Road Traffic Accidents

More people are injured and killed on Britain’s roads every year than through any other form of personal injury. You can be involved in a road traffic accident regardless of whether you are a driver, passenger, pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist and the injuries that you can sustain as a result of it vary in degree from relatively minor to catastrophic or even fatal.

Nearly half a million people are injured or killed on our roads every year. In order to help reduce the amount of accidents and injuries that occur each year on the roads we all owe each other a duty of care. This comes regardless of whether you are a driver, motorcyclist, pedestrian etc; whatever you use the road as you should do so in compliance with the Highway Code.

One of the most common injuries associated with road traffic accidents is whiplash. Other forms of injuries that you may suffer as the result of a road traffic accident includes broken or fractured bones, torn ligaments, head or neck trauma and even spinal cord damage. Whatever injury you are suffering from as the result of a road traffic accident you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation; this is as long as you can prove that the accident was caused through no fault of your own.

There are certain aspects that need to be looked at when it comes to road traffic accidents such as driver behaviour, road conditions and the state of the vehicle at the time of the accident. All of these will be used as proof that the accident occurred through no fault of your own.

Whether a road traffic accident was your fault or not it is important that you stop at the scene so that you can exchange insurance details and inform the police as well as an ambulance if anyone is seriously injured. Even if you are not seriously injured it is a good idea that you visit your doctor, even if your injuries seem minor. This way you will have a medical record of your accident and any injuries that you sustained as a result of it. Also some injuries that you may be suffering from might not show up straight away, which is why it is a good idea to have tests done to rule out any major illnesses.

If you have become the victim of a road traffic accident in the last three years then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Head Injuries

Head injuries have the potential to cause damage to your scalp, skull or brain. These injuries can range from being minor, major or life threatening. Some of the main causes of head injuries are road traffic accidents, falls, work place accidents, assaults and sports related injuries as well as accidents in public places. Due to this you should always be aware of potential dangers and wear the correct protective headgear when you are using bicycles or motorbikes as well as when playing contact sports or undertaking construction work.

The symptoms that you will be suffering from with a head injury vary greatly depending on the severity of the injury; however the main symptoms that you will be dealing with when it comes to a head injury are the following:

• Headache with nausea and vomiting
• Blurred or double vision
• Slurred speech
• Confusion or drowsiness
• Loss of consciousness
• Blood or clear fluid from the ears or nose

It is said that one million people each year in the UK need emergency medical care as the result of a head injury and about one in four people who are suffering from a head injury need to be admitted to hospital.

The treatment that you will receive for a head injury depends on the type and severity of the injury that you are suffering from. This may include observation at home or in hospital, first aid treatment i.e. stitching of wounds and medication such as painkillers, corticosteroids and antibiotics

One thing that is certain when it comes to head injuries; you should always visit a hospital or your doctor. Whether you have a minor or major head injury it is important as you could have underlying problems that will only be picked up when you have tests done. Also by seeing your doctor you will have a medical record of your injuries so that if you wish to make a claim for compensation you will have the backing of your doctor.

Some examples of the head injuries that you may be suffering from are concussion, epidural haematoma, subdural haematoma and cerebral contusion as well as diffuse axonal injury.

If you are suffering from a head injury, whether it is minor or major then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Do you wish to make a Medical Negligence claim?

Medical professionals are generally regarded as providing us with excellent services when it comes to our healthcare. These excellent services could be present within a hospital, GP’s surgery, dental practice, nursing home or any other medical facility; we rely on these medical professionals and hand over the safety of our lives to them, sadly however there are cases when the care given to us goes completely wrong, leaving us suffering at the hands of the people we are meant to trust the most.

If medical treatment does, unfortunately go wrong you are at least entitled to an explanation and the medical professional who is treating you is in fact required by their governing body, which is the General Medical Council to inform a patient if the treatment that they are receiving goes wrong. There are many different areas of the medical profession where things could possibly go wrong such as within accident and emergency, anaesthetics, cancer treatment, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, gastroenterology, general practice, keyhole surgery, mental health, neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, oncology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, paediatrics, plastic surgery, psychiatry, radiology, sterilisation, urology, vascular surgery and many more.

Medical accidents and things going wrong are uncommon within the medical profession but mistakes do happen and in various instances doctors have been found in breach of a duty of care for aspects such as failing to diagnose or diagnosing too late as well as failure to warn of risks in treatment, failure to obtain proper consent to treatment, medication errors, careless surgical procedures and delayed referral to specialists. As well as this medical and clinical negligence can also arise out of system errors in the hospital where the treatment took place. Looking at a doctor’s point of view the reasons that things go wrong within medical treatment are often quite understandable. This is because doctors are humans and like every normal person they will make mistakes from time to time, especially when they are placed under immense pressure. This by no means defends medical negligence but you must remember that illness is never totally how it appears in textbooks and because of this important aspects may end up being hidden or happen unexpectedly.

