Never events are serious medical errors that could have been completely preventable and should have never occurred if the proper level of care was followed.
Although rare, never events still occur and can have fatal or severe consequences. 407 serious incidents appeared to meet the definition of a Never Event in the NHS Never Events list and had an incident date between the 1st of April 2021 and 31 March 2022.
Examples of never events, as recorded from the latest NHS list, may include:
- Wrong site surgery
- Incorrect implant/prosthesis
- Retained foreign object post procedure
- Mis-selection of a strong potassium solution
- Administration of medication by the wrong route
- Overdose of insulin due to abbreviations or incorrect device
- Overdose of methotrexate for non-cancer treatment
- Mis-selection of high strength midazolam during conscious sedation
- Failure to install functional collapsible shower or curtain rails
- Falls from poorly restricted windows
- Chest or neck entrapment in bed rails
- Transfusion or transplantation of ABO-incompatible blood components or organs
- Misplaced naso- or oro-gastric tubes and feed administered
- Scalding of patients
- Unintentional connection of a patient requiring oxygen to an air flowmeter
Never event accidents can have a huge impact on the life of the victim and their family which is why you should seek legal advice from a medical negligence solicitor as early as possible.
Can I make a claim for a never event?
If you or a loved one have experienced a never event and you have suffered because of this, you may be entitled to pursue a medical negligence claim for compensation. Just like any other medical negligence claim, for Never Event claims the claimant must prove certain criteria:
- Firstly, you must have suffered an injury because of the never event.
- Secondly, someone must be at fault and responsible for this never event.
- Lastly, you must meet the three-year limit, the incident happened, or you became aware that it happened within the last 3 years if you are over 18 years old and of a sound legal mind. There is no time limit for children or someone that cannot bring a claim themselves.
Proving medical negligence is the most challenging part of a compensation claim but with the help of our expert medical negligence solicitors, we can guide you step by step through the process of attaining the vital information for a successful application.
As long as you meet the above criteria then it can be possible to claim compensation for medical negligence and can be reimbursed for expenses such as the cost of medical care, and even the cost of retraining, therapy and lost wages.
Our expert medical negligence solicitors can help you obtain funds which will compensate and prepare you and your family for a stress and pain-free future. We will always aim to secure the highest compensation to fund your recovery.
Unsure if you are entitled to compensation? Please contact us as soon as possible to arrange a free conversation with one of our experts who can answer all your questions about your specific case.