patient Claim Line do. They deal exclusively in this area of law and are experts in the field.

How Is My Medical Negligence Compensation Calculated?

The type of financial compensation awarded for your medical negligence claim will differ from case to case but broadly can be split into two categories. The first is general damages, which compensate for the pain and suffering that you have endured due to an error from a healthcare professional. This will be based on the severity of your injury or illness, and how much the medical negligence has affected your life.

You may also be entitled to special damages, which reimburse any out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the negligent care you received. It also covers any future losses that may occur due to your injury or illness. This could include:

Loss of earnings
Medication costs
Private treatment
Rehabilitation costs
Travel expenses
Medical equipment

How Much Compensation Could I Be Entitled To?

Compensation for medical negligence will depend on your individual case. Our medical negligence solicitors will assess your claim and through due process come to an agreement on the amount of compensation you will receive. Outstanding compensation figures for the NHS stand at over £80 billion. For more information on how compensation figures are calculated, read our guide to compensation calculators.

For more information on the medical negligence process and what to expect, visit our dedicated Medical Negligence Guide

View guide

Medical Negligence Claims FAQ's

Medical Negligence Claims FAQs

How Do I Know If I Have a Medical Negligence Case?

If you are unsure if you have suffered medical negligence, the easiest way to find out is through our 10 Second Claim Test. Our specialist team will assess your information and let you know if you are eligible to make a medical negligence claim. It can be difficult to understand your rights without the help of an expert, and often the medical team will not admit fault for the distress or injury caused. We will investigate the evidence on your behalf, and help you to assess if you have a medical negligence case.

How Do I Make a Medical Negligence Claim?

To make a medical negligence claim, simply take our 10 Second Claim Test. Once we have your information, our expert medical negligence team will assess your information and let you know if you have a case or not. We always let you know either way and we always explain our reasoning. All the paperwork and investigation is handled at our side, and once you have given us the important dates and facts relating to your case, the rest is taken care of by our team.

Can I Make a Medical Negligence Claim After 3 Years?

To make a medical negligence claim, it is important to seek legal advice within three years of the negligent treatment taking place, or within three years of first becoming aware of the negligent treatment.

In cases involving a minor (anyone under 18), the legal case must be pursued within three years from the date of their 18th birthday. In cases where the injured patient lacks mental capacity, either prior to or as a result of the negligence, there can be no time limit set.

This is important to ensure that key dates and appointments can be recalled in detail, and we are unable to investigate your claim following the expiry of this three year window.

What Types of Medical Negligence Can I Claim For?

There are many types of medical negligence that may warrant a claim, including:

Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis
Negligent cosmetic procedures
Mistakes during dental
Care home negligence
Pressure sore claims
Incorrect surgery
Birth injuries

Medical negligence is a complex area of the law, so seeking advice from a specialist solicitor will help you to understand your rights before pursuing a claim.

How Long Does a Medical Negligence Claim Take?

Processing a medical negligence claim can take on average between 12-18 months for a straightforward case, but can take much longer for more complex cases. Your case handler will be in touch with you regularly to update you on the progress of your claim. It is important to pursue your claim within three years of the negligent treatment taking place.

How Do You Prove Medical Negligence?

Every medical negligence claim is different, but generally, proving medical negligence involves establishing that negligence took place. For example, demonstrating that an injury, illness or harm occurred due to a breach in duty of care by a healthcare provider.

Compensation is only possible if the error would not have occurred under the care of a reasonable provider. We will advise you on this when you first contact us and our medical negligence team will work with you to prove these elements when your case is taken on.

For more information on proving negligence, read through our handy guide: How Do You Prove Medical Negligence

Can I Claim On Behalf Of A Loved One?

Yes, if a loved one has been involved in a medical negligence case, you have the right to make a claim on their behalf. If the injured party is a child under 18, a parent or legal guardian can make a claim on their behalf. You may also bring a claim for an adult family member who no longer has the mental capacity to bring a claim themselves.

Can I Make A Medical Negligence Claim If I Was Treated Privately?

Yes, you can make a medical negligence claim if you were treated privately.

Private healthcare providers owe you the same duty of care as the NHS and patients treated in private healthcare facilities have the same rights to pursue compensation as those treated within the NHS.

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We help people like you get the compensation they deserve

Supporting Sarah

My husband, Nick, went back and forth to the doctors for a long time and tried everything the doctor recommended. It took years from the onset of his illness to finally start cancer treatment. He used to be a man with a lot to live for, but in the end he was in so much pain that he withdrew from the family. He became angry that nobody had helped him sooner, and the legal team were able to give him the validation that he was desperately seeking. The NHS confirmed if they had done more, Nick would still be alive today.
Watch Sarah's story
Supporting Robert

After his symptoms were misdiagnosed, Robert suffered a stroke affecting the left side of his body. He was in hospital for five weeks and had to attend physiotherapy for six months as part of his recovery. Our team secured a substantial compensation, which took into consideration the physical and mental impact of Robert’s misdiagnosis on him and his family. This enabled Robert’s wife to give up work as well as buy a bungalow together, making it easier for Robert, with his mobility problems.
Watch Roberts's story
Supporting Vincent

At the age of 2 we noticed our son, Vincent, had trouble with his hearing. We had this tested over a number of years and were repeatedly told there was nothing wrong. Many tests later, we eventually uncovered that Vincent was profoundly deaf. After years of frustration we were finally able to provide Vincent with the help he needed. The support from our legal team has enabled Vincent to gain access to specialists, which have supported him in closing the gap in his speech development.
Watch Vincent's story

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Medical Negligence Claims

What is Medical Negligence?