Although medical negligence claims are quite rare they do occur and they can be brought against any form of medical practitioner such as doctors and surgeons but they can also be brought against dentists, midwives, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and psychiatrists.

When things go wrong, it can be hard for a patient or their loved ones to accept that human failure is a fact of life. When you put yourself and your health in the hands of a professional rightly you expect them to do their best

If you or a loved one has suffered at the hands of a medical professional in a situation that should not have happened then get in contact with a legal advisor today as you could be able to make a claim for compensation. It is your civil and legal right to make a claim for compensation if you have suffered unnecessarily. Contact a legal advisor today to find out where you stand legally with your claim.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence.

Medical Negligence Gynaecology Claims

Gynaecology is concerned with the female genital track and the disorders that may be associated with it. Gynaecology injuries and illness account for 50% of all medical negligence claims in the UK and a major amount of these claims result from error relating to contraception and abortion issues.

Gynaecology refers to the surgical speciality, which deals with the health of the female reproductive system, collectively the uterus, vagina and ovaries. As well as dealing with all aspects of female health modern gynaecologists are also obstetricians, which is the surgical specialty surrounding the care of a woman and her child during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (the period shortly after birth).
Gynaecology is a very delicate aspect of health that we expect to do dealt with professionally and confidentially but worryingly gynaecology is one of the main fields of medical negligence and almost half of the medical negligence claims that are made are as a result of gynaecological mistakes.

Gynaecology covers a wide range of aspects and as a result the complications that can occur are high. As well as complications affecting contraception; medical negligence surrounding gynaecology can also cause complications when it comes to abortion. These complications can include failure and sometimes wrongful birth as well as causing perforation of the uterus and damage to your organs. It can also result in loss of future childbearing capacity due to infection or the need to have a hysterectomy.
As well as this, Gynaecology surgery can often cause you more problems if a duty of care is breeched. There are numerous complications that can arise such as a failure to detect an internal haemorrhage. Injury to your bowel, bladder or uterus as well as a failure to remove swabs and inadvertent sterilisation by the introduction of infection.
Medical negligence shouldn’t happen across any field of medicine but sadly thousands of mistakes occur each year, including mistakes surrounding the treatment of Gynaecological problems.

If you feel that you have suffered at the hands of a medical professional whilst undertaking gynaecology treatment then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Some of the main areas surrounding claims for compensation include the ones named above as well as the following:

• Injury following surgery or laparoscopy
• Delay in diagnosis of pregnancy or ectopic pregnancy
• Delay in diagnosis of obstetric cholestasis
• Failure of sterilisation or vasectomy leading to wrongful birth or abortion
• Failure to diagnose cervical cancer

If you are suffering any of the above due to lack of care of a slip in medical standards, which lead to you being failed by the medical institution then get in touch with a legal team today and find out where you stand legally with making a claim for compensation.

Compensation claims surrounding medical negligence are difficult to win and there are certain steps that you should take to ensure that you give yourself the best chance of winning one. To do this you should get an expert opinion from a medical professional who can confirm that the diagnosis or treatment that you have received was below that standard of care that should have been given.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims, including Gynaecology claims.

Orthopaedic Medical Negligence Claim

Orthopaedics refers to a branch of medicine involved in the preservation and restoration of the musculoskeletal system. The medical professionals involved in this section of medicine specialise in treating bone, joints and muscles and they successfully treat thousands of people each year without any complications.

The type of work that is usually undertaken by the medical professionals involved in the orthopaedic sector of the medical profession includes aspects such as the following:

• Dealing with broken bones and fractures
• Surgery on joints (shoulder, elbow and hand)
• Joint reconstruction
• Hip replacements
• Foot and ankle surgery
• Spine surgery

Broken/fractured bones are examples of the most common orthopaedic injuries. There are many ways in which orthopaedic injuries can occur such as through trauma, i.e. a road traffic accident. There are however cases where orthopaedic injuries are made worse or caused by medical negligence. Some examples of this include:

• Poor treatment of fractures
• Damage to nerves during medical procedures or surgery
• Damage to circulation during medical procedures or surgery
• Misinterpretation of x-rays and other test results
• Infection arising from inadequate cleansing of wounds or surgery

If you are unfortunate enough to be suffering due to the actions or inactions that were taken by a medical team then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Even though medical negligence claims are known to be increasingly hard to win, if you bring a claim forwards it will be evaluated by a professional legal firm who will advise you on whether your case has a chance of being successful. If your claim is a success the amount of compensation that you will be awarded will depend on a number of factors such as the nature of your injury or illness and whether you will recover fully from your injury/illness and if it has a long term effect on your health and wellbeing as well as the amount of losses you will encounter as a result of your injury.

