Stroke Compensation
Contact Our Team
We are medical negligence specialists with extensive experience supporting people in stroke compensation cases.
People with stroke claims are often facing extremely distressing situations. We understand the strain you’re already under and the emotions involved.
We provide an empathetic service and pursue the outcome you need, including explanations around what happened to you or a loved one and damages to help you move forward with your life.
Contact us for advice today.
Do I have a stroke claim?
You may have a valid claim if you or a loved one suffered a stroke that could have been prevented or may have had less serious consequences if treatment had been quicker or carried out differently.
Many strokes and the devastation they can cause are unavoidable.
In some cases, medical treatment was not acceptable. That is when compensation can help to make the future more bearable.
Circumstances that may lead to stroke claims include:
- slow response to a 999 call
- missed or misdiagnosis of a blood clot
- mismanagement of atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat)
- mismanagement of high blood pressure/hypertension leading to haemorrhagic stroke/cerebral haemorrhage/intracranial haemorrhage
- misdiagnosis or mistreatment of a brain aneurysm
- failures to properly monitor patients who are at risk of a stroke
- failures to recognise the signs of a stroke/delays in treatment of a stroke
- failures to spot or properly manage a transient ischaemic attack (TIA or mini stroke)
- inappropriate aftercare following a stroke, leading to harm
- misdiagnosis of stroke.
If you suspect you or a loved one did not get the right treatment or that mistakes may have been made, we’re happy to listen and provide advice on what to do.
Do get in touch. We also provide help when someone has died.
WE ACTED FOR MARY, WHOSE INTERNATIONAL NORMALISED RATION (INR) WAS NOT MANAGED WELL AT HER NEW HOSPITAL AND SHE SUBSEQUENTLY SUFFERED A STROKE AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THIS.
Compensation helps pay for care of stroke victim
We secured £300,000 compensation for Mary* when she suffered a stroke after regular medical checks were not carried out as required.
Mary (76) was a fit and active lady contributing to her community and doing lots of charity work before her stroke. Afterwards, she required 24-hour care due to permanent physical and mental impairment.
Things went wrong with Mary’s care when she transferred to a new hospital following a house move.
She had atrial fibrillation, a history of acute arterial emboli (where she was susceptible to blood clots) and was fitted with a pacemaker. She took medication to thin her blood and had to undergo regular international normalised ratio (INR) checks.
Following her transfer to the new hospital, her INR was not managed well and Mary suffered a cardiac embolus, meaning a blood clot broke away and caused a stroke.
The compensation included an award to help pay for the ongoing care and assistance Mary needed because of the stroke.
*Not her real name
Preventable strokes and Atrial Fibrillation (AF)
Stroke risk increases five-fold in people with AF and can be significantly reduced with anticoagulant (blood-thinning) treatment.
Failures to diagnose AF, which causes irregular and abnormally fast heart rates, can lead to preventable stroke. Likewise, improper management or treatment of AF can end in strokes that may have been avoidable.
We can help if you think this may have happened to you or a loved one.
Am I entitled to stroke misdiagnosis compensation?
If known symptoms of a stroke were not spotted by a medical professional or acted on fast enough or in the correct way, you may be entitled to compensation.
Compensation is due if the medical professional did not act in a way that could be reasonably expected of them and it resulted in harm.
Common signs of stroke include:
- a drooping face on one side, droopy eye or inability to smile
- inability to lift arms due to weakness or numbness
- slurred or garbled speech, inability to speak or difficulty understanding what is being said.
Suspected strokes and TIAs (mini strokes) should be treated as a medical emergency. NICE guidance must be followed around treatment and referrals to a specialist.
Medical professionals, 999 and 111 operators should be alert to stroke symptoms and take appropriate emergency action.
If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke and you suspect procedures were not properly followed, we can help.
Whether you have made a complaint and are not happy with the response, negligence has been accepted or you have not complained yet, we are happy to speak with you.
Are stroke claims no win no fee?
Stroke claims can be made under no win no fee arrangements.
There are also other ways to ensure you are not left with a large legal bill when making a stroke claim, including special insurance plans. You may even already be covered on your household insurance.
In successful stroke claims, it is usual for legal fees to be covered by the insurance arrangements of the medical trust you are claiming from.
No one should feel unable to pursue a claim for fear of the costs involved.
We can provide further help and advice on how to fund a stroke claim.
How much compensation for a stroke?
Stroke compensation can amount to hundreds of thousands of pounds, or even more, depending on the specifics of the case.
Strokes can result in long term cognitive (mental) impairment that may require someone to have lifelong care. In those cases, if the stroke was avoidable, compensation may be particularly high, especially if the person affected is young.
Stroke can also lead to ongoing speech impediment, mobility issues and even death.
Damages assessments will take account of the costs incurred because of the stroke and be set accordingly. This may include:
- loss of earnings
- costs of care
- rehabilitation costs
- payments towards specialist equipment and house adaptations, including wheelchairs, mobility cars or mobility scooters, for example
Damages will also include an element for pain and suffering.
Can I make a stroke claim for someone else?
It is possible to make a compensation claim for a stroke on behalf of someone else if they do not have the mental capacity to do so for themselves.
This may be the case if the person had mental capacity issues before the stroke or they have developed since. It is also possible for an adult to make a compensation claim on behalf of a child. This would usually be a parent or guardian.
In these cases, a ‘litigation friend’ can be appointed. You may also wish to discuss deputyship to ensure the person you care about legally has someone to act in their best interests going forward. A deputy is likely to be first choice as a litigation friend.
It is also possible to make a claim when someone has died.
When is blood clot compensation due?
Blood clot compensation would be due if someone has:
- suffered a blood clot due to a personal injury that was not their fault, or
- suffered harm because of a missed or misdiagnosed blood clot.
A stroke may be caused by a blood clot. If the stroke should have been spotted sooner or was not properly treated, compensation may be due.
Blood clots may result from negligence relating to issues including:
- cardiology
- sepsis
- brain injury
- amputation
- personal injury
- surgical injury
Stroke claims - Other frequently asked questions
What classes as clinical negligence?
How do you prove a medical negligence stroke claim?
Stroke support
The Stroke Association provides information and support for people who have suffered a stroke and their families.
