Stephen Kelly LawMedical Negligence Solicitor

Hospital Negligence Claims

Hospital Negligence Claims in Ireland

A hospital negligence claim looks at whether care provided in a public or private hospital fell below the standard expected of competent staff, and whether that caused you harm. If it did, you may be able to take the matter further.

When you are unwell, you place your trust in a hospital and its staff. If you feel that care let you down, it is natural to want to understand what happened and why. We offer clear, careful advice so you can make sense of your experience and consider your options.

What this can cover

  • Care in accident and emergency departments
  • Nursing care and patient monitoring
  • Medication administration on the ward
  • Failures to escalate a deteriorating patient
  • Infection control and hygiene failures
  • Communication and handover between staff

Situations that may amount to negligence

  • A deteriorating patient whose warning signs may not have been escalated in time
  • A long wait in A&E during which a serious condition may have been missed
  • Medication that may have been given in the wrong dose or to the wrong patient
  • A fall on the ward that may have happened because monitoring fell short
  • An infection acquired in hospital that may have been preventable
  • Important information that may not have been passed on between staff at handover

How negligence is assessed

A bad experience in hospital does not automatically mean there was negligence, as illness carries risk and outcomes are not always within anyone's control. The first question is whether the hospital and its staff owed you a duty of care, which they did. The next is whether the care fell below the standard expected of competent practitioners, judged using the Dunne v National Maternity Hospital test, which asks whether no practitioner of similar skill would have acted in the same way. It must then be shown that the failing caused or materially contributed to your harm, known as causation.

Time limits. As general information, a claim must usually be started within two years of the date you knew, or ought reasonably to have known, of the injury, with separate rules for children and people who lack capacity.

Simple and clear

Making a hospital negligence enquiry

A straightforward path from your first question to clear advice on where you stand.

  1. 1

    Get in touch

    Tell us briefly what happened, by the enquiry form or by phone. There is no obligation.

  2. 2

    Initial review

    We listen, ask a few questions and look at the key facts and any records you have.

  3. 3

    Advice on next steps

    We explain your options clearly, including any time limits that may apply to you.

  4. 4

    Claim preparation, if appropriate

    If there may be a claim, we guide you through what comes next at a pace that suits you.

Your questions

Hospital Negligence claims: common questions

It can cover many areas of inpatient and emergency care, such as monitoring, medication, infection control and communication between staff. Whether something amounts to negligence depends on whether the care fell below the expected standard and caused harm.

In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.

Get in touch

You do not have to work this out alone

Talk it through with Stephen Kelly Law, confidentially and with no obligation. We will help you understand where you stand and what your options may be.

CallEnquire