Some examples of orthopaedic injuries include multiple fractures, which may affect your skull, leg or pelvis to name just a few. Any orthopaedic injury that you sustain can cause significant pain as well as restricting your movement and your ability to work.

Sprains and strains are among the most common orthopaedic injuries. Sprains describe an injury to a ligament and strains describe an injury to muscle. Whatever orthopaedic injury you are suffering isn’t the most important aspect right now, what is most important is how you sustained your orthopaedic injury. If your injury was sustained through negligence on behalf of a medical professional then find out where you stand legally with putting in a claim for compensation. It is your civil and legal right to make a claim for compensation after an accident that was caused through no fault of your own and medical negligence claims are no exception.

For more information about making your compensation claim after an orthopaedic medical negligence injury contact a legal firm today.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims, including Orthopaedic negligence claims.

How do I claim Medical Negligence?

When it comes down to it people seem to forget the fact that doctors are human and everyone, including them will make the occasional mistake when placed under a lot of pressure. These mistakes are usually harmless and often go unnoticed; however there are occasions when medical professionals fail in their degree of care. When this happens it is known as medical negligence.

Medical negligence can sadly happen across many sectors such as:

• GP's
• NHS or privately funded hospitals
• Privately funded health practitioners
• Other health professionals, for example, nurses, occupational therapists
• Dentists
• Defective medical products (for example, implants or drugs)

Illness is never as it totally seems but it is the job of medical professional to do everything possible to make sure that in complicated illnesses you are diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible. In extremely complex cases it is essential that as well as being seen by a doctor, you are also seen by a specialist. This is because negligence may occur from a delay or failure to diagnose a condition as well as a delay in the treatment that you receive. In cases such as these you may receive substandard, improper or negligent treatment.

If you are one of the unfortunate people who feels failed by a medical professional then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. If your diagnosis was delayed or your treatment came too late or your treatment was the wrong cause of action for your symptoms as well as if a medical professional failed to carry out extra tests that could have spotted your illness sooner then you may have a case for compensation. If this sounds similar to a situation that you are in then contact a legal firm today.

Medical negligence claims are extremely complex and if you are hoping to pursue one it is essential that you seek specialist advice. Medical negligence cases enables patients and medical professionals to resolve disputes either through negotiation or through the help of the courts. So what is the difference between medical negligence and making a complaint? In a medical negligence claim you are asking for money to compensate you for an injury or illness you experienced whereas you are unlikely to receive any compensation for making a complaint; however you will more than likely receive answers to why your diagnosis or treatment was inadequate, receive an apology and perhaps prevent it from happening again in the future. You cannot at the moment take out a clinical negligence case while you have an ongoing NHS complaint.

When you are contemplating making a medical negligence claim you need to think about what constitutes a reasonable standard of care. In many cases this is whether a doctor’s actions are recognised as being proper by a body of medical opinion. Whatever the definition, if a doctor is found to have provided an adequate standard of care, then there has been no medical negligence and no medical malpractice.

Medical negligence is a serious issue and as a result you need to be able to demonstrate that the treatment received caused problems/illness to progress or begin. In some cases you may have to produce an expert witness whose job will be to present expert testimony that will establish the facts of your medical negligence case and give you more of a chance of being successful within it.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims.

Medical Negligence within Pregnancy and Birth

The birth of a new born baby is a very special time for the whole family, especially the parents. Being pregnant however is a daunting experience, especially if it is for the first time. During pregnancy you have to put all your faith into your midwife and doctor; usually this isn’t a problem and the medical staff looking after you do everything possible to ensure you have everything you need. If however they fail to treat you correctly and it results in some kind of injury you may be able to claim for clinical negligence.

Thankfully, the vast majority of pregnancies and births happen without any problems at all; however, when something does go wrong it can be very serious. You could have complications during the pregnancy such as Maternal Diabetes or Gestational Diabetes, Pre Eclampsia, Uterine Rupture and Placental Abruption. You also have the potential of suffering complications during labour. These complications can include the following:

• Cerebral Palsy
• Episiotomy
• Erb's Palsy or Brachial Plexus Injuries
• Forceps Delivery or Ventouse Delivery

Any injury or illness that you sustain during pregnancy or the birth could be extremely harmful to you and your baby. It is one aspect of health that should be continually monitored by a sufficient amount of staff. There is a wide range of medical professionals who should be present during birth, including midwives, nurses and consultants as well as obstetrics, which is a branch of medical professionals that oversee the care of women during their pregnancy and throughout the birth. A person who works in obstetrics has to supervise and monitor to catch any potentially damaging conditions that could affect the mother or baby throughout the pregnancy and birth.

