A fatal GP negligence claim seeks compensation when a loved one dies due to medical negligence by a GP. The family, spouse and dependents can claim damages for the fatal negligence by a GP in the care of their loved one. 

Your GP owes their patients a duty of care when looking after them. If they breach that duty of care and you die as a result, your loved ones can make a fatal GP negligence claim for compensation. 

The family left behind suffer anguish and sorrow due to the fatal GP negligence. Dependents also lose their financial security and may need to make significant changes to their lives. 

If a loved one suffers below acceptable GP care leading to death, you might be able to claim compensation from those responsible. 

A No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor can make your claim for fatal GP negligence and get you the compensation you deserve.

Fatal GP Negligence Claim

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What is a fatal GP negligence claim?

A fatal GP negligence claim is for compensation when a loved one dies due to below-standard medical care by the GP. Your loved one could die due to a misdiagnosis, a failure to refer, a prescription error, or a missed diagnosis of a medical condition. 

A GP owes their patients a duty of care when dealing with a patient’s health. They must provide an acceptable level of care and not provide GP service below that which no other GP acting professionally would provide. 

Medical negligence is medical care below that any other medical professional acting at an acceptable level would provide. In a fatal GP negligence case, the doctor has not provided your father, mother, son, daughter, husband, or wife with an acceptable level of medical care, causing their death. 

Your No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor can look at your case and see if you have a valid fatal GP negligence claim for compensation.

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Common fatal GP negligence claims

Common fatal GP negligence claims range from failing to refer a patient for further testing to missing the signs of a heart attack or severe infection. The GP is often the first line of defence for health problems. If the GP is negligent, they could miss a vital sign and lose time getting the patient life-saving treatment. 

GP negligence could cost the life of your loved one. If you lose a trusted family member through GP negligence, you may have a fatal negligence claim for compensation.

Common fatal GP negligence claims are:

  • Failing to diagnose a heart attack leading to the death of a patient claim
  • Failing to diagnose a stroke leading to the death of a patient claim
  • Failing to diagnose early signs of a fatal cancer claim
  • Errors in prescription lead to the death of a patient claim
  • Failing to diagnose an infection leading to sepsis claim
  • Failing to follow up on test results claim

Failing to diagnose a heart attack leading to the death of a patient claim

Failing to diagnose a heart attack leading to the death of a patient is fatal GP medical negligence. The GP must be aware of the signs of a heart attack and refer the patient for emergency treatment. 

When a patient presents at the GP surgery, the GP must do all the tests needed and refer the patient for further treatment if necessary. A GP should follow NICE guidelines to avoid errors. 

To miss the signs of a heart attack could be GP negligence, and if the patient dies, it may be fatal GP negligence.

Failing to diagnose a stroke leading to the death of a patient claim

Failing to diagnose a stroke leading to the death of a patient would not happen if the GP follows the FAST guidelines. The GP should diagnose a stroke as accurately and as quickly as possible. 

The FAST guidelines give a quick diagnosis of a possible stroke, and the GP should notice the signs if they are giving you a professional level of treatment.

Not diagnosing a stroke or not referring someone for emergency treatment could be a fatal GP negligence claim if the patient passes away due to stroke complications.

Failing to diagnose early signs of a fatal cancer claim

Failing to diagnose the early signs of potentially fatal cancer can delay treatment or make it too late to treat the cancer by the time a diagnosis is made. 

Cancer, like all serious health complications, needs prompt and correct diagnosis. To miss the signs of cancer at an early stage or not refer the patient for further tests could be GP negligence. 

If a loved one passes away due to a cancer diagnosis missed by the GP, the dependents could have a fatal GP negligence claim for compensation.

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Errors in prescribing medication leading to the death of a patient claim

Errors in prescribing medication leading to the death of a patient can happen when the GP prescribes a medication the patient is allergic to, or a medication that counteracts with other ones the patient is taking. 

The GP may also prescribe the wrong medication for a patient or a dose that is too high, or too low, for the patient’s condition. The GP may fail to prescribe medication as ordered by the hospital consultant, leading to a condition becoming fatal rather than being under control. 

The family may have a case for fatal GP negligence compensation if the patient passes away due to errors in prescribing medication. 

