Liverpool Women’s Hospital Negligence Claims Guide

By Joanne Jeffries. Last Updated 17th September 2021. Welcome to our guide on Liverpool Women’s hospital negligence claims.

Liverpool Women's hospital negligence claims

Liverpool Women’s hospital negligence claims

Did you know that if you suffer an injury, are made ill or your existing condition is made worse following malpractice in a hospital, you could seek compensation for your injuries? While many patients receive a good level of care while in hospital in the UK, this guide is going to explain when you could use a No Win No Fee personal injury solicitor to claim for negligence at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. We’ll look at the different types of negligence that can occur, what compensation might be paid and how you begin a claim.

Also, we’ll take a look at two case studies detailing compensation paid out due Liverpool Women’s Hospital negligence. One is a story about a girl who suffered paralysis of the arm during childbirth, and the other covers some of the longest running negligence cases against the hospital. While these cases are extreme, they prove that compensation can be awarded when medical professionals make mistakes.

Here at Accident Claims UK, we can help you make a hospital malpractice claim. We’re happy to help no matter how significant the injuries are, and when we take on a claim, it will always be on a No Win No Fee basis. Our team of advisers can help begin your claim for you. They’ll provide free advice and offer a no obligation assessment of your claim. If you’d like to begin right away, please call us on 0800 073 8801 today.

However, if you’d like to find out more about how a personal injury lawyer could help you claim for negligence at Liverpool Women’s hospital, please continue reading.

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A Guide To Claiming Compensation For Negligence At Liverpool Women’s Hospital

It is true that many patients who visit Liverpool Women’s hospital receive excellent care. The outcome of their treatment is as expected, and they return home happy. However, there are cases where medical professionals in the hospital make mistakes which can cause a patient to suffer. We’ll provide some examples of the more serious mistakes that have been made later in this guide. More often than not though, the types of claims made are for injuries that are a lot less serious.

Essentially, we’re saying that you could claim compensation no matter how minor your injuries are. We believe that any form of suffering caused by negligence should be compensated for. That’s because, even relatively small or minor injuries can cause suffering which lasts weeks, months or even years.

Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Trust was formed in 1994. It took over from the previous trust which was formed when Liverpool Maternity Hospital, Mill Road Maternity Hospital and The Women’s Hospital (Catherine Street) merged together. The Liverpool Women’s hospital is a research hospital specialising in obstetrics, neonatology and gynaecology.

This guide looks at what sort of clinical negligence could lead to a personal injury claim. Also, we’ll look at how our solicitors could help you.

Something you should bear in mind is that any medical negligence claim needs to be made within the personal injury claims time limit. While this is generally 3-years from the date you were treated negligently, it can be longer. That’s because, if you don’t find out about a health issue connected to the injury sustained through malpractice until later on, the 3-years can commence from the date your doctor tells you about them.

Also if you were a minor (under the age of 18) when you were injured through the malpractice of a medical professional, you have up till you turn 21 years of age to seek medical negligence compensation.

Please call the number at the top of the page when you’ve finished reading if you have a valid claim for negligence at Liverpool Women’s hospital.

What Is Hospital Malpractice?

In general, medical negligence occurs when a medical professional provides substandard care that causes a patient to suffer an injury or become ill. Substandard care could mean that the medical professional failed to follow the correct procedure, didn’t use the right equipment or failed to maintain hygiene standards during the treatment and, as a result, caused a patient to suffer.

There are different types of negligence which need to be considered when making a claim. These are:

  • Contributory Negligence – This type of negligence means that the medical professional was only partly to blame. A court will decide the percentage level of their blame and compensation is awarded accordingly
  • Vicarious Liability – This is where the medical professional was negligent and caused the patients injuries but it is their employer that is held liable, for their employee’s actions. For instance, a claim made as a result of negligence in a hospital would be made against an NHS trust instead of the doctor that treated you
  • Gross Negligence – The most severe type of negligence. When gross negligence is found to be the case, it means the medical professional has been found guilty of having a complete disregard for your health or they have been seriously careless. Whether a claim for compensation is being made or not, a case of gross negligence would usually result in a trial to see if the practitioner could be allowed to work again

How Could Hospital Negligence Affect You?

