business resources
How Does Compensation Work?
21 Oct 2019
How Does Compensation Work?
When you seek medical advice and treatment, you’re placing a lot of trust into professionals. While the healthcare sector in the UK is mostly reliable, there are times things can go wrong and you may not have received the level of care you deserve. In these instances, you may be thinking of making a compensation claim.
Here, we’ll look at how compensation claims work and whether it’s the right option to take.
What can you claim compensation for?
Before filing a compensation claim, you need to be sure you have a good case. You can typically file for compensation for the following:
- If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of treatment
- You didn’t receive an adequate standard of care
- You received harmful medical advice
If you’ve experienced any of the above, then you’ll likely have a good chance of gaining compensation. However, it’s worth knowing what a compensation claim can’t do. For example, even if you win the compensation claim, the healthcare professional may not be disciplined by the court. It would purely get you compensation, not necessarily justice.
Understand the time limits
There are time limits associated with filing a compensation claim. This means you’ll want to gain advice from a lawyer specialising in medical and hospital negligence cases. Usually the time limit is three years from when the incident occurred. So, the sooner you file a claim, the stronger your cases will be.
Depending upon the case, a court can decide to extend this time limit. So, no matter when the incident occurred, it’s still worth reaching out to a solicitor to see if you can still make a claim.
What fees are involved?
The costs of claiming compensation can be extremely high. However, you can make it more affordable by choosing a no win, no fee lawyer. That way, if you don’t win the case, you won’t have to pay any legal fees.
You should also check any insurance policies you have. Travel, contents and motorist insurance often has legal fees included. If you have health insurance, this could also cover some of the legal costs.
Is it the right option for you?
Before filing a compensation claim, it’s important to think about whether it’s the best choice for you. A good lawyer will be able to let you know whether or not you have a case. However, generally speaking you will need proof of the damages caused. If you don’t have proof of negligence, it’s unlikely you’ll win the case and you’ll find it more difficult to get good representation.
These are some of the main things to know about claiming compensation. These types of cases can be extremely complex, which is why it’s important to ensure you’re choosing good legal representation.
This is an article provided by our partners network. It does not reflect the views or opinions of our editorial team and management.
Contributed content
Read More:
