GP claims

GP’s provide a valuable service and are a lifeline for many people. Most people are happy with the care and attention they receive from their GP and feel that their treatment has been effective and appropriate.

Each GP treats thousands of patients every year and whilst they are usually professional and competent when they do so there are occasions when this is not the case.

Unfortunately, errors are made or the standard of care has slipped to below what is acceptable. If this happens then the patient may be left with a serious illness or injury which affects their quality of life.

Poor advice or a misdiagnosis can also result in an injury or illness.

If this happened to you then you may be able to claim compensation as a result of this.

What is a GP?

The term ‘GP’refers to a General Practitioner: a GP is a medical doctor who treats a wide range of medical conditions as well as providing advice on preventative care.

He or she is based within a local community and is often part of a ‘group practice’–a place within an area where there are several doctors who treat members of the local community.

Each GP is allocated a set number of patients who they will see at various intervals. Some patients will visit their GP on a regular basis whereas others will go several years before they make an appointment.

Their patients include different ages, ethnicities, backgrounds etc. They include men and women and the very young, e.g. babies through to the very old.

Everyone at some point in their life will visit their GP.

But GP’s are human like the rest of us. They do make mistakes but their mistakes can have serious consequences for their patient. In some cases this results in a chronic condition or a permanent disability.

Making a claim for compensation for a GP injury

Choose a personal injury law firm, solicitor or claims management company with experience in handling these claims. It is not easy to prove that an injury has occurred as a result of negligence or poor care rather than as an unfortunate accident; so you will need the services of someone who has expertise and an understanding of the complex issues involved.

He or she will assess your case before deciding whether to go ahead with a claim. There needs to be grounds for proving that your GP was negligent or provided you with the wrong advice or treatment. So a lawyer or solicitor will obtain evidence as well as reviewing the facts before proceeding.

He or she will be able to assess the likely outcome of your claim.

This is discussed in more detail in our making a claim for compensation section.

Time limit for claiming compensation for a GP injury

There is a time limit of 3 years for personal injury compensation claims.

This means that you have to make a claim within 3 years of the date of your accident or start of your illness.

But this may differ in these types of claims. Speak to your personal injury lawyer or solicitor about this and any other related issue.