Category: Health
Compensation for medicine recalls
You can be entitled to claim compensation for medicine recalls if you have suffered some form of harm or injury arising from an issue with medicines that you have taken.
If something has gone wrong and the fault lies with the manufacturer, seller, or even someone administering medicine, you could be entitled to pursue a legal case. We can offer No Win, No Fee legal representation, and you can speak to the team here for free, no-obligation advice.
Eye injury group action claims for compensation
Eye injury group action cases can mean representing some of the most seriously injured people there can be when this vital sense is harmed or adversely affected by a problem.
We have, and still do, represent people claiming in group/multi-party cases for eye injury claims. If you need advice about an ongoing action, or about a potential new action, we are always happy to hear from you.
You can speak to the team for free, no-obligation advice here now.
Hernia mesh compensation case – we can help
Despite their use in patient treatment for a long time, hernia mesh implants have become a huge cause for concern after many patients have come forward to report complications resulting from the use of mesh. According to some estimations, as many as tens of thousands of patients who have undergone mesh surgery in recent years could face complications further down the line. In a hernia mesh compensation case, people could pursue compensation claims for any suffering from harmful consequences from hernia mesh, and it may be that they were victims of medical negligence.
Prior to recent shocking revelations, many patients who agreed to undergo surgery to implant hernia mesh may have had little to no knowledge of the potential dangers associated with the medical device. Where doctors may have offered the treatment with little regard for potential pain and injuries, they may have breached their duty of care, and their actions could constitute medical negligence.
If you are among those who have been affected by mesh implants, we know that the pain and suffering may have taken a severe toll on your life. We are here to support you through this difficult time, and to give you the chance to claim the compensation you deserve.
Files on dark web after Stor-A-File cyberattack
It has been reported that tens of thousands of files that were exposed in the recent Stor-A-File cyberattack are now on the dark web and could be exploited by criminals.
We recently reported on the Lister Fertility Clinic data breach, which is one of the organisations affected by the cyberattack that involved services that they outsourced to Stor-A-File. The clinic has written to some 1,700 patients to inform them that their personal and sensitive medical details could be affected by the data breach. This latest development will no doubt come as a further blow now we know that information has been exposed on the dark web.
As leading Group Action Lawyers, we are taking action now and you can speak to the team here for confidential advice on pursuing a data breach compensation claim.
MHRA raises alert regarding potential “incomplete sterilisation” – Steril Milano
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the UK government regulator that monitors the practices of medical product manufacturers and the safety of the goods they produce, has reportedly identified fraudulent activity involving a company based in Italy. Steril Milano is understood to provide services for sterilising medical equipment and devices for a number of manufacturers, including some who supply products to the UK.
However, following its acquisition by a new parent company in 2021, it is believed that Steril Milano did not complete sterilisation processes to the required standard for dozens of manufacturers to whom it provides its services. In response, according to the MHRA, they were forced to take action to ensure that the risk to patients in the UK is minimised.
Whenever concerns are raised about the safety of medical products, it is essential that regulators act to investigate the manufacturers suspected of negligence, as well as alerting relevant hospitals and healthcare centres to give them an opportunity to protect their patients. The MHRA has hopefully acted quickly enough in this case to prevent as many patients as possible from being harmed.
Lister Fertility Clinic data breach action
The Group Action Lawyers is in the early stages of working on a potential group action for anyone affected by the Lister Fertility Clinic data breach.
Correspondence is understood to be going out to those who may be affected, which could be as many as 1,700 patients. Medical records and sensitive clinical information could be exposed in the breach, so the impact on the victims could be significant.
The team is on hand now to offer free, no-obligation advice on a confidential basis here now.
NHS Digital data breach three-year anniversary
In July, it was three years since the NHS Digital data breach was first reported. This was a wide-reaching data protection incident in which tens of thousands of people had their personal information misused. NHS Digital was found to have caused personal data misuse after a system error denied patients the ability to choose how their information was processed and used.
