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Medical Negligence: Act Fast Before Fixed Costs Make It Harder To Claim

People harmed as a result of poor medical treatment could soon be left without access to justice, thanks to changes in the law.

Medical Negligence: Act Fast Before Fixed Costs Make It Harder To Claim

This means that anyone thinking of making a claim needs to act now.

The government is discussing plans to introduce fixed legal fees for clinical negligence cases, which will limit the amount lawyers can charge for claims that fall below a certain amount.

The limit could be set at claims valued up to £25,000 – still high enough to reflect serious injuries that affect quality of life.

Such claims, whilst not resulting in six-figure sums, are often complex and lengthy in nature. Medical experts are required to comment on complex medical arguments and large volumes of medical records and evidence have to be obtained.

If legal costs are capped, law firms may be unable to afford to pursue low-value cases on a ‘no win, no fee’ basis.

This means that unless an injured party has the funds to pay for legal fees privately or they are willing to lose a large portion of their compensation to pay for legal advice, they will have no access to justice – potentially leaving them without the answers, outcome and compensation they deserve for any hardship they suffer.

Limiting fees to such a degree could also affect hospital safety if there is no longer any recourse or sanction when things go wrong.

If you have experienced medical negligence, speak to Hodgkinsons now, before the law changes – and while your case can be properly investigated regardless of its monetary value. To contact us call 01754 897150 or start your claim online