Here are some specific examples of medical negligence in a hospital which could lead to personal injury claims:

  • Misdiagnosis Or Late Diagnosis
    A misdiagnosis could mean your condition worsens, and you suffer more because your treatment was delayed. Also, you may have to go through more aggressive treatment because of the initial delay
  • Avoidable Injuries During Childbirth
    If you, or your baby, are injured during childbirth and the injuries could’ve been avoided had the correct procedures been followed, you could claim for birth injury medical negligence
  • Anaesthetic Errors
    Any pain felt during treatment due to an anaesthetic error could mean you’re eligible for compensation
  • Medication Errors
    If you’re given the wrong medication, it could cause you to suffer unwanted side effects. Also, your underlying condition could be made worse because you’re not receiving the correct medication
  • Surgical Negligence
    There are times where surgeons make mistakes which lead to avoidable injuries. As a result, you could claim compensation. For example, if you suffer injuries, a medical clip fails or items of surgical equipment are left inside you, you might be entitled to claim
  • Hospital Illnesses
    Finally, you could be eligible for compensation if you suffer illnesses like pneumonia or sepsis because you have contracted a hospital super bug-like MRSA because hygiene standards weren’t maintained

These are just some examples of hospital negligence. Don’t worry if yous isn’t listed, we could still help you claim. Essentially, if you’ve been injured or made ill following negligent treatment by Liverpool Women’s hospital doctors, we could help you claim. Please call for a free assessment of your claim.

Six Figure Settlement Awarded For Paralysis Caused By Birth Injuries

In the first case study, we’re going to look at the story of a young girl whose arm was paralysed during childbirth. The Liverpool Women’s NHS foundation trust accepted full responsibility and ended up paying an undisclosed amount of compensation thought to be a six-figure amount.

While the girl was being born, she suffered nerve damage as she was pulled out because her shoulders were lodged above her mother’s pelvis. Her mother was also injured during delivery. This resulted in the girl suffering from Erb’s Palsy which is caused when the main nerves in the arm being pulled from the spinal cord.

Her mother explained that after her daughter was born, paediatricians lifted her arm and it just flopped back down. After giving birth, her mother was rushed into theatre for surgery as she has lost a lot of blood during the delivery.

A spokesman for the NHS explained that the trust had apologised to the family for the events which caused the injuries. He went on to say, “Liverpool Women’s regrets the care that Natalia received fell below the standard expected.”

He also said that since the girl’s birth, “there have been a number of organisational changes in the way in which obstetric services are provided in the Merseyside area.”

Following the apology the girl’s mother said that a weight had been lifted and she is now able to talk more openly about the negligent delivery.

The girl has to take medication daily because of the pain caused by her injuries. Her mother, a former nursery nurse, now has to care for her full time. However, she is able to swim and, according to the report, was hoping to compete in the 2016 Paralympics in Rio.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8467708.stm

Annual Negligence Payouts By Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust – Updated September 2021

To help demonstrate the size of Liverpool hospital payments for medical negligence, we’ve provided the table below. It shows how many cases were made in the 2016/17 and 2017/18 periods and the amount of compensation paid.

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Damages/Year Value of Payments Name of Hospital or NHS Trust No. successful claims made agains hospital/trust
2019/20 £16,673,440.05 Liverpool Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 26

It’s worth remembering that the figures don’t necessarily relate to negligence in that time period. That’s because some claims take a while to be completed so the figures could in fact be for negligence in previous years.

The figures in the table come from the NHS reports released in 2019/20. You can use it to compare other NHS trusts compensation payments.

£9.4m Compensation Claims Settled By Liverpool Women’s Hospital

In the second of our case studies, we’re going to look at a report which discusses some of the longest cases made for negligence at Liverpool Women’s hospital.

Although the press report doesn’t provide details of the specific injuries, it shows how long some of the more serious claims have taken to resolve. In one instance a case against Liverpool Women’s Hospital took more than 16 years to complete. However, the case was won, and the claimant received more than £7 million as a settlement for their injuries.

The press report used a previous case, not one included in the figures quoted, to demonstrate how long claims can take. It was the case of a 16-year old girl who received “a significant sum” in compensation for injuries to her shoulder caused by a clinical negligence birth injury.

The newspaper that wrote the article had obtained figures from a freedom of information request. This was made to the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts which handles cases that occurred after April 1995.

The suggestion in the report is that complex birth injuries often result in large compensation payments because of the amount of care required. Also, they explained that the amount of time taken to resolve the case isn’t necessarily because the NHS is fighting the claim.

