General medical claims

‘General medical claims’ is a category of personal injury claims which deals with problems caused by a negligent procedure or lack of care.

It covers a wide range of medical specialisms which include:

• Dentistry*
• Gastroenterology
• Haematology
• Strokes
• Intensive care
• Dermatology
• GP practice*
• Hospital infections*
• Cardiology
• Diabetes care
• Ophthalmology
• Respiratory
• Care of the elderly*

*Dentistry is covered separately in our dental claims section.

*GP (General Practice) is dealt with in a separate section. Find out more in our GP claims section.

*Another area is hospital acquired infections such as MRSA and C Diff. This is also dealt with separately in our hospital acquired infection claims section.

Care of the elderly can also include nursing homes. However this is dealt with in a separate section. Find out more in our nursing home claims section.

If you have suffered an injury or illness due to sub-standard care or treatment then you may be able to claim compensation.

Making a claim for compensation for a general medical injury

A claim for compensation requires grounds to do so. This means evidence of negligence or mismanagement on the part of the service provider which has resulted in an injury or illness.

This is not an easy thing to prove and requires evidence to do so.

However, many people do make a successful claim for compensation.

You need to find a personal injury lawyer, claims management firm or solicitor who has the knowledge and experience of handling this type of claim.

Many compensation claims can be complex affairs which require skill and expertise in obtaining the best outcome for the client. This means a payout which will recompense you for the pain, loss of earnings and pension rights and any additional expense incurred by your injury.

Money does not give you back your health but it can go some way to ensure that you receive what is appropriate to your level of injury.

Let’s not forget that the consequences of a personal injury can be devastating and in many cases, can be permanent. This has a dramatic effect upon your quality of life and those of your family as well.

If your injury is severe to the extent that you require medication, regular treatment or 24 hour care and support then this can cause untold stress to you and your family. Your family may be able to claim help for this from the State but if not then they will have ongoing costs of your care to deal with which may plunge them into financial hardship.

A compensation payout can cover the cost of this and provide a small measure of relief to your family.

For more information about the claims process, visit our making a claim for compensation section.

Time limit for claiming compensation for a general medical injury

Compensation claims, especially those for personal injury, have a 3 year deadline. This starts from the date of the initial accident or diagnosis of the illness.

But it may differ for other types of claims such as general medical claims. Your personal injury lawyer or solicitor will be able to explain this and any other issue in more detail.