Tag: investigations
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.
The priority of protecting consumers from unsafe products
Protecting consumers from unsafe products must always be seen as an absolute priority in the UK and, indeed, around the world.
This is why we were keen to see the results of a recent parliamentary publication. This publication has highlighted a number of flaws and matters to be addressed to ensure that the public is properly protected from harm. We will take a brief look at the headings in terms of the areas of concern, and give our expert take on things.
In terms of action for justice, we remind people that we can represent victims of harm caused by products on a No Win, No Fee basis.
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.
Labour Party data breach event
It is understood that the Labour Party data breach event stemmed from a ransomware cyberattack that was initiated at the end of October 2021.
The Labour Party was forced to write to members at the start of November to confirm that their personal information could be affected by the incident. Recent data shows that Labour Party membership numbers are in the region of half a million, so we could easily be talking about hundreds of thousands of people being affected in the event of any information caught up in the attack is misused or exposed.
We continue to monitor developments of this incident closely, and we are taking on claims for data breach compensation now. If personal information is misused or exposed, victims affected could be entitled to pursue a data breach compensation claim now.
Sky Vegas email promoting services sent to self-excluded customers
It appears that an error has resulted in a Sky Vegas email that was promoting enticing gambling offers was sent out on a mass basis, including to people self-excluding from gambling.
It can be possible for people to self-exclude from gambling using a platform directly or through a service such as GamStop. This can prevent them from using gambling services, and it is a vital tool to protect people who may suffer from gambling addictions and may be losing a significant amount of money. You would not expect such vulnerable people to receive an email with enticing gambling offers, and it seems that Sky Vegas should have excluded those people from their marketing promotion.
Unfortunately, they failed to do so. This may mean that people suffering from addictions could be at risk of relapsing having received the email, and we expect people to be understandably distressed over the event.
French emissions investigations expand to Fiat Chrysler
The French emissions investigations have been ongoing for some time, having their beginnings in the 2015 Volkswagen “dieselgate” scandal, in which the carmaker was found guilty of using illegal defeat devices as a means of cheating emissions tests. Now, following charges against a number of other manufacturers across the globe, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Italy has been added to the list of carmakers under the scrutiny of investigators.
Owned by Stellantis, FCA Italy is suspected of alleged consumer fraud in respect of diesel vehicles being sold in France. The allegations against the brand reflect a trend, as many well-known carmakers have been accused of allegedly misleading customers regarding their compliance with emissions regulations. As things stand, carmakers are strenuously denying that they have done anything wrong.
The legal cases here in the UK are still gradually progressing, but we are investigating several carmakers over alleged breaches of consumer law, including Fiat. If you have recently owned or leased a diesel vehicle produced by one of the suspected manufacturers, you can check your eligibility for a compensation claim with us today.
Ian Paterson compensation claims
In 2017, former breast surgeon Ian Paterson was reportedly jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of 17 counts of wounding with intent, with an additional three wounding charges. The criminal conviction demonstrates the severity of the case, which represents one of the most serious and wide-reaching cases of medical malpractice ever seen in the UK. However, the case against Paterson is far from over, with latest reports revealing that thousands of further victims may be able to engage in the Ian Paterson compensation claims processes.
A new patient recall issued by Spire Healthcare, a private provider by which Paterson was employed for a number of years, is understood to encompass some 5,500 former patients of Paterson. This may mean that thousands more victims might have suffered due to unnecessary procedures, including breast surgery and harmful ‘cleavage-sparing’ mastectomies. Additional victims could now be eligible to recover damages also.
As specialists in medical negligence and group actions, our legal representation has been available to victims since the scandal first came about. We urge any further victims who have been notified by the hospitals who employed Ian Paterson to come forward and claim the compensation they may be owed. Although nothing can reverse the harm caused to you, it is vital that those responsible are held to account for the harm caused.
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.
Nissan and Renault emissions claims
Nissan and Renault, two manufacturers in the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi alliance, are among the numerous manufacturers to have been implicated in the ongoing car emissions scandals, which has its origins in the Volkswagen ‘dieselgate’ scandal of 2015. If it emerges that these manufacturers did cheat emissions tests, victims may be eligible to make Nissan and Renault emissions claims.
The emissions scandals may have caused untold damage to human health and to the environment due to the alleged excessive production of toxic emissions. Further, if allegations are proven to be true, customers may have been mis-sold their vehicles on false pretences, and they deserve some form of justice.
We encourage anyone who has owned or leased a potentially affected model to come forward, because we think it may emerge that their consumer rights have been breached based on the allegations made so far.