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Depends whether you are taking action against the doctor or the hospital!

To be honest if they are losing more cash through having legal action taken against them for certain policys then perhaps they will think again.

Remember you have 3 years and to be honest I would go for an explanation first then think about where you go from there. I believe a properly qualified megical negligence solicitor can help you with this, Remember you can consult with a solicitor without going ahead on a full case.

You do need clarification especially if there is a possibility of you being admitted as an emergency and the initial consultantion affecting your care decisions.

What is PALS please?

My boss went into hospital last week for a hip replacement, and whilst she came out with a hip replacement she also came out with a big arrow on her ankle pointing up to her knee and a big arrow on her thigh pointing down to her knee and a 4 inch stitched incision just above her knee where she believes the surgeons were on the point of replacing her knee joint!

I know she will not sue the hospital, as 'other then this' they have been brilliant but would still like an explanation of obviously mistaken surgery and an apology.

Obviously, you would like an explaination Robchar; otherwise you will not settle untill you have an answer.  

   Go through Pals.  Just think, it could be really helpful for your origanel Cardiologist.  It may give him answers, were knowledge may be lacking, for your scenario.  Next time, put in a similar position.  He will think differently.

heath63

I think you've got the gist from everybody else, go through PALS to get an explanation.

My mam and dad are currently thinking on the same lines of either fighting for compensation or just 'making a complaint' in that my Mam was fobbed off for years regarding pains in her head being due to arthritis in her neck (she suffers with rheumatoid arthritis).

She went to the doctors many a time saying that she didn't think it was related to her arthritis because the headache was more of a pulsating headache. Loe and behold last year she had a brain haemorrhage after an aneurism (sp?) burst, which didn't stop bleeding until she had major brain surgery and had some of her brain removed to stop the bleed. She is now very disabled and my dad is her full time carer.

However her level of recovering is remarkable (she is now nearly walking again, even though the bit she had taken away is the part that affects balance) and even though they both think, 'lets just get on and just make the best of it' they do have the niggling thought of surely if she'd just been sent for a brain scan they would have seen the aneurism and then they would have been able to seal it to stop it bursting. It's all 'what if, what if' But at the end of day, can they be bothered about going through all the hassle when they just want to focus on the future?

I'd personally say, as the others have said, speak to PALS, they will then do an investigation and it may throw up some sort of negligence which can be remedied for the next person in your situation.

Quote: Originally posted by elizaD on 04/8/2012

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Money paid out by the NHS for litigation does not come from the same pot that pays for treatment. Yes, WE the taxpayers actually stump up for all of it, but having a sucessful claim does not take the oportunity for treatment away from others.

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