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.

Breast surgeon Ian Paterson’s prosecution and the independent review

In 2017, breast surgeon Ian Paterson was sentenced to 15 years in prison, later amended to 20 years, after the court ruled that he had wounded 17 patients with intent. His unapproved ‘cleavage-saving’ mastectomies have been regarded as “barbaric”, allowing the risk of cancer to return in some patients, as well as leaving victims physically and mentally scarred.

Some families of Paterson’s deceased patients have even called for manslaughter charges.

The verdict came far later than it should have. Breast surgeon Ian Paterson had been practicing in this capacity since 1997, with concerns reportedly arising as early as 2003. An independent inquiry recommended that the treatment of 11,000 patients should be reviewed. A year on, the government have yet to take action to correct the procedures that Paterson exploited, and hundreds of patients have yet to be contacted.

Ian Paterson worked at private and NHS hospitals over his years of practice, coming into contact with as many as 11,000 patients. The scale of the harm caused by the surgeon could, therefore, be monumental.

Can I make a claim?

We know that the hospitals have been slow to contact patients, but if you suspect that you may have been the victim of negligent treatment by breast surgeon Ian Paterson, you may be able to speed up the process by contacting the hospital for advice yourself.

If we believe we can prove medical negligence was at play, we may be able to take on your case.

Nothing can reverse the harm done to victims, but compensation may help victims to feel that some form of justice has been done. In addition, compensation pay-outs can account for any losses or expenses that may have been incurred. For example, you may be able to recover damages to cover the costs of further private treatment if it is now required.

Claiming with the Group Action Lawyers

We encourage any potential victims to contact us for free, no-obligation advice regarding their possible mistreatment by breast surgeon Ian Paterson. You may have undergone unnecessary procedures or received harmful surgery, and it is unacceptable that hospitals may have allowed such negligence to occur.

As experts in group actions and medical negligence claims, we know how to handle all the complex details of a case like this. We have already won over £1 million for victims of the PIP breast implants scandal, and we believe this legal action may also see huge compensation pay-outs.