Failing to diagnose an infection leading to sepsis claim

Failing to diagnose an infection leading to sepsis happens when the GP misses the early signs of infection and does not prescribe a suitable antibiotic. 

The body shuts down quickly when sepsis takes over. The minor infection grows and causes the immune system to overreact and can be very difficult to treat in the elderly, the vulnerable and in children.  

A patient may die quickly when suffering from sepsis, and the GP should be aware of the complications from untreated infections.

The deceased’s loved ones could make a compensation claim for fatal GP negligence if their relative died from sepsis due to the failure to treat an infection.

Failing to follow up on test results claim

Failing to follow up on test results should never happen, but it does when the GP is guilty of medical negligence. All test results must be followed up on, and ignoring the test results could be fatal. 

Test results may show the early signs of cancer, diabetes, and other severe conditions. The patient may need further treatment and make lifestyle changes to save their lives. 

Fatal GP negligence is a lack of duty of care by a GP, and the dependents may have a fatal GP negligence claim for compensation.

Compensation for fatal negligence claims

You can seek compensation for fatal negligence claims in amounts from the low £10,000s to over £10 million in some cases. 

The compensation varies depending on several factors. GP negligence claims sometimes see very high awards, such as when a young mother passes away, or the main breadwinner in the family dies due to fatal medical negligence. 

Compensation amounts in fatal GP negligence claims can be:

  • Failing to spot signs of a stroke leading to death – £52,000
  • Failing to diagnose a medical condition – £63,800
  • Errors by the GP when dealing with a heart attack – £125,600
  • Mistakes made by the GP with medications – £196,900
  • Delays in referring a patient for treatment resulting in death – £224,500
compensation claim calculator

All amounts are approximate and are only a guide to what is possible in fatal negligence claims. Figures can be high in some claims as a loved one could leave behind a family and others who rely on them for care. 

The family left behind will be able to claim for future care, educational expenses, and other costs in the future.

As in all medical negligence claims, each case is dealt with on merit and how much those left behind suffer due to the fatal GP negligence. 

A No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will be the one to advise you on a fatal negligence claim. They will know from experience what your case may be worth and how to make a successful claim. 

Your No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will handle your fatal negligence claim for compensation and for all damages incurred.

Our Process

Our team members have a higher career win rate with a 75% success rate on NHS letters of claim, compared to an industry average of 54.5%.

Enquiry

The first step is to get in touch and tell us what went wrong. It’s free and easy. Call our 24-hour helpline: 0800 246 1122 or request a callback here.

Medical Evaluation

Once you have spoken with our team we’ll let you know how we can help. Typically the next step is to obtain your medical records for us to review.

Legal Letter

Once all your medical records have been received they will be reviewed by a medically & legally qualified member of our team. If there is evidence of medical negligence we will send a letter of claim to the negligent party outlining your medical negligence claim.

Who is eligible for fatal negligence compensation?

The family, parents, dependents, husbands, wives, and partners who are left behind after the fatal medical negligence may be eligible for compensation. They are the ones who have suffered the loss, and the clear fatal GP negligence has caused mental anguish and deep financial strain, possibly for life. 

Loved ones in a fatal GP negligence case are known as ‘dependents’ and can be:

  • A spouse or former spouse of the deceased
  • Someone who lived with the deceased for two years before death as a husband, wife, or civil partner.
  • Blood children, adopted children or those who became children through marriage or civil partnership
  • Parents and those acting as parents, such as a guardian or step-parents
  • Grandparents or great-grandparents
  • Brothers, sisters, cousins, and other direct relatives

When your loved one is a victim of fatal negligence, or you have lost a loved one through GP negligence, you may have a claim for compensation.

What can you claim for when you sue for fatal GP negligence?

You can claim compensation for any damages that occurred when you sue for fatal GP negligence. 

There are two types of compensation damages due when suing for any type of medical negligence: General damages and Special damages.

General damages are when you sue for the pain, suffering and loss of amenity, PSLA, your loved one may have experienced due to negligence before their death. 

  • Pain is that above what is normally expected for their procedure 
  • Suffering is the inconvenience and changes to their life
  • Loss of Amenity is any difficulty they had in doing everyday tasks, such as walking, sitting, playing sports, and sleeping before passing away

Special damages include loss of earnings, future care costs, and out-of-pocket expenses. 