The birth can be difficult for both mother and baby and if too much pressure is placed on the babies neck and head it can cause a condition know as Erb’s Palsy. Another condition that can regularly affect babies during birth is Cerebral Palsy. It is said that about 10% of babies are born with this condition is as a result of medical negligence. Cerebral Palsy is usually sustained as a result of oxygen deprivation during a traumatic birth, an aspect of childbirth that should be controlled and stopped from happening.

As well as injuries to the baby, injuries can also occur to mothers. The most common problems faced by mothers as a result of a lack of care include incorrect stitching after episiotomy, which is a procedure to give a baby extra room during childbirth. Another common injury is a vaginal tear, which can often go missed or be misjudged, which can lead to pain, suffering and continual problems if it is not deal with properly.

If you do suffer a difficult pregnancy or birth that should have been avoided then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. If your injuries or your child’s injuries occurred in the last three years as a direct result of the actions or inactions taken by the medical team looking after you then get in touch with a legal team today who will be able to help you in all aspects of your compensation claim.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all areas of Medical Negligence claims, including Pregnancy and Birth Injuries.

Claiming Medical Negligence for Meningitis

As with any illness you need the diagnosis of it to happen quickly so that your treatment isn’t delayed and you are given the best chance of a full recovery. We leave all of this up to the medical professionals who are responsible for taking care of us, but what happens when something goes wrong with the diagnosis and treatment we are receiving? One example of this is the diagnosis and treatment of Meningitis.

While some forms of meningitis are mild and resolve on their own, meningitis is a potentially life-threatening condition due to the proximity of the inflammation to the brain and spinal cord. The potential for serious neurological damage or even death necessitates prompt medical attention and evaluation.

Meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning) are not always easy to recognise, and symptoms can appear in any order. Some may not appear at all. In the early stages, the signs and symptoms can be similar to many other more common illnesses, for example flu.

The most common symptoms of meningitis include:

• High fever
• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Dislike of bright light
• Drowsiness
• Confusion and irritability
• Vomiting
• Muscle pains, stomach cramps and diarrhoea
• Cold and pale hands and feet
• A rash that doesn’t fade under pressure (try pressing a glass against the skin)

These symptoms, whether it is all of them or just a few are usually seen within adults and older children; younger children share similar symptoms as well as a dislike to being held, unusual amounts of crying, rapid breathing and a refusal of food.

In cases of suspected meningitis, treatment will usually begin before the diagnosis has been confirmed. This is because some of the tests can take several hours to complete and it could be dangerous to delay treatment for that amount of time as it is a life-threatening condition.

The cause of meningitis can be due to a range of aspects such as organisms like viruses, bacteria, fungi, or parasites that spread into the blood and into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As well as this meningitis can also be caused by non-infectious aspects such as cancers, systemic lupus erythematosus and certain drugs. The most common cause of meningitis is viral, and often runs its course within a few days.

The treatment that you will receive for meningitis depends on the underlying cause of the condition. If it is viral meningitis you will usually only require symptom relief such as bed rest and increased fluid. Bacterial meningitis requires prompt intravenous (IV) and antibiotic treatment. These will prevent serious complications as well as neurological damage.

The diagnosis and treatment of meningitis should be accurate and fast and in most cases of the illness this is exactly what it is; however there are cases where the illness may be missed or the treatment delayed until test results come back, which increases the illness and reduces your chance of recovering from it. In cases such as these it is classed as medical negligence.

If you feel you have been wronged by a medical professional when it comes to your diagnosis and treatment of meningitis then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Helen is the web master for Accident Consult, who are specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence claims. If you have suffered unnecessarily at the hands of the people who are meant to look after you then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Claiming for Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post traumatic stress disorder is a reaction to being exposed to an event outside the range of normal human experience. It is a term used to describe a range of psychological symptoms following an event that can be classed as traumatic.

In our everyday lives we all have the potential to experience aspects which are frightening and out of our control but military personnel experience this daily, which increases the potential of post traumatic stress disorder occurring. With time most people have a tendency to get over traumatic experiences without the need of extra help but in some cases traumatic experiences can set off a reaction that can last for months or even years; this is where post traumatic stress disorder sets in.

The symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder can start after a few weeks or even months but the feeling of distress may not start straight away. Some examples of post traumatic stress disorder are reliving the event through flashbacks and nightmares. There are many aspects that could trigger reliving the event such as smells, fear or sounds. As well as reliving the event you may also try and avoid memories. This is because these memories may be too upsetting to deal with so many people try to avoid feeling pain altogether by keeping busy and avoiding places and people that remind them of the traumatic event. Many other people simply can’t relax; they are on alert/guard constantly, which often causes disturbed sleep, irritation and a lack of concentration.

