The Paramedic Negligence Claims Process

Have you ever suffered from injury or harm and had to call 999 for a paramedic? Did the attending paramedic provide you with substandard care and assistance? If so, you may be eligible to make a paramedic negligence claim.

In this guide for paramedic negligence claims, we explain how the medical negligence claims process works and how compensation is calculated.

We begin the guide by examining who can make paramedic negligence claims and explaining the key factors in determining what could be included in your claim if it is successful. At the end of our guide, you will see a comprehensive section examining the best ways to begin a compensation claim after your experience with a negligent paramedic.

Key Points In Paramedic Negligence Claims

  • Our expert solicitors can handle paramedic negligence claims.
  • If you have been harmed because a paramedic was negligent, you could claim compensation.
  • Compensation could be awarded for physical and mental suffering as well as lost money.
  • All our medical negligence solicitors work on a No Win No Fee basis.

To learn more about medical negligence, contact our advisors for a free consultation using the details below.

Two emergency ambulances for paramedic ambulance claims

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What Are Paramedic Negligence Claims?

In order to bring a paramedic negligence claim, certain criteria must be met.

All paramedics owe a duty of care to the patients. If the duty of care is breached, then you could make a paramedic negligence claim for the harm that this resulted in.

We need to establish:

  • Was a duty of care owed by the paramedic to the patient?
  • Did the paramedic breach their duty of care?
  • Was the patient harmed and/or injured as a result of the breach?

If we can prove this, then we can look at making a paramedic negligence claim. 

If you would like to discuss your eligibility for making a claim, contact our team for a free, no-obligation chat.

What Is Considered As Substandard Treatment?

There are standards of proficiency for paramedics that set out a safe and effective practice that is considered necessary to protect members of the public. Examples of substandard treatment are mentioned later in this guide.

If you would like to discuss paramedic negligence claims, call for a free consultation with one of our advisors.

Can I Claim If The Ambulance Didn’t Arrive In Time?

In some cases, there can be unavoidable delays when an ambulance does not arrive in time, resulting in harm or even death. If we can prove that a negligent act caused the delay, you might be able to make a paramedic negligence claim. 

If you would like to discuss your circumstances to see if you could make a paramedic negligence claim.

Examples Of Paramedic Negligence

Below are some examples of paramedic negligence.

  • Failed to turn up to a scene of a person with chest pains who was suffering a heart attack. This resulted in the patient suffering a cardiac arrest.
  • If a paramedic mishandles a patient – they drop the patient when lifting them into the ambulance and the patient is injured.
  • Not providing sufficient treatment to a patient, such as CPR, which can be used to save a person’s life, resulting in a fatal end.
  • Giving a patient the wrong medication and/or treatment – administering the patient with a medication that they are allergic to, resulting in an allergic reaction.
  • If the paramedic misdiagnoses the patient – the paramedic states to the hospital that the patient is drunk in actual fact, it was a bleed on the brain that has similar symptoms, leading to significant brain damage.

Ambulance with red cross on the side for a paramedic negligence claim

Can I Make A Paramedic Negligence Claim On A Loved One’s Behalf?

There are two main instances when a litigation friend would be needed. One we discuss below but the other is if the claimant does not have the mental capacity to pursue their own claim. In this instance you could apply to be a litigation friend. This can be a family member, a friend or a solicitor. 

In order for you to become a litigation friend, there is an application to the court for a certificate of suitability, which will allow the chosen person to make a claim on behalf of the injured party.

It is advisable to seek legal advice if you are considering making a claim on behalf of someone else. Our advisors can help you with this.

Making A Claim For A Child

If the injured party is a child/minor (under the age of 18), usually a parent, family member or solicitor can be appointed as a litigation friend. The litigation friend will be responsible for making the claim on behalf of the child/minor, and make decisions solely for their benefit.

If both the litigation friend and third party agree on a compensation settlement amount In that case, the litigation friend can then seek approval of the settlement from the court, which takes place at an infant approval hearing, which your legal representative will arrange. During the hearing, the judge will review the evidence and then decide whether the agreement is fair and reasonable for the child (minor).

