Gordon's Story: Amputation caused by Medical Negligence
Nerve damage claims
Nerve damage may have a significant impact on the quality of a person’s life, especially if there has been damage to the brain or spinal cord. Nerves are fragile and surgery or needles can sometimes cause nerve damage. Some of these injuries may be permanent and have long-lasting effects.
When the peripheral nerves are damaged, people may experience any, or a combination of the following symptoms:
- Tingling
- Numbness
- Weakness
- Loss of feeling in a part of the body
- Shooting pains
At Fletchers Solicitors, our experienced team has dealt with lots of cases of nerve damage
caused by medical negligence. So we understand the stress and worry associated with such an injury. If you believe that you have suffered nerve damage, our dedicated legal advisors are here to represent your claim to achieve the best possible outcome for you.
We accept nerve damage claims on a No Win, No Fee basis. This means you won’t have to pay any legal fees, even if your case is unsuccessful.
What is a nerve damage compensation claim?
Nerve damage often occurs during a medical procedure. These may be the result of a medical mistake during surgery or more generally, arising from the use of a needle.
You may have a claim for medical negligence if your neurologist, neurosurgeon, doctor or nurse has made a surgical error or missed symptoms of, or misdiagnosed, a condition or disorder.
Nerve damage is complex and so can be the treatment. Due to the extent and variety of nerve damage-related conditions, there is no generalised treatment. Our experts will assist with assessing whether your treating health professional’s standard of care was adequate.
If he or she has failed to provide treatment to the relevant standard, you may have the basis for a claim for compensation. We will also help arrange an expert assessment of your needs, including suitable treatment, rehabilitation and equipment.
Different types of nerve damage compensation claims
Medical mistakes during surgery
Medical staff have a duty to reduce the risk of nerve damage by checking the surgical site for nerves before operating. We have successfully obtained compensation for nerve damage cases, including:
- Hip replacement surgery where nerves have been severed
- Knee replacement surgery where nerves have been severed
- Hernia surgery damage to inguinal and genitofemoral nerve
- Damage to nerves from surgery to remove tumours
Nerve damage as a result of injections or syringes
Damage to nerves may occur from a needle to take blood or provide pain relief. We have
recently recovered compensation for:
- Spinal cord injury by caudal epidural and facet joint injection
- Median nerve damage inflicted while taking blood from the arm
- Radial nerve damage inflicted while taking blood from the arm
Is there a time limit on making a nerve damage compensation claim?
With capacity
A claim for negligence must be made within three years of the date (“date of knowledge”) on which the affected person became aware (or ought reasonably to have become aware) that he or she suffered a personal injury as a result of the health professional’s acts or omissions.
The date of knowledge is not the date on which the injury occurred unless you knew or ought to have known about it at that time. Sometimes people do find out that a mistake has been made straight away, but sometimes it can actually be a matter of months, even years, before he or she realises something has gone wrong.
If you or the person the mistake happened to is, or was under the age of 18 at the time the
incident occurred, then the time limit is three years from the date of their 18th birthday (i.e. their 21st birthday).
Without capacity
If the affected person does not have the mental capacity to recognise the mistake, there can be no time limit, unless the person regains capacity.