Post traumatic stress disorder doesn’t however just affect military personnel; it can also affect their family, some of which are young children. Post traumatic stress disorder in the case of children means they may have upsetting dreams, which are relevant to the trauma. This can then change into nightmares of things such as monsters. They may also lose interest in things they used to enjoy as they may find it hard to believe that they will live long enough to grow up.

Although the Ministry of Defence (MOD) cannot be sued for injuries that are sustained during combat they do have the same obligations as any other employer to make sure that their employees have the safest possible environment. This is done through aspects such as proper training in equipment use and general job requirements as well as suitable supervision and safe equipment. Members of the armed forces can seek military compensation if their employer is found to be negligent.

Talking of compensation there was an important change in the law in 1987 to allow injury claims Ministry of Defence employees to be brought through the courts. This comes as an addition to War Pension and Armed Forces Compensation Scheme claims.

Post traumatic stress is sadly a frequent occurrence in soldiers who have been in combat. It can be triggered by aspects such as being shot, getting caught in an explosion as well as losing a fellow soldier through armed combat. Thankfully post traumatic stress disorder is more known now meaning if you are suffering from it you will receive the correct treatment for it in a timely manner and you may also be able to make a claim for compensation.

Helen in the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of compensation claims, including Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Examples of Medical Negligence

Medical Negligence
How to make a Medical Negligence Claim..

MRSA Claims
Since 1992 MRSA has spread and caused health problems and even death to countless people across the UK..

Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a serious disorder which involves many symptoms such as self harm, anger, violence and drug addiction as well as depression..

Orthopaedic Compensation Claims
If you have suffered as a result of negligent orthopaedic treatment, you may be able to make a medical negligence compensation claim..
Cancer Misdiagnosis
Around 41 thousand new cases are diagnosed every year, many too late for treatment..

Anaesthetic Awareness Compensation Claims
Sadly it is not uncommon for your anaesthetic to fail meaning you could end up awake for your procedure..

Cosmetic Surgery Claims
Compensation claims surrounding cosmetic surgery have risen in the last ten years..

Gynaecology Medical Negligence
Worryingly gynaecology is one of the main fields of medical negligence and almost half of the medical negligence claims that are made are as a result of gynaecological mistakes..

Incorrect Prescriptions or Administration of Drugs
A small percentage of people who are treated each year by these medical professionals suffer because of accidents..

Meningitis Claims
It can easily be said that one of the most common medical negligence claims surrounds meningitis and at one point it was the biggest form of personal injury cases..

Pressure Sores
The longer that you are lying/sitting in the same position with no movement the worse these sores will get..

Pregnancy and Birth Injuries
Pregnancy and birth is one aspect of health that should be continually monitored by a sufficient amount of staff..

Medical Negligence – Dental Malpractice

Any kind of negligence or poor quality dental care can be defined as dental malpractice. Having a dental treatment can be an unnerving experience and damage or side effects can occur; however in some cases this is often unavoidable.

Dentists have as duty of care towards patients to ensure that they receive proper treatment and the majority of dentists are successful in helping their patients to achieve good oral health. Dentistry is a difficult and rewarding profession and the medical practitioners involved in this skilled profession work long hours and use the best equipment to get surgery completed with minimal discomfort.

The average person probably doesn’t understand much about dental treatment and because of this we put our full trust and confidence into the dentist working on our teeth. In order to protect us when it comes to the dental work that we have carried out the General Dental Council (GDC) was set up. The GDC regulates the dental professionals within the UK and works to protect patients and promote confidence in the dental profession. This is because all dental patients are entitled to high standards of professional and personal behaviour from those providing their care.

As part of their duty to protect the public the GDC have always had the power to take action by either removing or restricting a dental professional’s registration on the Dental Professionals’ Register. This gives you peace of mind that if the worse does happen that action can be taken against the dental professional who caused that damage.

If the worst happens when you are undergoing your dental treatment and you end up suffering as a result you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. If the standard of care shown by a dental practitioner slips below the acceptable level then you may have a case for compensation. Below are just a few example of what constitutes being medical negligence when it comes to dentistry:

• Failure to fully detect an oral disease or malformation
• Improper utilisation of dental or surgical utensils
• Installation of defective dental products
• Personal injury to oral cavity or surrounding bone and tissue
• Wrongful death due to dental procedures or anaesthetic

Dental malpractice can occur under a number of different circumstances such as a missed diagnosis; when a dentist fails to see an injury or dental problem and as a result of this the problem worsens. Another example is an incorrect diagnosis, which is when a dental practitioner fails to carry out work or they undertake work that results in you being in more pain.

