Compensation for GP’s Negligence

When Harry’s father died he felt the GP had been negligent so he asked Barratts Solicitors for help. We gathered the medical evidence we needed to show this was the case. We succeeded in pursuing a claim for compensation for Harry because he was classed as a ‘dependent’ of the deceased.Harry’s father, Jim, died suddenly of a heart attack. Jim had consulted his GP in the previous months, complaining of severe chest pains. Despite this, she did not refer him to hospital. We obtained supportive evidence that Jim had sustained a heart attack in the months prior to his death. If his GP had referred him to hospital at this point he could have received treatment. The treatment would have reduced the risk of a further heart attack.

The GP admitted she had been negligent in failing to refer Jim sooner. However, she denied that referring him earlier would have changed the outcome.

We looked at the expert evidence but the professionals gave different opinions. One said that even with an earlier referral it was still probable that Jim would have had a further heart attack and died. The other expert said that with the combination of advice and therapies it was more likely that Jim would have survived had he been referred earlier.

We succeeded in recovering compensation for Harry for the GP’s negligence. However we advised him to ask for a reduced settlement to take into account the risks of recovering nothing at Trial.

Harry was the only dependent of his father. Recovering compensation means that Harry will have some of the financial security which his father would have provided for him.