Clinical negligence is also known as ‘medical negligence‘ and in the United States ‘medical malpractice’
There is really no practical difference between any of these phrases! The word ‘clinical’ is more wide-ranging, in terms of different types of care.
The clinical duty of care applies to more than just medical services provided by qualified doctors and nurses. For example, residential care, care for those suffering from drug and alcohol misuse, mental health social workers, cosmetic procedures, slimming clinics, pregnancy terminations. There is a broad definition of ‘health care worker’, including, for example, dentists, biomedical and clinical scientists, paramedics, and radiographers.
For many years, lawyers only referred to ‘medical negligence’. However, now various organisations, such as the Law Society, replaced the use of the term medical negligence, for clinical negligence.
The Law Society receives applications from solicitors and then decides whether they are suitably experienced, to be given specialist status in the area of medical litigation. If approved, then they are included as a member of the “Clinical Negligence Accreditation Panel”. Our Director, Caroline Moore, has been a member of the Law Society Clinical Accreditation Scheme since 1999.
Clinical negligence claims are where a patient says that those who have cared for them have let them down and caused an injury. If so, then compensation can be claimed. There are various things that have to apply for a medical or clinical negligence claim to be successful. You have to show that someone did owe you a duty of care, that they failed to provide a reasonable standard of care, and also that any such failure has actually caused you harm/injury. Your medical condition may have worsened as a result, or you may have suffered a new medical condition.
Care providers only have to give reasonable care, not good or excellent.
Medical malpractice is actually an American way of referring to medical negligence or clinical negligence.
For more information on the factors that have to be satisfied in order to claim compensation, see our helpful link below.
What is Medical Negligence?
Our friendly team of specialist lawyers at Medical Solicitors helps people who have suffered from negligent medical treatment. Compensation can be claimed where care has fallen below a reasonable standard due to Medical Negligence.
Do contact our friendly team of specialist lawyers at Medical Solicitors. We conduct most of our Clinical and Medical Negligence claims under ‘No Win, No Fee’ agreements, also known as Conditional Fee Agreements. So, you do not have to worry about how you are going to afford to bring a claim. You have nothing to lose in speaking to us.