Accident & Emergency (A&E) Negligence
Across Ireland, our hospital Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments serve a vital function dealing with urgent cases of injury and illness.
It is important to remember that even if your A&E department is experiencing high demand, you are owed a duty of care. This means you must be fully and properly assessed to determine the appropriate clinical pathway for your condition. Starting with the triage stage, you should be quickly assessed to determine the urgency of your condition and, if necessary, be prioritised to be seen by an A&E consultant.
While most urgent cases are handled with expertise and professionalism the standard of care provided can fall short, and in doing so can lead to medical harm being caused. Any error during your time in A&E can have future implications for your health and wellbeing.
What can go wrong in A&E?
At every stage in A&E, decisions are being made about you including how best to assess your current medical state, which specialists to involve, interpreting blood tests and scans, deciding which interventions are needed, and where you should go next. At each of these stages an error can occur which can have serious consequences. For example, poor team communication might mean you don’t receive the correct dosage of a drug, or a scan is not properly assessed. The range of possible errors caused by those overseeing your care are considerable, but include:
- Missing a serious problem during a medical assessment.
- Not performing the necessary tests.
- Using a drug to which you have an allergy.
- Administering the wrong drug or dosage.
- Undertaking an intervention without care.
- Not involving clinicians with specialist knowledge.
- Failing to interpret scans or tests properly.
- Being too slow to provide treatment.
- Providing the wrong treatment.
- Discharging you from the hospital too early.
Medical professionals regardless of seniority all have a duty of care to protect your health. This includes explaining to you any treatments you need and any associated risks or side-effects. Failure to explain the clinical risk of a treatment or procedure consented to, which then leads to injury or health damage, may also constitute medical negligence.
Can I bring a claim for medical negligence in A&E?
You may be able to bring a claim for medical negligence in A&E which has caused you harm depending on the circumstances. To prove medical negligence, it must be shown:
- That the standard of care you received fell below that of a competent physician of the same level and;
- This negligence caused damage or injury.
If you have reason to believe you have suffered damage or injury as a result of a mistake made in A&E, we may be able to assist you. When you first contact us, we will listen carefully to the details of your case and advise on whether you may have a valid claim.
Why should I consider Lavelle Partners to handle my case?
- Lavelle Partners have successfully managed many cases involving injuries following medical negligence in A&E.
- Our team have been helping clients since 2004, with decades of combined experience across the team, and place client care at the centre of everything they do.
- From the first moment you speak to one of our Solicitors, we will listen to your case carefully and with empathy and will only recommend advancing your case if we believe you have a valid case.
- We have both the legal expertise and understanding of the real-life challenges faced by those affected by medical negligence injuries.
- Our Solicitors will manage the process entirely on your behalf; compiling the information necessary for your case, including medical notes, and managing the submission of your medical negligence claim.
- We will manage any subsequent questions and/or provide further information where required.
By allowing us to handle your claim on your behalf, you can focus on what is most important, your recovery and care, or that of your family member or loved one.
For further information on making a claim following health problems caused due to medical negligence at an A&E department in Ireland, please contact Lavelle Partners in confidence on (01) 644 5800 or email Avril Scally at ascally@lavellepartners.ie
*In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement. This statement is made in compliance with RE.8 of SI 518 of 2002.
