Medical negligence is a serious matter, and it can have devastating consequences for the person who has been injured by a medical practitioner. If you or someone you know has been injured due to the actions of a doctor or other healthcare professional in Sligo, then you need to seek legal advice as soon as possible. There are three main categories of medical negligence cases:
What is Medical Negligence?
Medical negligence is an area of law that deals with cases where a patient has been injured or their health has been adversely affected due to the failure of a medical practitioner to provide adequate care. Medical negligence can occur at any stage of the treatment process, from diagnosis through to post-operative recovery and follow-up care.
There are three main categories of medical negligence cases:
- Negligence in diagnosing – this occurs when your doctor fails to diagnose your condition correctly; for example, misdiagnosing you with cancer when it was actually something else such as psoriasis (a skin condition).
- Negligence during surgery – this happens when doctors fail to perform certain checks before operating on you or fail to give adequate warnings about possible complications during surgery so that they can be avoided altogether (such as bleeding).
- Post-operative care – this type involves instances where patients are not given proper follow up after surgery and/or receive inadequate advice regarding daily living activities such as driving cars or lifting heavy objects following surgery
Who Can be Held Liable for Medical Negligence in Sligo?
If you’re considering a medical negligence case, it’s important to know who can be held liable for your injuries. In Ireland, the law recognizes that doctors, nurses and other health professionals are professionals who should not be held responsible for every mistake they make. However, if the injury was caused by their negligence or recklessness then there is a strong chance that you will be able to sue them for compensation.
In addition to doctors and nurses; pharmacists, hospitals and health boards can also be held liable for medical negligence if they fail in their duty of care towards patients.
The Three Main Categories of Medical Negligence Cases
Medical negligence cases can be broken down into three main categories:
- Negligence – a doctor or hospital’s failure to exercise the standard of care expected of them. For example, if you are admitted to hospital with severe chest pains and the doctor overlooks your condition and delays giving you treatment until it is too late, this would be considered negligent.
- Breach of duty – when a doctor fails to follow their own protocols or policies as set out by their employer (the hospital) and this causes harm to their patient(s). For example, if there were no guidelines in place regarding how quickly patients should receive emergency treatment after being admitted with heart attacks, then this could result in medical malpractice claims against both parties involved; i.e., both doctors and hospitals could potentially be found liable for breaching their duty towards their patients by not ensuring timely access to appropriate healthcare resources.
- Breach of contract – sometimes doctors do everything right but still end up making mistakes due simply because they weren’t given enough information from other parties involved in making decisions about care plans etc., such as insurance companies refusing payment for certain procedures despite them being medically necessary; meaning someone else’s decision has negatively impacted yours without any fault on your part whatsoever!
What Should I Do if I Have Been Injured by a Medical Practitioner?
If you have been injured by a medical practitioner, it is important that you seek legal advice as soon as possible. You should contact a solicitor as soon as possible to discuss your case and learn about your options.
You can find Medical Negligence Sligo through several different methods:
- Searching online for “medical negligence solicitors in Sligo” will bring up listings of local lawyers who specialize in this area of law.
- Calling the Law Society of Ireland (directly will provide contact information for attorneys who may be able to help with your case.
How to Seek Justice in Your Medical Negligence Claim in Sligo
If you have been injured due to medical negligence, it is important that you seek legal advice as soon as possible. The best way to find a solicitor who can help with your case is by asking friends or family members if they know of anyone they trust. You should then contact the recommended solicitor and ask them about their experience in medical negligence claims.