Every patient should be able to exercise control over the use of their confidential health information, so the NHS Digital data incident represents a significant breach of patients’ data protection rights. It is for this reason that many patients affected by the incident could be eligible to claim compensation, and we are working on behalf of victims on a No Win, No Fee basis.
We began to offer advice to potential claimants soon after the breach was reported, and we will continue to help as many victims as we can. However, given that three years have passed, claims may be different for anyone only just bringing one now, and further dates can prevent more victims from making a claim. As we often say, it is important that you seek advice as soon as possible if you were affected.
Spire Healthcare court case leads to fine
The Spire Healthcare court case has now come to a conclusion after the group was reportedly told to pay a total of £20,104.36, £5,000 of which was a fine, according to Leeds Live. The Care Quality Commission, which is understood to have never taken an independent healthcare provider to court before, pursued Spire Healthcare with legal action over allegations that the provider had allegedly delayed telling patients that they had been subjected to potentially negligent care.
The court case was not related to the medical negligence itself, but the case did concern Spire Healthcare’s reported failure to act upon the failings in patient treatment carried out by Michael Walsh, a former surgeon at the company.
As specialists in medical negligence, it always triggers alarm bells for us when we hear that negligent treatment may have been covered up or played down. Healthcare organisations have a duty to thoroughly scrutinise any suspicions of malpractice, or they could be responsible for letting patients down and putting them at risk. We are pleased to see that the Care Quality Commission has taken successful legal action in this case.
Hundreds of victims of breast surgeon Ian Paterson yet to be identified
Disgraced breast surgeon Ian Paterson was imprisoned several years ago, having being found guilty on 17 counts of wounding with intent.
The criminal prosecution only scratched the surface of what may have been going on, with widespread beliefs that many more patients could have been harmed by Paterson. Recent reports have suggested that hundreds of Paterson’s patients have yet to be contacted, meaning that many more might be still in the dark about the mistreatment that they may have been exposed to.
Some victims have already been awarded compensation for the harm caused to them, but we suspect that many more may be entitled to claim. Paterson’s undeniable guilt has strengthened the legal action against him. We encourage any further victims to come forward for advice, even if the hospital has yet to contact you.
The difficulties of vaginal mesh removal
As stories of vaginal mesh complications continue to emerge, many of those who have suffered from the implants are seeking treatment to lessen or stop the pain and injuries they have faced. However, the difficulties of vaginal mesh removal can mean that some of the harmful consequences are, unfortunately, irreversible.
Vaginal mesh implants, used to treat things like urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, have been the subject of controversy for many years. While approved by the UK regulator, the MHRA, the issue of serious complications can be shocking, with many women speaking out about the complications that they have suffered. In response, we have taken on claims from many women affected by the implants, who we believe are eligible to claim compensation for the harm they have been caused.
Commissioner to champion people harmed by medicines or medical devices
In a huge win for anyone harmed by medicines or medical devices, the government has agreed to the appointment of an Independent Patients’ Commissioner. Their role will be to stand up for people who have fallen victim to the dangerous side-effects of certain medical products.
At The Group Action Lawyers, we have been raising the unheard voices of suffering patients for many years, taking on many clients in large group and multi-party actions against powerful medical companies and manufacturers. As such, we welcome the news of this new public service, which represents a significant step in the right direction for patients and overall safety.
Claim for the Transform Hospital Group data breach
For clients of the Transform Hospital Group, 2020 ended with the distressing news that their private data had been exposed in a malicious ransomware attack.
As a plastic surgery chain, the group holds extremely sensitive information about their patients, including surgery photos known as “before and after” images. It is understood that such photos are the subject of the ransomware attack, with some 500 gigabytes of it being held.
The affected customers may now be living in constant fear of their sensitive information being published online, as well as their details being misused in order to commit fraud or identity theft. With such sensitive information at risk, customers are, unsurprisingly, very distressed by the prospect of targeted exposure and humiliation. At the Group Action Lawyers, we have already begun taking on claimants, and we foresee that a group action may be brought if more claims are made, allowing us to launch a collective fight for justice.