Often, where brain injuries are concerned, the type and extent of the injury may not become apparent for many years. Therefore, the claim cannot be settled. However, the NHS Litigation Authority will usually make interim payments to help ensure the child’s care needs are funded until the injuries are fully understood and a full settlement can be reached.

Source: www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/familys-73m-payout-negligence-case-12232534

Calculating How Much You Could Claim Against Liverpool Women’s Hospital

Due to the complexity of negligence in hospital cases, it’s impossible to provide you with an estimated compensation amount until we’ve assessed your claim in full. However, we’ve provided a personal injury compensation table below. It shows how much is awarded for specific injuries.

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Injury Severity Compensation Range Additional Notes
Shoulder Severe £18,020 to £45,070 Includes injuries that involve damage to the brachial plexus which result in a significant disability.
Shoulder Minor £4,080 to £7,410 This bracket covers soft tissue type injuries where full recovery happens within 1 and 2 years.
Pelvis Moderate £24,950 to £36,770 This bracket covers a significant pelvis or hip injury that results in a minor, but permanent, disability.
Pelvis Minor Up to £3,710 This bracket covers minor tissue damage of the pelvis or hip with complete recovery.
Arms Loss of one £102,890 to £122,860 This bracket covers above an above the elbow amputation which causes difficulty in using prosthesis.
Arms Moderate up to £11,820 This bracket covers injuries such as simple arm fractures and elbow fractures.
Hand Serious £27,220 to £58,100 This bracket covers injuries which result in 50% loss of function. This could include multiple fingers being amputated and re-attatched.
Hand Moderate £5,260 to £12,460 This bracket covers crush injuries, deep lacerations and penetrating wounds.
Legs Loss of both £225,960 to £264,650 This bracket covers occurences that cause both legs being lost above the knee.
Legs Severe £90,320 to £127,530 This bracket covers injuries that don’t result in an amputation but the injuries are so severe that the result is effectively is the same.
Foot Moderate £12,900 to £23,460 This bracket covers injuries that lead to a risk of long-term oesteoarthritis.
Foot Modest up to £12,900 This bracket covers injuries including ruptured ligaments, simple metatarsal fracutres as well as puncture wounds.
Neck Severe In the region of £139,210 This bracket covers injuries like a severe neck injury that causes incomplete paraplegia or those resulting in similar outcome.
Neck Moderate £23,460 to £36,120 This bracket covers injuries like dislocations or fractures of the neck with severe symptoms and which could lead to spinal fusion.
Back Minor £7,410 to £11,730 This bracket covers back injuries with full recovery, without surgery, within 2 to 5 years.

You’ll notice that each type of injury is graded from minor to severe and compensated accordingly. One of the key jobs your solicitor has is to ensure they provide evidence that proves the severity of your injury. Failure to do so could mean you don’t receive the correct level of compensation.

How Do I Claim For Malpractice At A Hospital?

The first thing you may want to do is find the best personal injury solicitor to help you make your claim. This can be done by asking friends, reading reviews or seeking advice from colleagues. However, just because a solicitor was good for a friend, it doesn’t mean they’ll be right for you.

You could save a lot of time by speaking with Accident Claims UK. Our solicitors have been making personal injury claims, including medical negligence claims, for many years. They always strive to try and ensure you are compensated fully and fairly for the suffering that you have endured.

One important part of a claim is a medical assessment by an independent doctor. These are important because the report they provide will help determine how much compensation the solicitor will ask for. It will contain information about what injuries you suffered, how they impacted you and if there will be any long-term effects going forwards. To help make your claim easier, and to reduce the amount of travelling involved, we have a panel of doctors and specialists across the UK meaning we can usually arrange for a local assessment for you. We’ll provide a sample of the doctors we could use in Liverpool later in the guide.

No Win No Fee Claims Against Liverpool Women’s Hospital

We believe that No Win No Fee agreements make claiming compensation possible for a lot more people. That’s because, when considering a claim for negligence at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, many people worry about the costs involved. No Win No Fee terms reduce the financial risks involved with claiming and, as a result, lowers the stress levels too.

Before taking on your claim, the solicitor will need to check if there’s a chance of winning it. Otherwise, they risk not being paid. The thing’s they’re likely to want you to demonstrate are:

  • That you became ill, suffered an injury or your existing condition was made worse
  • Because of substandard treatment
  • By a medical professional, and
  • Your claim is being made within the personal injury claims time limit

When a solicitor agrees your case is strong enough, they’ll offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA). This is the legal name for a No Win No Fee agreement.