Two other factors that could play a part in medical negligence are careless work and drug usage error. If a dentist carries out careless work it can cause personal injury and in a case of drug usage error a dentist may administer them incorrectly or fail to see if an allergic reaction occurred.

If you feel like you have been let down by the dental profession or you are suffering pain as a result of the treatment that you have received then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

For information regarding where you stand legally with making a claim for compensation get in touch with a legal firm today.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, legal specialists who can help you with all of your Medical Negligence Claims.

How do you make a successful MRSA Compensation Claim?

MRSA most commonly develops in hospitals when patients have an open wound such as a bedsore or a tube such as a catheter. The most commonly affected by this are the vulnerable, which includes the very sick and the elderly.

Cases of MRSA remained at low levels until 1992; however since then there has been a rapid increase in the amount of cases that we are now seeing. MRSA infections can more often than not be serious, leaving the victim of it suffering from aspects such as Septicaemia or pneumonia.

MRSA is never usually a problem in healthy patients; healthy patients are just carriers of the disease, which is still an extremely bad problem as they have the potential of passing the MRSA super-bug onto another person. Due to this it can not only impact the carrier of the super-bug but also friends and family members who are at risk of catching the super-bug.

It is because of the fact that MRSA is contracted through open wounds that most people who suffer from it will be suffering during their stay in hospital. Contracting MRSA whilst you are in hospital will lengthen their stay in hospital. Also when a case of MRSA is found in a hospital it will be able to spread very quickly due to the fact that a lot of the people who are admitted into hospital will have a lowered immune system, meaning they will be more susceptible to infection. If a case of MRSA is found to be in a hospital, especially on a ward with vulnerable patients then it has the potential to cause a lot of disruption to the hospital as the patient has to be isolated in a separate room to stop other patients catching the super-bug and, depending on the severity of the super-bug it may disrupt hospital routines as certain wards or theatres may need to be closed.

It is said that one in three of us carry the MRSA bacteria on the surface of our skin and in our nose without actually developing the condition. However if a carrier is involved in an accident it is quite easy for the MRSA bacteria to get into the wound and cause the victim to become quite ill. If a person is carrying the bacteria and they have a break in their skin they are at risk of contracting an infection.

Studies have shown that the super-bug known as MRSA affects about one in nine patients during a hospital stay, with certain patients being more at risk than others. Some of the risk factors when it comes to potentially contracting MRSA include; implants, diabetes, smoking, poor nutrition, prolonged pre-operative hospitalisation and prolonged surgery. It is because of figures such as this that in the UK there has been a focus aimed at the prevention and control of MRSA. These steps to prevent MRSA may differ from patient to patient but the best defence against MRSA remains as strict hygiene.

MRSA control should be one of the medical professional’s top priorities within the treatment of patients. If you however are now suffering the effects of MRSA due to standards of care slipping below what they should then you could be entitled to compensation.

If you have suffered in the last three years and you would like to know where you stand legally then contact a legal team today to find out more information about how to make a claim for compensation.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult. The specialists here at Accident Consult can help you with all of your MRSA Compensation Claims.

Have you suffered Orthopaedics Medical Negligence?

The medical term Orthopaedics refers to your bones, muscles and joints and the doctors who work in this field will often handle patients who have suffered bone fractures or need joint replacement or ligament surgery.

Every year in the UK thousands of people are treated successfully for Orthopaedic health problems; however some of the people treated do suffer mistakes at the hands of the people who are there to help them. These mistakes are common and this type of medical negligence is now two or three times more likely to happen than any other medical negligence claim.

The orthopaedics branch of medicine involves the preservation and restoration of the musculoskeletal system and the surgeons involved in this aspect of medicine have the job of diagnosing your condition and treating it using the appropriate method, which could be medicine, exercise or surgery. Finally a surgeon in the orthopaedics branch of medicine will perform rehabilitation on a patient by recommending exercise or physical therapy to restore movement. An orthopaedic surgeon will also inform you of how to prevent further injury by providing information and treatment plans.

Orthopaedic treatment can cover a huge range of personal injuries such as diagnosing a broken arm to performing a hip replacement operation. The main areas in which an orthopaedic surgeon will specialise include: the hand, shoulder and elbow surgery, joint reconstruction, paediatric orthopaedics, foot and ankle surgery, spine surgery, musculoskeletal oncology, surgical sports medicine, and orthopaedic trauma.

Within medicine accidents and mistakes do happen and in most cases they are harmless. Medical professionals are merely just human and human error is often unavoidable but in cases where an error should have been avoided and there is no valid reason why it wasn’t, someone should be held accountable. These errors can occur during the diagnosis, treatment or prognosis of an illness as well as being a combination of all three of these.