  • Loss of earnings includes compensation for time off work and any reduction of income into the home in the future 
  • Future care costs are for any care you will need, as was provided by your loved one who passed away as a result of the fatal negligence 
  • Out-of-pocket expenses cover medical appointments, travel, accommodation, and meals 

Be sure to keep payslips, receipts, and proof of any losses you experience due to the medical negligence.  

You and other loved ones deserve compensation to cover all losses, including loss of life, medical costs, and long-term care needs. 

When a loved one dies from the effects of GP negligence complications, you can claim fatal GP negligence compensation.

medical negligence compensation types

Fatal negligence due to failure to follow NICE guidelines

Fatal negligence due to failure to follow NICE guidelines is behind many common fatal GP negligence claims. NICE guidelines exist to try and eliminate errors in the NHS, but fatal negligence may occur when they are not followed.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is a government-sponsored body set up to reduce the errors within the NHS. They identify ‘never events,’ the mistakes which should never happen, and issue guidelines on how to avoid them. 

The NICE guidelines are like a list of how-to and how-not-to information points for GPs. NICE continually updates all information, and the guidelines should be followed by anyone involved in a GP practice. 

When all members of the GP practice follow the NICE guidelines, GP care should go as planned. If staff do not follow all NICE guidelines, fatal negligence can happen due to the lack of duty of care involved. 

You can claim fatal medical negligence compensation when the GP team does not follow NICE guidelines and your loved one dies due to GP negligence.

NHS’s safe and effective delivery of health care services
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Who is responsible for fatal GP negligence?

A medical professional is responsible for any fatal GP negligence. When dependents bring a claim for fatal GP negligence, they claim against the NHS Trust or private clinic that employed the medical professional responsible.

A medical professional responsible for the fatal GP negligence could be:

  • The doctor who failed to order further tests for a patient
  • The GP team who missed the signs of a heart attack
  • The GP who failed to refer the patient for emergency treatment
  • The GP who failed to spot the signs of a possible stroke
  • The NHS Trust responsible for GP training and NICE guidelines
  • The NHS Trust responsible for hiring suitable medical professionals
  • The hospital responsible for providing GP care
Who is responsible for medical negligence

Every medical professional owes you a duty of care when dealing with your health problems. You may suffer fatal GP negligence if they are negligent with that duty of care and do not provide you with a professional service when under their care.

Medical negligence is treatment below an acceptable standard by a medical professional. Instead of putting the care needed into your GP care, the doctor made avoidable errors, which is clear medical negligence.

By behaving less-than-professionally, the GP risked the health of a loved one, and the financial and emotional effects could be with you for life.

You can claim compensation for the fatal GP negligence and get help getting your life and that of the other dependents back on track.

What are the steps involved in making a fatal GP negligence claim?

The steps involved in making a fatal GP negligence claim go from seeking medical advice to issuing court proceedings. 

The steps are a part of any successful compensation case, and settlement can happen at any stage in the process. 

Your medical negligence solicitor will do the rest when you follow the steps correctly and gather all the facts and figures.

Seek medical advice on the injuries your loved one suffered during, before or after surgery, as soon as you realise, they experienced fatal GP negligence.

Contact a specialist medical negligence solicitor who operates on a No Win No Fee basis and tell them what went wrong. The right solicitor will look at the case, see where the problem lies, and advise if your loved one suffered fatal GP negligence. 

The Medical Negligence Team also have a 100% Compensation Guarantee scheme, where you get all the money awarded in a negligence claim. 

Your loved one suffered medical negligence, and you should get all the money due for the suffering to your life caused by the fatal negligence.

Your medical negligence solicitor obtains the medical records with your permission. By reading the records, they will confirm if they think you have a valid fatal GP negligence claim.

The medical negligence team will know from your loved one’s medical records if the case will result in compensation being paid.

The medical negligence solicitor sending a letter of claim to the negligent party is the next step. The letter will ask them to admit the fatal GP negligence in what is known as ‘sending a letter of claim.’ 

When the negligent party receives the letter of claim, it has up to four months to provide a written response.

