In What Ways Can Medical Negligence Affect a Person's Life?

In What Ways Can Medical Negligence Affect a Person's Life?

Medical negligence is devastating and can have far reaching effects for the victim and their loved ones. In this article, we’ll be looking at the ways in which medical negligence can affect a person’s life.

Medical negligence can be incredibly devastating for patients and their families. Those who have experienced medical negligence should always look into medical negligence claims to seek compensation for such an event, because of how devastating it can be. 

The compensation a patient could receive is not just for treatment and equipment but also to compensate for the negative effects on a person’s life. In this article, we’ll examine the different ways in which medical negligence can affect a person’s life. 

What is Medical Negligence?

Medical negligence is an error made in a patient’s care due to several factors including incompetence, overwork, miscommunication or a deliberate act of malice by a medical practitioner. 

Medical negligence can result in financial compensation claims against a hospital or medical professional and the NHS pays out around £2209.3 million in compensation every year.  

Physical Impacts

One of the main effects of medical negligence is on the patient’s physical health. Often medical negligence will make the patient’s condition much worse than it was originally and can leave the patient with long term physical problems. This could include a lack of mobility, acute pain and a requirement to take a large amount of medication to control their symptoms.

Needless to say, this can result in the patient experiencing a dramatically reduced quality of life. 

Psychological Impacts

A patient who has been a victim of medical negligence will, in many cases, also suffer from mental health issues such as anxiety and depression when the negligence has left them with life-changing injuries or conditions. 

This is particularly common when negligence has led to issues with mobility. A patient may also suffer PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which can stop them from moving on with their lives. 

Psychological issues can also affect those who have lost loved ones due to medical negligence as grief and a sense of guilt will often combine to create mental health problems such as depression.

Home Impacts

Following medical negligence, some patients will face the expense of having to adapt their home to make it more accessible or to move to a more accessible home to suit their needs. For example, one which does not have stairs. This can be expensive and also distressing, particularly if the patient has lived in their home for a long time. 

Financial Impacts

In severe cases, medical negligence can leave a patient unable to work, which can have a huge impact on their lifestyle and leave them struggling to cope with basic costs such as rent, utilities and food. 

Being unable to work can also have a deep psychological effect on people who have, in the past, been used to being financially independent. 

Independence Impacts

In a lot of cases, medical negligence will result in the patient no longer being able to take care of their daily needs. This will often mean that a spouse, friends or family members will have to take on the responsibility of helping the patient with daily tasks such as shopping, washing, eating and even getting out of bed in the morning. 

This can be devastating for a person who is used to being independent and can put considerable strain on relationships. Having a reduced level of independence can result in resentment and bitterness and patients will often inadvertently end up taking this out on those closest to them. Those without family will often have to incur the cost of employing a carer to help with daily tasks. 

Parental Impacts

When somebody suffers medical negligence which results in disability or reduced health, they will often find that it affects their relationship with their children as they are no longer able to enjoy activities that seemed simple enough before.

In many cases, this will lead to a patient feeling like they are missing out on a vital part of their lives. 

Social Impacts

Medical negligence which results in disability, or a reduced level of health can have a severe impact on the victim’s social life. In many cases, the patient will start to avoid going out as the physical act of getting there will be exhausting. 

In some instances, they will avoid social occasions for fear of ‘being a burden’ to others, even though friends and family will rarely feel the same way. 

This can cause a vicious circle whereby the patient will spend more and more time at home which can have a negative impact on physical and mental health in the long run. 

Life after medical negligence…

Falling victim to medical negligence can feel like the end of the world but, it’s important to act fast in order to get your life back on track. 

First, collect as much evidence as possible, including any witness statements. Next, hire the services of a medical negligence or personal injury solicitor who will be able to advise you on the next steps. 

After suffering medical negligence, there’s a good chance that you may experience financial problems due to lack of earnings or having to purchase equipment to help you to navigate your altered lifestyle. 

For this reason, it’s important to begin a claim for financial compensation as soon as possible to prevent a spiral into debt which can, in turn, contribute to the psychological impact of medical negligence. 

Please be advised that this article is for general informational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for advice from a trained legal professional. Be sure to consult a legal professional or healthcare provider if you’re seeking compensation for a medical negligence claim. We are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this site.