Medical negligence

Our nationally recognised team of medical negligence solicitors are leaders in their field. They are known for a combination of high quality technical expertise and client focused service. In addition to achieving positive outcomes in a wide range of compensation claims, they help to rebuild the lives of patients and their families affected by sub-standard medical care.

Specialist medical negligence solicitors

We provide advice in relation to injury or loss suffered as a result of any type of treatment by doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, whether in an NHS or private setting. With a strong track record of advising clients across the UK on all areas of medicine, our specialist team includes dedicated sub groups focusing on particular areas of clinical practice.

Our expertise is particularly recognised in medical negligence claims involving severe brain and neurological injury, whether from surgery, birth trauma or missed diagnosis, claims for severely disabled children, cases involving the death of patients due to medical errors, claims arising from delayed diagnosis, particularly of cancer, sepsis or meningitis, and cases involving technical errors in surgery of all types.

Working hard to achieve settlements for clients as swiftly as possible, our medical negligence solicitors aim to minimise the additional stress involved in litigation, but our opponents know that where necessary we will pursue cases through to trial. The team’s untiring support extends far beyond litigation, however – we also advise on making official complaints about medical care, raising awareness of serious issues and dealing with coroner’s inquests, often but not always in conjunction with a compensation claim.

Collaboration is key to our service. Our solicitors frequently work closely with other groups to support our clients, such as case managers, rehabilitation teams, and charities as well as other departments within the firm including our Court of Protection, family and private client teams.

They were extremely helpful, professional, descriptive and understanding during our claim. I couldn’t have been happier with the level of expertise shown.

A high proportion of our clients come to us by personal recommendation – whether from previous clients, experts and barristers in the field or not-for-profit organisations. The senior members of our claims team hold a wealth of accreditations and we are known for our collaborative approach and emphasis on client care. Our medical negligence solicitors are highly ranked by the leading legal directories, Chambers UK and Legal 500, in multiple locations and described as ‘extremely organised and very competent’, ‘very kind, professional and patient’ and ‘easy to trust’.

We are always happy to provide some initial advice about potential medical negligence claims without charge or obligation.

How we help our clients

Amputation claims

Birth injury and cerebral palsy claims

Brain injury claims

Cancer misdiagnosis claims

Cardiac negligence claims

Cauda equina syndrome claims

Ear, nose and throat negligence claims

Elderly care claims

Eye surgery claims

Fatal injury claims involving medical negligence

GP negligence claims

Gynaecology and pregnancy claims

Inquest representation

Misdiagnosis claims

Orthopaedic claims

Sepsis claims

Stillbirth and neonatal death claims

Stroke compensation claims

Surgical error claims

Vaginal mesh claims

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Useful resources

Making a medical negligence claim

Funding a medical negligence claim

FAQS – Changing solicitors during an existing medical negligence claim

Medical negligence claims and complaints fact sheet

Conditional fee agreements and medical negligence claims fact sheet

Legal expenses insurance fact sheet

Part 36 offers fact sheet

Costs law services

They have genuine strength in depth and are really down to earth, committed, and true specialists in their field.

The team were extremely professional and competent and I always felt that my case was in very good hands. Above this, however, I appreciated their kind and sympathetic manner through the process.

First class: professional, friendly, sensitive and ultimately successful! Thank you so much.

I felt that my solicitor was really fighting for what she thought I deserved. She was a great match. Her advice was important to me.

Everyone at Penningtons has always treated me with respect and compassion and done their best to help with my situation. I feel the whole team really have my best interests at heart.

Recent work highlights

Negligence in care of dementia patient

Settling a disputed claim against a care home for the death of a dementia patient following a failure to carry out a proper risk assessment and provide adequate supervision to the patient. The case was settled after proceedings were issued.

Neurological harm after medication overdose

Obtaining an admission of liability in a negligence claim against a district hospital for a medication error that resulted in a significant toxic drug overdose and permanent neurological injury to a child. The case involved detailed expert evidence.

Permanent disability due to neuroradiology errors

Securing judgment against the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford for a family man who sadly was left permanently disabled and dependent on others for all aspects of his care following serious errors that were made during a neuroradiology procedure.

Damages of £14 million in brain injury case

Achieving a settlement of over £14 million for a young client, now aged six, who has cerebral palsy after sustaining a significant brain injury at birth due to negligent failures to properly advise his mother and proceed to a caesarean section.

Renal patient neurological injury claim

Concluding a multi-million pound claim against St Thomas’ Hospital in London for a renal patient who sustained a disabling neurological injury following delayed diagnosis of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

Tragic loss due to cardiac misdiagnosis

Successfully pursuing a claim for a widower whose wife died following her GP’s failure to recognise the symptoms of unstable angina or acute myocardial infarction and sent her home with a diagnosis of gastritis.

£3 million in damages for avoidable amputation

Achieving settlement of a claim shortly before High Court trial where the negligent management of vascular injuries caused compartment syndrome and led to a below-knee amputation that would have been avoided with appropriate care.

Compensation after cauda equina signs missed

Settling a case for £750,000 for our client whose symptoms of cauda equina syndrome were not properly investigated in A&E. She subsequently suffered significant permanent nerve damage affecting her urinary and bowel function and limiting her mobility.

Post-operative retinal detachment

Settling a negligence claim for six figures on behalf of a client who suffered retinal detachment and permanent vision loss due to inadequate post-operative care by an inexperienced doctor after routine eye surgery in a private hospital.

Delayed ovarian torsion diagnosis

Obtaining £75,000 in compensation for a young woman in her twenties who lost her ovary and fallopian tube following a delay in diagnosing and treating her ovarian torsion. The NHS trust admitted breach of duty.

Late diagnosis of severe deafness

Securing damages of £4 million for a girl whose severe deafness was not diagnosed for some years following referral to audiologists. The delay in fitting cochlear implants affected her language development and cognition as well as her education.

Novel surgical approach with higher risks

Acting for a client who suffered complications when a herna repair procedure was carried out using a novel and higher risk approach which he had not been properly advised about. We recovered damages after issuing High Court proceedings.

£3 million in damages for avoidable amputation

Compensation after cauda equina signs missed

Post-operative retinal detachment

Delayed ovarian torsion diagnosis

Late diagnosis of severe deafness

Novel surgical approach with higher risks

Case studies

We settled a claim on behalf of the estate of an elderly lady who suffered a stroke after her anticoagulant treatment was not recommenced following surgery.

Our client was diagnosed with a left frontal lobe low grade glioma. He was advised that this was benign and required only monitoring by way of regular MRI scans.

Acting upon personal recommendation from a leading medical negligence barrister, our client instructed us to investigate a claim relating to the death of her husband after he suffered a head injury at home.

The claimant was a renal transplant patient requiring immunosuppression with drugs including tacrolimus. She brought a claim for alleged failings in her medical care.

We settled a claim for a client who had unnecessary surgery due to incorrect advice about her risks of developing cancer, compounded by significant post operative issues.