The CFA is a contract between both parties. When you’re happy to sign, your case will begin. The CFA is important because it clearly states that you do not have to pay solicitor’s fees unless you receive compensation (No Win No Fee). It also states the ‘success fee’ you’ll pay if you do receive a settlement.

The success fee is deducted from your compensation before it’s sent to you. Because the success fee is deducted from the compensation automatically, you don’t need to worry about finding the funds to pay for the solicitor’s fees yourself.

Talk To Us

Now that you’ve read this guide about claiming for negligence at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, we hope you’re ready to begin your claim using Accident Claims UK. If so, you can contact us in a number of ways. These include:

  • Calling our advisors directly on 0800 073 8801
  • Requesting a call back at a convenient time by completing our online claims form
  • Using the live chat feature on any page of our site. You’ll be connected directly to an adviser
  • Finally, you can send details of your claim by emailing office@accidentclaims.co.uk

Our advisers are available to answer questions 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Remember that we offer free legal advice as well as a no-obligation assessment of your claim. Should your case be strong enough, one of our personal injury solicitors could help you make your claim by offering No Win No Fee terms. Therefore, please call us today to see if you could claim compensation for negligence at Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

Doctors Covering Liverpool From Our Panel

As we mentioned earlier in the guide, we have a panel of doctors covering most of the UK. Here are a sample of doctors covering Liverpool that we could use.

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Doctor / Specialist Address
Gill Dabek Crosby Chiropractic Suite,
College Road,
Crosby,
Liverpool, L23 3DP.
Marta Molinero Rodney Street,
Liverpool, L1 9AF.
Riaz Moosa Raza Rodney Street,
Liverpool, L1 9EW.

If we arrange a medical assessment for you, it could be at one of the doctors listed above or others in the Liverpool area, depending on your location.

As well as Liverpool Women’s Hospital negligence claims, could I make data breach claims against the hospital?

As well as being able to help with hospital negligence claims, we could also assist if a hospital has breached your data protection. Data breach compensation claims could be made by those who have had their personal data breached by hospitals’ wrongdoing, and it has caused them harm.

This is because there are laws in place that data controllers, including hospitals, must adhere to. These include GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Should a hospital act wrongly, by failing to protect your data or by sending your personal details to an unauthorised third party without your consent, this could lead to a claim. You would have to demonstrate, however, that the data breach had caused you non material or material harm. What this means is that you would have to have suffered financially, or emotionally due to the breach. There is a legal precedent in place that could allow you to claim for psychological and psychiatric injuries from a data breach. This means that if you have suffered anxiety, depression or loss of sleep because of a data breach, you could be eligible for compensation. We would be happy to help you with such a claim. Our solicitors, who are all authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, could harness years of experience to get you the compensation you deserve.

Could I make Liverpool Women’s Hospital negligence claims for birth trauma?

We recognise that some of the most serious injuries following a traumatic birth could be psychological and not necessarily physical. For example, if you feared for your baby’s life or your life, this could affect you significantly. You could suffer flashbacks, PTSD, and other psychological conditions. If childbirth negligence has led to you suffering the psychological injury, we could help. We know this might be a traumatic experience to have to relive, so we will be sure to handle your claim with the sensitivity it deserves.

Essential Links

Thanks for reading this guide about claiming for negligence at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. To assist you further, we’ve provided some more links, guides and resources below which we hope you’ll find useful.

Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust – The website of the NHS trust that manages Liverpool Women’s Hospital. It explains what services they offer and also contact details for each of their sites.

Liverpool Women’s Hospital CQC Inspection – This is the latest inspection report of the Liverpool Women’s Hospital by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

About NHS Hospital Services – A guide from the NHS about the services offered by their hospitals. It also provides advice on how to choose the best hospital for your treatment.

Hospital Negligence Claims – This guide is a more in-depth look at hospital negligence claims. It is a general guide, not just about Liverpool Women’s hospital.

Serious Injury Claims – A guide about making claims for more serious injuries. These could be those which require immediate treatment at Liverpool Women’s Hospital A&E.

Compensation Claims Calculator – This is a good resource if you want to know how much compensation could be paid for specific injuries from an injury at work or medical negligence. It contains details of compensation amounts for lots of different injuries.

If there is any more information you require, please get in touch with an advisor today.

We hope this guide to Liverpool Women’s hospital negligence claims has been useful to you.