To hear more about becoming a litigation friend for a child paramedic negligence claim, call our advisors to see how we could help.

How To Prove A Claim For Paramedic Negligence

In order for us to prove paramedic negligence, we will need to collect evidence that will support your claim. Examples of evidence that could be used in paramedic negligence claims:

  • Medical records
  • Paramedic report
  • Medical report/s
  • Details of the paramedic (name, badge, base)
  • Hospital details
  • Information about the reason for calling the paramedic
  • Keep a diary of the symptoms you suffered and the outcome 
  • Witness details – If you have had a person with you when the paramedic was called (who called the paramedic)

If you would like to speak with one of our advisors, call today for your free no-obligation chat.

Evidence for paramedic negligence claims with a calculator, pen and magnifying glass on an orange background.

Compensation In Paramedic Negligence Claims

Compensation in paramedic negligence claims is calculated on an individual basis. Your claim is divided into both general damages and special damages. 

General damages are awarded for your pain and suffering, including any mental anguish. When our solicitors value your claim, they use certain resources to assist. They are your medical report and a publication known as the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), which consist of guidelines that relate to injury and/or harm.

Please note that the first insert on the table has not been taken from the JCG.

InjurySeverityNotesAmount
Multiple injuries with life-changing circumstancesMost severeIncluding significant financial lossUpto £1,000,000 +
Brain and head injury resulting from brain damageVery severesome ability to follow basic commands, recovery of eye-opening, little or no language, and the need for full-time nursing care.£344,150 to £493,000
Moderately severeseriously disabled, substantial dependence on others and a need for constant professional and other care.£267,340 to £344,150
KidneySeverity (a)Serious and permanent damage to or loss of both kidneys.£206,730 to £256,780
Severity (b)significant risk of future urinary tract infection or other total loss of natural kidney function. Substantial future medical expenses.Up to £78,080
Chest injuriesSeveretotal removal of one lung and/or serious heart damage with serious and prolonged pain and suffering permanent significant scarring.£122,850 to £183,190
SevereTraumatic injury to chest and/or heart causing permanent damage, impairment of function, physical disability, and reduction of life expectancy.£80,240 to £122,850
Facial scarringVery severe scarringRelatively young claimants, where the cosmetic effect is very disfiguring, with severe psychological reaction.£36,340 to £118,790
Less Severe ScarringDisfigurement is still substantial with significant psychological reaction.£21,920 to £59,090
Skeletal injuriesSevereLe Fort Fractures of Frontal Facial Bones£29,060 to £44,840
Multiple Fractures of Facial BonesInvolving some facial deformity of a permanent nature.£18,180 to £29,220

Can Special Damages Help With The Financial Effects?

Examples could be:

  • Loss of earnings – if you have not been able to go back to work as a result in negligence.
  • Care and assistance costs – if negligence has resulted in you being significantly disabled and requiring ongoing care can become expensive, so a claim for this would be put forward as a special damage. 
  • Medical costs – you may require additional treatment and/or medication on a long-term basis.
  • Travel costs – to and from medical appointments (fuel receipts, travel tickets, parking tickets)

Call today to speak with an advisor to see if you could make a paramedic negligence claim for compensation.

Make A No Win No Fee Medical Negligence Claim 

Our personal injury solicitors have decades of experience and expertise in medical negligence claims, specialising in paramedic negligence claims.

Our solicitors can do all this and more without taking any upfront or ongoing fees for their work. This is due to the fact that our experienced solicitors work under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), often known as a No Win No Fee arrangement.

Should your claim be successful, a small success fee will be deducted from your compensation. This is a percentage that is legally capped.

Get In Touch With Our Team

If you have suffered as a result of a paramedic’s negligence and would like to find out if you are eligible to make a claim for compensation, call our advisors today for your free no-obligation chat.

A No Win No Fee solicitor shakes a client's hand after agreeing to represent paramedic negligence claims.

More Information On Medical Negligence Compensation

Here are some additional resources that might be useful when making paramedic negligence claims.

Further resources