For many people, funding a medical negligence claim is one of the biggest concerns they may have. You may be worried that you will not be able to afford to pay for your solicitor’s services upfront, which could put you off the idea of getting justice for the harm you have suffered.

But in many cases, you don’t need to worry. Solicitors now typically offer a No Win No Fee arrangement – otherwise known as conditional fee agreements – for clinical negligence cases. This was introduced to enable patients who had suffered from malpractice to get the help they needed to recover without facing the stress of funding it all at the start.

A No Win No Fee agreement will allow you to focus on your recovery and putting together the strongest case possible, instead of the potential impact it would have on your finances.

Your health is precious. When someone harms that, you are entitled to take action.

It is not just your physical health that takes a knock when you suffer from medical negligence. You may find that your mental health suffers too. After all, you were harmed by a person or organisation that was there to help treat your initial condition. This breach of trust can have lasting consequences. Getting justice in the form of the compensation you need to help you recover is one way of addressing them.

You may be worried that making a claim will take funding away from the NHS – particularly at a time when it needs it most. But that won’t be the case. The NHS has legal protection in the form of indemnities to cover any potential claims. NHS Resolution is an organisation that focuses on resolving claims in England, meaning that you won’t have to claim directly against the NHS itself.

Another important reason to make a medical negligence claim is that by doing so, you highlight the problem that caused you harm. This allows the hospital or surgery or clinician to address what went wrong and prevent it happening again to someone else.

Every instance of medical negligence is unique. That means it can be difficult to say exactly how long it will take to settle your medical negligence claim. Some cases will be concluded in months, while it may take years for more complicated claims to be settled.

If the medical organisation responsible for your injury admits liability, your claim will be settled quicker than if they don’t. If liability is denied, you may end up going to court. And although this is rare, it will extend the claims process.

Your solicitor will be able to advise you on how long you can expect your claim to take. They will keep you informed when there are any updates.

Every medical negligence claim is different. Your circumstances will be unique to you. That means that is difficult to say with certainty what you might entitled to in compensation. For a general idea, try our compensation calculator. It will help you establish what you might be entitled for a specific injury caused by your experience of medical negligence.

The amount that you’ll be awarded will be split into two categories: general damages and special damages.

General damages are awarded to cover the pain and suffering you’ve experienced as a result of your clinician’s negligence. These damages are intended to compensate for any lifestyle changes you have had to make. This includes not being able to take part in your usual hobbies or sports.

Special damages cover any financial impact you’ve suffered because of an instance of medical negligence. This includes any loss of earnings if you’ve been unable to work or any money you’ve had to spend as part of your recovery from the negligent act, such as mobility aids.

Compensation for medical negligence can help you get back in the position you were in before it ever happened. Your health and your future are the most important things.