Getting a response from the negligent party’s insurer will move the compensation claim closer to a conclusion. 

The insurer will either admit the medical negligence or say they intend to defend the case. Deciding to defend the case is known as ‘deny liability’ in legal terms. 

If they admit liability, your loved one’s fatal GP negligence claim can be valued, and the two parties will meet to decide on the compensation payment. 

Your solicitor will negotiate with the negligent party and use their experience to get the compensation you deserve.

Issuing court proceedings is the next step if they deny liability in your fatal GP negligence claim. 

Going to court happens, too, when they are not prepared to pay a fair amount for the damages suffered by those left behind. Your medical negligence solicitor issues the court proceedings.  

Remember that less than 1% of medical negligence cases end up in court, and very few of those cases ever make it to the courtroom.

making a medical negligence claim

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Miss M.P., West Yorkshire

“I needed surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. The NHS did the wrong operation first time round and they drained rather than remove the cyst. I then had to have a further operation to do the operation they should have done first time round with significant pain in between as the cyst came back. Medical Negligence Team quickly settled my claim. I received 100% of the compensation and was delighted with the service and communication throughout. They really are medical negligence experts”

Mrs T.S., South Yorkshire

“I required Tegretol medication for my underlying epilepsy and nocturnal seizure control but my pharmacy gave me something completely different by mistake. As a result after many years of having no seizures I had a number of seizures, a fall and needed time off work. The Medical Negligence Team got me the compensation I deserved including money for lost wages. They also paid 100% of the compensation to me with no deductions.”

Mr J.B., Kent

“Following open surgery in October 2022 I continued to have pain in my wound. It was discovered a piece of drain had been left inside me causing me pain and suffering and the need to have a further surgical procedure to remove it. In June 2023 Medical Negligence Team Law completed my claim and I got 100% compensation awarded. Thank you.”

Mrs B, Hertfordshire

“Medical Negligence Team Law quickly settled my medical negligence claim and I received 100% of the compensation recovered. I would highly recommend them.”

Miss P.R , North Yorkshire

“My pharmacy incorrectly gave me fast acting insulin causing problems with my blood sugars which made me very unwell for one month until the mistake was discovered. Medical Negligence Team Law quickly settled my claim and I received 100% of the compensation with no deductions.”

Mr G.W. , Lincolnshire

“A leaking IV iron infusion caused permanent staining to my arm. I received £13,000 compensation,100% with no deductions. Would recommend Medical Negligence Team to anyone.”

Mrs R. R., South Yorkshire

“Medical Negligence Team Law quickly settled my claim. They were friendly and helpful throughout the whole process and above all I received 100% compensation recovered with no deductions.”

Mr S.B., Northamptonshire

“Medical Negligence Team Law won my pharmacy negligence claim and I received 100% of the compensation recovered.”

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“Your care and support was outstanding, making me feel supported and reassured and you kept in constant contact with any worries I had explained and swiftly responded to thank you, would recommend highly.”

Mr B.H., Brighton

“My late father had a fall in hospital breaking his hip which required surgery. The fall was due to a lack of supervision. Medical Negligence Team won our case and got us the compensation we deserved. We received 100% of the compensation recovered. Many thanks to all the team at Medical Negligence Team. Would definitely recommend them.”

Mr D.C., Nottingham

“Our pharmacist gave my husband the incorrect medication and while on holiday and taking the medication my husband became seriously ill. We had to rush home from Spain as a result of this. Medical Negligence Team recovered the costs for our abandoned trip and compensation for the pain my husband endured while he was recovering. They were very friendly, responsive and we received 100% of the compensation with no deductions.”

Mrs A.P., Worksop

“My pharmacy issued me with quetiapine rather than venlafaxine which had a significant impact on my mental health. Andy, Anthony and the team at Medical Negligence Team were incredibly helpful and obtained compensation for the pain and suffering I endured as well as payment for loss of earnings. They paid all the compensation, 100%, to me. I would highly recommend them.”

