What to do when medical negligence affects your household income

No one ever expects to suffer medical negligence. But, unfortunately, it does happen.

Your loved one may have gone into hospital for a routine operation which went tragically wrong, or you may have faced such lengthy delays in diagnosis that your prognosis is now much worse.

With something as serious as your health at stake, it’s difficult to begin to think about how your family will cope financially. But, unfortunately, money worries don’t disappear because you are bereaved, injured or unwell. In fact, they can get much worse. So, how do you make sure your household income doesn’t suffer as a result of any medical negligence? Here are just a few pointers in case the worst happens…

Make sure everyone knows everything about your household finances

If one person in the household has always taken responsibility for paying the bills and suddenly they’re unable to, it can make things incredibly difficult for the rest of the family. Keep a folder with all the information you need to know about utility and phone bills, otherwise you may not even know who your provider is. Consider having a joint bank account. It will make it a lot easier if you need to access it without gaining permission from the other account holder.

Claim for any compensation you’re entitled to

If you’ve lost a loved one because of medical negligence or a member of your household is unable to work as a result, it can have dire consequences for your household income. It could be that a mistake was made at the birth of your child, meaning you’ve had to stop work to care for them or it could be that an operation has gone wrong, leaving you out of employment. There are a vast number of circumstances in which you could be entitled to compensation.

What you can claim for

With so much to pay for after a medical negligence death or injury, your solicitor will be able to help you claim for all the expenses you could incur. As well as an award for pain and suffering, your claim could include loss of past and future earnings, the cost of any care that you need, any travelling expenses for getting to medical appointments and any adaptions you need to make to your home.

Don’t see it as gaining from an unfortunate or tragic event

When it comes to medical negligence claims, the court will be looking to put you into the position you would have been in if the negligent act had never happened. If you can’t return to work for a period of time, or at all, then damages should make up for any money which will be lost in future earnings. You should be no worse off as a result of suffering medical negligence and should be able to live as comfortably as possible.

Benefits

You may never have claimed benefits from the government before. But when you are genuinely unable to work, they are there to help you. Don’t be ashamed or feel it’s too complicated to claim them. Look into what you’re entitled to or seek advice from helplines or a Citizens Advice Bureau if you’re not sure what you could get. There are all sorts of benefits designed to help people who are disabled or ill as a result of medical negligence such as disability living allowance, personal independence payment, employment or attendance allowance. You could also get constant attendance allowance if you need daily care.

If the very worst happens

If you lose a loved one as a result of medical negligence, then you could be entitled to make a claim for funeral expenses. It’s also worth looking at whether you can make a claim under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976, because you could be entitled to compensation for your bereavement. The sum is fixed at £11,800 for husbands, wives and civil partners along with parents who lost their child before their 18^th birthday.

By making sure everyone knows the ins and outs of your household finances and being aware of what you could be entitled to if something does go wrong, you can concentrate on what matters in life, grieving for your lost loved one, caring for a family member who is unwell, or trying to look after yourself after you have suffered medical negligence.