Medical Negligence Cases – Why Do They Take So Long?
This week in Northern Ireland the Department of Health has announced that it will be reviewing any medical negligence cases that have been going on for more than 15 years. You would think that the number would be relatively few. In fact it is more than 50 cases. Though a case taking this long causes both the victim and professionals involved a huge amount of stress and anxiety, what is more worrying is that some cases simply never get resolved. One case in Northern Ireland has recently been closed without a settlement being agreed. It lasted nearly 30 years. So why do these cases take so long? Why can’t they be resolved? To understand it you need to look at how medical negligence cases differ from normal compensation claims. The main reason for medical negligence cases taking so long is the complex nature of the medical profession. If someone makes an accident at work claim against their employer for being negligent, then the process is fairly straightforward. Usually, simply asking th