If you feel that you have been mistreated and it has lead to you suffering as a result then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Some of the most common reasons for an orthopaedic medical negligence claim are as follows:

• Inaccurate or late diagnosis
• Failure to take tests or misinterpretation of test results
• Poor treatment of fractures
• Poor operative technique
• Damage to nerves or circulation during medical procedures
• Inadequate cleaning and dressing of wounds or infection

If you have suffered due to Orthopaedic medical negligence in the last three years then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. In order to be successful in a medical negligence claim you need to be able to prove that the injury you are or were suffering from was caused due to a lapse in the medical care that you received. To prove this you would need to obtain statements from any relevant family members or friends. Your medical records would need to be obtained and this normally comes with a fee, which brings me to my next point, any fees and cost encountered along the way will get paid back on top of damages in a successful compensation claim.

If you are hoping to make a claim for compensation then contact a legal team today, who will be able to examine your case and explain where you stand legally.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in helping you claim the compensation that you deserve after a Medical Negligence mistake that was caused through no fault of your own.

Have you suffered Orthopaedics Medical Negligence?

The medical term Orthopaedics refers to your bones, muscles and joints and the doctors who work in this field will often handle patients who have suffered bone fractures or need joint replacement or ligament surgery.

Every year in the UK thousands of people are treated successfully for Orthopaedic health problems; however some of the people treated do suffer mistakes at the hands of the people who are there to help them. These mistakes are common and this type of medical negligence is now two or three times more likely to happen than any other medical negligence claim.

The orthopaedics branch of medicine involves the preservation and restoration of the musculoskeletal system and the surgeons involved in this aspect of medicine have the job of diagnosing your condition and treating it using the appropriate method, which could be medicine, exercise or surgery. Finally a surgeon in the orthopaedics branch of medicine will perform rehabilitation on a patient by recommending exercise or physical therapy to restore movement. An orthopaedic surgeon will also inform you of how to prevent further injury by providing information and treatment plans.

Orthopaedic treatment can cover a huge range of personal injuries such as diagnosing a broken arm to performing a hip replacement operation. The main areas in which an orthopaedic surgeon will specialise include: the hand, shoulder and elbow surgery, joint reconstruction, paediatric orthopaedics, foot and ankle surgery, spine surgery, musculoskeletal oncology, surgical sports medicine, and orthopaedic trauma.

Within medicine accidents and mistakes do happen and in most cases they are harmless. Medical professionals are merely just human and human error is often unavoidable but in cases where an error should have been avoided and there is no valid reason why it wasn’t, someone should be held accountable. These errors can occur during the diagnosis, treatment or prognosis of an illness as well as being a combination of all three of these.

If you feel that you have been mistreated and it has lead to you suffering as a result then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. Some of the most common reasons for an orthopaedic medical negligence claim are as follows:

• Inaccurate or late diagnosis
• Failure to take tests or misinterpretation of test results
• Poor treatment of fractures
• Poor operative technique
• Damage to nerves or circulation during medical procedures
• Inadequate cleaning and dressing of wounds or infection

If you have suffered due to Orthopaedic medical negligence in the last three years then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation. In order to be successful in a medical negligence claim you need to be able to prove that the injury you are or were suffering from was caused due to a lapse in the medical care that you received. To prove this you would need to obtain statements from any relevant family members or friends. Your medical records would need to be obtained and this normally comes with a fee, which brings me to my next point, any fees and cost encountered along the way will get paid back on top of damages in a successful compensation claim.

If you are hoping to make a claim for compensation then contact a legal team today, who will be able to examine your case and explain where you stand legally.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in helping you claim the compensation that you deserve after a Medical Negligence mistake that was caused through no fault of your own.

Delayed Cancer diagnosis – how will it effect you?

It has been stated that one in three people will develop a form of Cancer at some point within their lives, making it one of the most prolific diseases that we are now seeing. Due to this doctors have to be highly aware of the possibility of Cancer when making a diagnosis.

The importance of an early diagnosis when it comes to Cancer cannot be emphasised enough; in many cases an early diagnosis is the difference between life and death. An early diagnosis is also the deciding factor on your life expectancy. Early diagnosis is crucial regardless of what type of Cancer you have; this is especially true in the case of lung, ovarian and stomach Cancer as they have a much lower mortality rate if they receive a prompt diagnosis.

Sadly some people aren’t treated as early as they should be. There are many reasons for this such as a patient didn’t think anything of their symptoms and dismissed them as something else so they didn’t bother going and seeing their doctor. Also many people go to their doctor with symptoms but these symptoms are similar to another disease with the same symptoms so they could easily be dismissed. All of these are common human error but it is important that a doctor goes down all avenues when they are diagnosing you.