Mrs S. R., Peterborough

“I fractured my wrist and Barts Hospital Trust in London failed to arrange appropriate follow up in the fracture clinic and as a result my surgery was delayed. Medical Negligence Team Law obtained all my medical records and radiology and quickly settled my claim. I received 100% of the compensation recovered with no deductions”

Mrs C.M., London

“Great service and communication from everyone at Medical Negligence Team Law throughout my claim. They handled my claim on a No Win No Fee basis and I received 100% of the compensation recovered.”

Miss A.W , Liverpool

How long do I have to make a claim for fatal GP negligence?

You have three years to make a claim for fatal GP negligence. All medical negligence claims are subject to limitation periods. 

For example, in England and Wales, medical negligence claims must generally be brought and court proceedings issued within three years of the injury or three years of knowledge of the facts giving rise to the fatal GP negligence claim. 

When someone has passed away, it is the date of death if the limitation period has not expired at the date of death. 

Children not under a disability typically have until they reach 21 to start a fatal GP negligence claim or court proceedings. 

Persons with a disability, who lack capacity, are not subject to any limitation period.

Claiming on behalf of a loved one

Yes, you can make a medical negligence claim on behalf of a loved one. Under UK law, if an injured party cannot represent themselves, then a loved one can take the case on their behalf.

GP negligence is a perfect example of claiming on behalf of a loved one. The negligence could take a loved one’s life or leave them unable to make a claim.

Your loved one depends wholly on you and the family for care and to fight for their rights. By making a claim on their behalf for GP negligence, you are fighting for the compensation they deserve.

A parent can make a GP claim on behalf of a child while they are under 18. In some cases, the diagnosis of medical negligence is not made until a child is in their late teens. The child’s parents can make a compensation claim when the child is under 18, but the young adult can make one until they turn 21. 

A No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will work with you to win the compensation claim for the GP negligence.

Are you eligible for compensation?

If you want to obtain compensation for the negligence you have suffered, we have a simple 3 step process to make sure you get the money you deserve

  • Take our online assessment & speak with our team

  • Our team of doctors and lawyers will undertake a full medical review based on your medical records

  • We will send a legal letter of claim and our solicitors will pursue your compensation on your behalf

All case reviews are 100% cost and commitment free.

Using a No Win No Fee solicitor

Using a No Win No Fee solicitor is the only way to a successful fatal GP negligence compensation claim. Your No Win No Fee medical negligence solicitor will not charge you for a claim you do not win. 

Always have a fee agreement in place before engaging a medical negligence solicitor. If they start talking of a ‘win fee’ or a ‘success fee,’ you should walk away. The negligent party insurers should pay all fees. 

The medical negligence solicitor should also operate a 100% Compensation Guarantee scheme. When you win the case, all the money awarded should go to you, not the solicitor. 

You are the one who suffered due to the fatal GP negligence, and you deserve the compensation to get your life back to normal.

Using a No Win No Fee solicitor

Can I make a medical negligence claim against the NHS?

Yes, you can make a medical negligence claim against the NHS. Suing the NHS for negligence is not unusual. People sue the NHS for compensation for medical negligence and receive the money they deserve for the negligent treatment. 

There are between 8,000 and 10,000 successful medical negligence claims against the NHS each year—amounts in compensation claims awarded against the NHS range from £1000 to over £10 million. 

The amount of compensation you receive covers minor injuries such as scarring and serious life-threatening negligence, which leaves you with long-term care needs. 

We trust in and use the NHS daily and do not expect negligence. It happens, though, and the NHS has a dedicated team to handle medical negligence compensation claims, called NHS resolution. 

NHS Resolution has a responsibility to treat patients who seek compensation fairly. Patients pay for the NHS through their taxes; they deserve respect and the best medical treatment.

Contact The Medical Negligence Team

Contact the Medical Negligence Team today to discuss your fatal GP negligence claim for compensation. We have both the legal and medical experts to guide you along the steps to a successful medical negligence claim for compensation. 

At the Medical Negligence Team, we fight every compensation claim on a No Win No Fee basis. You will not be out of pocket for an unsuccessful claim.

We have a very high success rate and a reputation for a speedy and successful resolution to all medical negligence cases. 

Our 100% Compensation Guarantee puts all the money you win into your pocket. You or your loved one suffered a fatal GP negligence and deserve every penny of the compensation claim. 

Contact us at the Medical Negligence Team for all your medical negligence needs.

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