Research has recently revealed that the NHS face paying 610 million pounds compensation to those families whose newborn babies were severely disabled by mistakes made by various NHS trusts last year.
Analysing figures provided by the NHS Litigation Authority, it has been reported that payments are now 30% higher than three years ago. It was revealed that 718 families claimed for negligent care in childbirth leading to disability. This apparently accounts for nearly half of the NHS legal bill.
What is the cause of the increase in mistakes? Reference is often made to the lack of qualified staff in maternity wards. This is totally unacceptable. A lack of resource is no defence in a claim of this nature.
One alarming point raised is that experts have warned that the claims identified represent only a small proportion of cases. This is because many people do not want to take legal action or do not realise that their injuries were caused by a mistake.
The clinical negligence team at Gregory Abrams Davidson Solicitors represents many families in these circumstances. Obtaining maximum compensation and ensuring that lifetime care costs are recovered are of upmost importance to our experienced team who handle these cases with the sensitivity they require.
If you would like to talk to somebody about a potential clinical negligence claim, please do not hesitate to contact us at abennett@gadllp.co.uk or alternatively, please call a member of our team on 0151 733 3353 or 02082090166