An example of why it is so important to catch any form of cancer early is people who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the earliest stage they have a 92% to 93% of a five year survival but this can quickly be reduced to 11% or 12% if the cancer has seriously advanced.

An example of when a diagnosis goes beyond simple human error is if a smoker goes to see a doctor with a cough and the doctor merely puts it down to the fact that they smoke. This is completely unacceptable as a cough is one symptom of lung cancer. In a case such as this the doctor should have examined the matter further and investigated the possibility of lung cancer, if for nothing else than to rule it out.

There are many different types of cancer so in order to make an accurate diagnosis you need a medical professional to correctly interpret your symptoms and by looking at your test results thoroughly. Failure to accurately diagnose allows the cancer to spread and grow, which can be at an alarming rate depending on where the cancer is and how advanced or aggressive it is.

If a cancer diagnosis is failed to be made then your correct treatment will be delayed, which will increase your chance of dying from the disease; however this problem can also be turned around, which basically means that if a doctor makes a diagnosis of cancer and there is no cancer present then this can cause a person a lot of unnecessary emotional suffering and shock and it may even lead to them receiving the incorrect treatment. Any situation such as this will be viewed as a form of medical negligence.

If you feel that you have suffered from medical negligence in the past three years due to actions that were taken or actions that were failed to be taken when it comes to your Cancer diagnosis then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.

Thousands of men and women across the UK have already claimed the compensation that they deserve after being involved in some form of a medical negligence claim, now it’s your turn so get in touch with a legal team today to find out where you stand with making a claim for compensation.

Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence Compensation Claims.

10 Tips on Winning a Work Accident Case

Accidents in the workplace can happen very often if health and safety measures aren’t in place. Health and safety regulations are a legal requirement by any employer and whatever the circumstances should be in place. If an accident does happen the employee should report it to their employer and write it in the accident book immediately. If the accident has caused the employee to pay medical costs, not attend work or suffering of any sort they may have a compensation claim against the company. My top 10 tips to help you make a compensation claim are: -

1. In any work environment all employees should know the health and safety standards in place at their workplace. These should be told by a member of management or a trainer so employees can try and avoid accidents in the workplace.

2. Most people believe your very unlikely to have an accident whilst in an office working you think most work type accidents happen in factories, but accidents in offices does happen. If you have an accident in an office it’s the same as having one in a factory speak up and tell someone.

3. The more evidence you have the stronger your case will be, so if you do fall, slip, trip over something document it with location and time and take photographs if possible, also if there are any witnesses keep a note of who they are. If there are events leading up to the accident document all of this as well as anything you remember during and after the accident.

4. Get yourself an experienced solicitor who has evidence that they have been involved in a work accident compensation claim before with good results. A lot of solicitors’ now offer a No Win No Fee service, this means you don’t have to pay them a penny until the case is won and then they recover their costs from the other party and if you don’t win your case you still won’t need to pay them a penny.

5. Gather as much evidence as you can from your accident. The more evidence you have the more likely you are to win your compensation claim. Your employer will be held responsible for the accident if the case is proved and you will receive the compensation you deserve from your suffering.

6. Any accident within your work environment should be recorded in the accident book that is a legal requirement by all employers. Once you’ve had your accident enquire in the accident book what other accidents have happened and if any of them got any compensation as well as how the employee was treated. All this information will then help you and your solicitor in knowing how to deal with your case.

7. Whatever your accident at work was don’t ignore it, any accident however big or small shouldn’t have happened in the first place. You need to speak up don’t suffer in silence, if the accident wasn’t your fault you are entitled to claim compensation for your suffering, any medical costs and any loss of earnings whilst you’ve been off work from the accident.

8. All employees should know exactly where the accident book is kept, then if an accident does occur, the injured party or a friend or manager can write all the details of the accident in the accident book. In larger companies there might not be an accident book but a system in which forms can be printed out and all the details recorded on the sheet then the details are inputted into a computer system. Then the worker who was injured can claim their entitled compensation by using their copy of the accident form.

9. If you’ve had an accident at work and your going to claim compensation from your employer you may receive threats from the employer or your supervisors. Don’t listen to them or give into them, there trying to scare you into stopping claiming compensation. Remember its your legal and civil right to claim compensation so ignore them and they might be scaring you as they know they are liable for your accident and will have to pay you compensation for your accident. If your scared by the threats tell your solicitor and they may contact the police and offer you protection.

10. Always ask your solicitor all the questions you have, if you think the accident was your fault, ask a solicitor for advice you may only be thinking it’s your fault because you’re scared of claiming against your employer.


Whatever your accident, however it happened you have a legal and civil right to claim compensation if the accident at work wasn’t your fault.


Jene Pedder is the Webmaster of Accident Consult who specialise in claiming compensation for a Work Accident.