Medical Negligence
Injured? What to do. (3)
Litigation needs an engine; that is, something must drive the process forwards. For a personal injury victim that engine is, normally, the persistent fact of the injury. From the medical point of view this will imply difficulty coming up with a prognosis. A prognosis is a doctor’s estimate of the progress (or lack of it) expected of the patient.
DePuy litigation
It is essential to know that the Injuries Board has no role in the DePuy hip scandal. If a victim lodges an application to the Injuries Board, it is a mistake. The Injuries Board will, in due course, reject it. Worse than that, time will continue to run against the plaintiff while the application is being made and considered. In short, it is a waste of valuable and scarce time.
Medical Negligence – the Statute of Limitations
There are no extensions of time available for victims of medical negligence, unlike victims of road traffic accidents who get extensions of time in the Personal Injuries Assessment Board system.
The DePuy hip scandal; Your questions answered
A plaintiff must prove the defect and damage. The fact of the DePuy “recall” is useful to prove the defect, but it would be necessary to engage an expert in the issue. The damage would vary from case to case, but it is difficult to see how any plaintiff with a DePuy hip would avoid ex-plantation before the expiration of the expected use life of the hips, 10 to 15 years.
Faulty PIP breast implants: The Time Problem
What are the actual relevant dates from which time is running?
For negligence claims the date is the date the woman received a letter from the clinic informing her she had PIP breast implants. For breach of contract claims the date is the day of the operation fitting the implants.
Defective Breast Implants
McGarr Solicitors have considered the problems of Irish women who have been fitted with breast implants manufactured by Poly Implants Protheses SA. (“PIP”). You can read our views on our other website Personal Injury Ireland.
Just a minute!
What a pity the court failed to make clear whether the Plaintiff had made an error by applying to the Personal Injuries Assessment Board for an authorisation to issue proceedings against the Defendant or not.
The Statute of Limitations
The title to this post is a misnomer; it implies that there is one single location where the law on limitations of action is stated. This is not the case, but it is the colloquial method of referring to the issue. The issue is this; at what point and in what circumstances will an alleged injured person (injured in body, property or reputation) be prevented from maintaining legal proceedings, for redress, due to delay in bringing the proceedings? All common […]
Mr. KenMore
Here are some easy reforms to bring fairness to the people of Ireland
Medical Accidents
The frequency with which patients are injured in Irish hospitals is very high. The current estimate is of 160,000 per year. Who knows the exact figure? Presumably, the Health Service Executive does. If it does, why is that information not made public? If it does not know, why does it not know? Let us assume that the HSE is a competent body and infused with goodwill towards the patients. Would it not be a good idea to try to eliminate […]